How To Give Yourself A Lifting and Sculpting Facial At Home

Step 1: Double Cleanse

It’s a phrase most of us are well-acquainted with now, but double cleansing is the best way to ensure every scrap of makeup, dirt and grime has been lifted. “Using face treatments is great but if you have a layer of dead skin, it makes it harder for all those wonderful active ingredients to penetrate your skin,” says Arif Khan, pro makeup artist. Opt for a balm cleanser, such as Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup Melting Butter Cleanser, £34.00, which in keeping with its name dissolves into an oil and melts away makeup.

“For my second cleanse I usually go for a gel or foam cleanser – Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser, N/A – to leave me feeling fresh and I use a Foreo Luna Play Sunflower Yellow, £14.50 to increase it’s cleansing power,” says Arif. While you don’t have to use a Foreo everyday, in this instance it is the perfect first step for getting your circulation going and sloughing away any dead skin. You can also use a gentle facial scrub, such as Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, £24.00 after your cleanser instead.

Step 2: Select Your Treatment

Active ingredients are essential to any kind of facial, including DIY ones. Choosing a serum or oil that is packed full of skincare heavyweights will help you achieve that lifted, sculpted finish. Look out for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump and niacinamide to tone and refine specifically for instant results, while retinol and peptide complexes will work over time to boost your collagen and elastin levels.

Formulas such as Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum, £245.00 and Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum, £185.00 are particularly good as they are packed full of nourishing ingredients and offer a good slip to make massaging them into skin easier.

Step 3: Choose Your Facial Massage Tool

Pretty much every professional facial includes some form of device and your at-home version can too. Whether you opt for a manual tool, such as Sarah Chapman’s Facialift, or a battery powered device like NuFace, these clever gadgets help to supercharge your circulation and ensure skincare ingredients penetrate deeper.

“A nightly or daily 10 minute facial massage keeps your face toned and relieves facial tension that we all hold, mostly in our jaws, between the eyes and temples,” says beauty therapist Izabellas Pawlitka, who regularly employs Gua Sha tools and rollers. For those who need a speedy lesson in mastering the art of facial massage, here are some tips…

Best for de-puffing & sculpting:

Jade and rose quartz rollers, such as Herbivore Rose Quartz Facial Roller, £37.00, and Odacité Crystal Contour Gua Sha Blue Sodalite Beauty Tool, £40.00 have surged in popularity over the past couple of years for the simple reason that they really do help lift and sculpt. “I recommend using pumping movements from the centre and out firmly, begin at the chin and gently stroke outward to the ears,” directs Izabellas. “Next, the cheeks to the temples, then the forehead to temples.”

Whether you opt for a roller or Gua Sha tool is a matter of personal preference. Both not only help to encourage lymphatic drainage and reduce any underlying inflammation, but the stone material also helps to cool your skin and ease puffiness.

Best for lifting jawline and jowls:

“Facial massage is a great way to release tension and give your skin a lifting boost,” says A-list facialist Sarah Chapman, who designed her Sarah Chapman Facialift, £32.00 to mimic the movements of skincare expert. While it looks like a torture device, this nifty roller helps to improve your lympathic drainage and release any tension. If you want to focus on your jawline, jowls and neck area, this is the tool for you.

“Holding the massager at right angles to the face, push and roll The Facialift from the chin to the ears, allowing the wishbone to separate on each side of the jaw and avoiding the cheekbones,” says Sarah. “Push and roll either side of the neck moving from front to back.” The sensation takes a couple of attempts to get used to, but the plump, radiant results will keep you going back for more.

Best for toning and smoothing out fine lines:

This clever little device is a firm favourite among beauty editors and therapists. The microcurrent technology helps to lift and tone your jawline and jowls, while also smoothing out any fine lines and wrinkles. The device has a five-minute timer, so for those who are looking for a minimal effort approach to their at-home lifting and sculpting facial, this is worth investing in. Simply roll the device over your skin, starting from the centre and working your way out.

For the best glow-getting, sculpting results, we recommend teaming your NuFace device with Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir, £27.00

Step 4: Hydrate & Spritz

The final step to any facial is to ensure your skin is fully hydrated to leave it with that cushioned plumpness. We are currently loving Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask, £49.00, which leaves your skin feeling light, fresh and revived. For an even lighter finish to your facial, look no further than Aesop’s aptly named Aesop Immediate Moisture Facial Hydrosol, £19.00. Simply spritz, press into skin and you’re good to go.