5 Simple Ways to
Extend Your Spa Glow.

Most of what a treatment gives you is decided in the two days afterwards, not in the hour itself. None of these five things is difficult — they are simply the ones people forget.

01 · Do less, not more

The most common mistake is going home and layering on everything in the cabinet, as though to build on the momentum. Skin has just had a great deal done to it. For 48 hours, cleanse gently, moisturise, wear SPF, and stop there.

Specifically: no retinoids, no acids, no scrubs, no clay masks. If your usual routine has five steps, run three.

02 · Wear sunscreen the next day

This matters more after any facial that includes exfoliation, and it matters even if you are mostly indoors. Freshly resurfaced skin is more responsive to light, and one careless afternoon can undo the evenness you have just paid for.

If you only do one thing on this list, do this one.

03 · Leave the oils on

After a body treatment, resist the urge to shower straight away. The balm or oil we finish with continues to absorb for several hours, and washing it off at 6pm removes most of what you came for. Shower before bed if you must, or the following morning.

Wear something soft and dark that you do not mind marking, and plan a gentle evening rather than a dinner reservation.

04 · Skip the heat

Saunas, steam rooms, hot yoga and very hot showers all work against you for the first 24 hours. Heat increases flushing in skin that is already a little sensitised, and after bodywork it can leave you feeling washed out rather than rested. Warm, not hot, for a day.

05 · Sleep on a clean pillowcase

Unglamorous, genuinely effective, and free. A fresh pillowcase on the night of a facial keeps the next twelve hours clean while your skin is at its most receptive. Change it again two nights later if you can.

One more thing

Notice how your skin feels on day four. That is the real measure of a treatment — not the walk to the car afterwards. If it still feels comfortable and looks even, you booked the right thing. If it has already dropped off, tell your therapist next time and they will adjust the treatment rather than simply booking you in sooner.

General aftercare guidance for cosmetic treatments. Your therapist will give you specific advice for the treatment you had, which always takes precedence over this article.