What to do before a facial Small steps that help your session do more

Three days before: pause the strong products

The most useful thing you can do is give your skin a short break from anything strong. Exfoliating acids such as glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid, retinol and retinoids, gritty scrubs and peel pads all thin out the surface layer, and a facial exfoliates too. Doubling up can leave skin stinging or pink.

Pause these for two to three days before your appointment, unless your doctor has told you otherwise. If a doctor gave you a cream or medication for your skin, keep following their advice and tell your facialist what you use.

Keep everything else simple: a gentle cleanser, your usual moisturiser and sunscreen every morning.

Do not try anything new that week

A new serum, a friend's mask or a fresh brand of sunscreen can wait until after your facial. If your skin reacts to something new the night before, it is hard to know whether the redness came from the product or the session.

The same goes for self-tan on the face and DIY masks with lemon, cinnamon or other kitchen ingredients. They can sensitise skin right when you want it calm.

If you are planning your facial ahead of a wedding or event, this rule matters even more. Keep your routine steady for the two weeks before the date.

The night before: sleep, skin and a simple routine

The evening before your facial is not the time for a big skincare session. Cleanse gently, apply your usual moisturiser and go to bed at a sensible hour; tired skin looks dull and feels more reactive, and a facialist can see the difference.

Avoid squeezing spots or blackheads yourself, however tempting it is in the mirror. Picked skin is often red and broken by morning, and those areas then need to be worked around rather than cleared properly.

If you have a hot, salty dinner or a late night out planned, it is no reason to cancel. Just drink plenty of water and keep your routine simple when you get in.

Sun, heat and the beach: protect your skin first

In the UAE it is easy to catch more sun than you meant to, at a pool brunch, a beach morning or a long walk to the car in August. Sunburnt or peeling skin should not be exfoliated or steamed, so a facial will have to wait until it has settled.

In the days before your appointment, wear sunscreen daily, reapply when you are outdoors and choose shade in the middle of the day. If you do get burnt, message us to move your slot, and read our guide on facials after sun exposure for when to rebook.

Mild tanning is not a problem; just mention it at the skin check.

What to do before a facial if you have threading, a peel or laser planned

Threading, waxing and facials all affect the skin, so the order matters. Booking them on the same day can work, but the timing changes how your skin feels. Our guide on threading before or after a facial explains how to plan them.

Medical procedures need more space. If you have had, or are planning, a chemical peel, laser, microneedling or injectables, ask your doctor how long to wait before a facial, and tell your facialist what you had and when. These are medical procedures that we do not offer, and your skin needs time to recover from them.

Things to tell your facialist

Make a quick mental note before you arrive, so nothing is forgotten once you are lying back and relaxed. Your facialist uses this to adapt the products and steps to your skin.

Where relevant, she may suggest you check with your doctor first. Facials are cosmetic care and do not replace medical advice.

• Acne, rosacea, eczema or any active infection
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Medication that affects your skin, such as isotretinoin
• Recent sunburn, peels, laser or injectables
• Allergies to fragrance, plant extracts or other ingredients
• What you want from the session: a deep clean, calm, hydration or glow

On the day: make-up, water, food and timing

You can arrive with your usual make-up and sunscreen on, because cleansing is the first step. Tie your hair back if it is long, and wear a top with an easy neckline, since the massage reaches your neck and shoulders. If contact lenses feel dry in warm steam, glasses may be more comfortable.

Drink water through the day and eat something light beforehand, so you are not hungry or lightheaded while you lie still for an hour. In Ramadan, many women book after iftar for exactly this reason; we are open until 11 pm on weekdays and until midnight at weekends.

Leave a little margin for Dubai traffic and parking. Arriving calm, a few minutes early, makes the hour feel longer and more restful.

Choose your facial and plan the evening after

If you are still deciding, our guide to which facial is right for you matches each facial to a skin need. First-timers may also like our walkthrough of what to expect at a first facial.

Keep the hours after your session light: no gym, no sauna, no heavy make-up and no time in the sun. Our facial aftercare guide has the full list. When your plan is ready, book a facial and the booking opens in WhatsApp, filled in and ready to send.