Before Your Facial

A little prep goes a long way! Here's what we recommend leading up to your appointment:

Here's what we recommend leading up to your appointment:

Day of Your Appointment

  • Wear your SPF — yes, even if you're indoors all day

  • Come with a clean face if you can- at a minimum, skip the heavy eye makeup

  • Skip any facial or neck shaving or trimming

  • Plan to keep the rest of the day low-key - no makeup or workouts until tomorrow

  • Let us know if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or actively trying to conceive, so we can adjust your treatment accordingly

  • Please also share any sensory sensitivities or neurological conditions so we can tailor your experience — for example, skipping LED light therapy if needed

Three Days Before

  • Pause all skincare actives, especially exfoliants — this includes acids, Retin-A/tretinoin, adapalene/Differin, retinols, retinoids, bakuchiol, and scrubs

  • Limit use of benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, and clindamycin to spot treatments only until after your visit. These can be drying and compromise your barrier

  • Minimize sun and heat exposure — sunburned or overheated skin can compromise your treatment and results

One Week Before

  • Avoid facial waxing, sugaring, threading, hair removal creams, and at-home dermaplaning

  • If you shave regularly, please skip shaving the day of your appointment (48 hours if sensitive/sensitized)

Two Weeks Before

  • Give yourself at least two weeks after any injectables or laser treatments before booking your facial — and it's always best to check with your injectable practitioner first, too. Good news: you're welcome to book injectables after your facial, just give yourself two weeks before your next appointment if you've already had them

Six Months Before (if applicable)

  • Brides! If you are getting your skin in shape for your big day, an early start is ideal

  • If you've used Accutane (isotretinoin) or a similar medication, we ask for at least six months between your last dose and your facial — your skin needs that time to fully recover first

  • Not sure what to do in the meantime? Book a Consultation Experience and we'll create a roadmap together — including what you can use at home now, and how we'll reacclimate your skin to treatments and active home care when the time is right

Post Facial Care:

What you do after your facial matters just as much as the facial itself.

Right after your treatment, your skin enters its glow-up era — but it takes a minute to get there! For up to a week, you may notice more sensitivity than usual as your skin sheds the old and reveals what's underneath. Totally normal, totally temporary. Stick to the guide below and you'll be set.

Questions or concerns along the way? Email us anytime at mclaughlinstudiosskin@gmail.com

For the next five days: (or until skin feels balanced again, time frame can vary)

  • Welcome to ugly duckling week! Some purging or sensitivity is just your skin working through the process on the way to your results

  • Treat yourself to a gentle ice roll for a minute or two, morning and night after cleansing — it feels amazing and helps bring down any puffiness, especially if you had extractions

  • If congestion surfaces, don't pick at it — a hydrocolloid patch will handle it while it resolves on its own

  • Reapply SPF as directed, especially if you're outdoors or sweating — go for a water-resistant formula if you'll be active

  • Your skin is extra sun-reactive right now, so be diligent about shade and coverage, even with SPF on

  • Hold off on exfoliating or active ingredients (acids, retinols, bakuchiol, physical scrubs, vitamin C or nicacinamide serums) while your skin finds its balance again

  • If you use benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, or sulfur, it's fine to keep applying those as a targeted spot treatment, but skip applying them all over for now

  • For the rest of the week, keep movement light — save the intense, heated, or outdoor workouts for once your skin has calmed back down

  • Steer clear of heated exercise classes, saunas, and steam rooms until things feel normal again

  • Waxing, sugaring, and threading are on pause for about a week — tweezing's no problem though

  • Pools and hot tubs are a hard pass this week — chlorine is not your skin's friend right now

  • Small dry patches or superficial scratches are completely normal post-treatment. A thin layer of Aquaphor or CeraVe Healing Ointment for a day or two will help your barrier bounce back