Beautiful You by Suzanne Edmonds

Each week, beauty enthusiast Suzanne Edmonds explores the best ways to take care of ourselves so that we love the skin we're in.

You may have heard of paraffin wax dips for the feet during a pedicure. The experience is beautiful: after being massaged and lathered with moisturizer, your feet are dipped repeatedly in silky smooth warm paraffin, before being wrapped in warm towels, allowing time for the paraffin to infuse moisture into your feet. The paraffin works on the hydration levels of the feet, making them feel wonderfully supple and soft as they emerge after 15 minutes or so. I'll talk more about the importance of looking after the health of your feet next week, but this week, I want to talk about the leading-edge paraffin facial.

While paraffin on the feet has been used for some time, paraffin on the face isn't as commonly used in facials. Paraffin facials are causing a stir, in all the right ways. The facial paraffin treatment is a kind of peel, but not like a chemical peel because the products used are all natural and very soft on the skin. The beauty of this technique is the moisturizer is infused into the skin – such a luxurious treatment.

As you lie back, the skin should be cleansed right down to and including the neck to ensure the mask is applied to fresh skin. A series of massages will then relax and open up the skin, ready for receiving the paraffin wax and its benefits.

A generous application of a moisturizer will target you skin's specific needs- your therapist will discuss these options and make recommendations. A gauze is then applied to fit your face for comfort and protection before the warm paraffin is applied in four layers, drying to become a flexible mask.

It opens up the pores and has a deep cleansing effect, while also penetrating the skin with moisture- like food for the skin. Giving moisture to the skin is the best way to improve its appearance because dryness makes skin appear older and tired.

After around 15 minutes the mask will be removed, leaving your complexion feeling brighter and rewarded.

But buyer beware, this facial is one that's most definitely reserved for a salon professional to do - the paraffin is dangerous and can burn if it's not used correctly by a therapist. So ensure you choose a salon that's working to the highest safety and hygiene standards.

Giveaway!

We're excited to be giving away the opportunity to experience a paraffin wax facial at De Lux Beauty Salon to readers of this blog. To enter to win this facial, just email us at deluxbeauty@gmail.com and answer this question: how many layers of wax are used in a paraffin facial?