Your guide to an at-home facial

“I love a good exfoliating peel rather than a scrub – and Dr Sebagh’s Deep Exfoliating Mask is very good,” says Hagelquist (Dr Sebagh also does one for sensitive skin). “But you can make it even better by adding vitamin C powder [or a serum], mixing it together and leaving it on your skin for five minutes. The effect is quite amazing – if you want glowing skin, you should definitely add vitamin C to your peel.”

“I’m a great believer in using clay masks to detox your skin and refine the pores. I call them the vacuum-cleaner mask, as clay is so good for unclogging pores, and when pores are clean, they are less visible. If you’re using powdered clay, try adding some pineapple juice or yogurt instead of water, as both have a gentle peeling effect. But before using any type of clay mask, apply a warm, damp face cloth to your skin first – this opens up the pores, so you get a better result from the mask. Even better, twice a week, do a peel followed by a clay mask – it’s the best two-step trick for detoxing and brightening dull, tired skin.”

“After removing the clay mask, use a really good oil to work into your skin – focus on the jawline in particular, as you can get a lot of tension there. Use your knuckles to work up along the jawline and into the big muscle where the top and bottom jaw join – this is where we hold all the tension. Then use the index and middle fingers – opened up in a V-shape, like scissors – and slide them from the chin to under the ears, where the lymph nodes are. You need a light touch with lymph because, if you’re too heavy-handed, you won’t drain away any puffiness.”

“A gua sha massage tool is great for reducing puffiness in the face. You can run it outwards along the jawline and cheekbones and work it right in to release those tight muscles in the corner of the jaw. I also love the jade or rose-quartz rollers, and it’s good to keep them in the fridge so you can use them chilled.”

“I love anything cold, like the Anne Semonin Ice Cubes – think of it as a frozen serum. I usually wrap them in gauze so it’s easier to massage them over your face. These are especially good for around the eyes, or I use the Angela Caglia Rosebud Eye Treatment Set after I’ve chilled them in the refrigerator. Use them by working out from the center of the face, rolling them outwards to drain any puffiness. First, work under the eyes and out to the ears, then under the cheekbones and out to the ears (to drain lymph). Keep doing this and you really refine the face.”

“Rather than using a moisturizing mask or sheet mask, you can use a face cream as your mask. I regularly use Dr Sebagh Luminous Cream, but I mix it with a hyaluronic-acid serum and apply it in a much thicker layer and leave it on for 20 minutes. The cream doesn’t have to be super-rich; the Luminous Cream is oil-free, so it’s good for all skin types, but used like this it’s amazing for tightening the skin. You can then massage it in, or tissue off what’s left on your skin, and finish with an essence – SK-II, Omorovicza and Chantecaille all do good ones. A toner removes any cleanser and rebalances the skin’s pH, while an essence leaves it hydrated – start using one and it can make a big difference to your skin.”

“Waiting for the cream mask to work is the perfect time to treat your hands. Mix up some sugar and a few drops of body oil or coconut oil, and massage it into your hands as a scrub – it’s gentle and the oil leaves skin beautifully nourished. Serums are great on the backs of the hands, especially anything with hyaluronic acid to hydrate. Let that sink in, then mix some vitamin C powder or serum into your hand cream, apply liberally and massage in.”