Common salon treatments explained

What each treatment involves, what to expect, how to look after the results — and where the genuine risks are.

None of these treatments are complicated, but the details determine whether you get a good result or a bad reaction. Here is what actually happens in each, in plain terms.

Facials

A professional facial typically follows a sequence: cleanse, analyse the skin, exfoliate, sometimes steam and extract, then mask, massage and moisturise. It takes around an hour.

What it can do: deep-clean the skin, remove surface build-up, improve hydration and give a temporary glow that lasts days to a couple of weeks. The massage element is genuinely relaxing, which is not a trivial benefit.

What it cannot do: remove wrinkles, cure acne, or produce permanent change. Persistent or inflammatory acne is a medical condition — extraction on inflamed spots can cause scarring, and a good therapist will decline to do it and suggest you see a GP.

Aftercare: avoid make-up for several hours; avoid heat, saunas and heavy exercise the same day; no exfoliation for a few days; sunscreen without fail. Mild redness for a few hours is normal. Ask what actives were used, particularly if you are also using retinoids or acids at home — a strong salon exfoliation on top of a home retinoid routine is a reliable way to end up with an irritated, compromised barrier.

Waxing

Warm or hot wax is applied and removed, taking hair out from the root. Regrowth is typically two to six weeks, and the hair grows back with a soft, tapered tip rather than the blunt end that shaving leaves — which is why it feels less stubbly.

• Hair needs to be around 5 mm long, otherwise the wax cannot grip it.
• It hurts. Less so with practice, but it hurts.
• Do not wax skin that is broken, sunburnt, or recently spray-tanned. Do not wax if you are using topical or oral retinoids, or have recently — the skin can lift off with the wax. Tell the therapist about any medication before you book.
• Hygiene is non-negotiable: no double-dipping. A spatula that has touched your skin must never go back into the wax pot. If you see it happen, leave.
• Aftercare: no heat, sauna, swimming, sunbathing, tight clothing or heavy exercise for 24 hours. Avoid perfumed products on the area. Gentle exfoliation after a few days, plus regular moisturising, helps prevent ingrowing hairs.

Manicures and pedicures

Nails are shaped, cuticles tidied, and colour or gel applied. Gel and shellac are cured under a lamp and last two to three weeks.

• Cuticles should be gently pushed back, not cut away. The cuticle is a seal against infection. Aggressive cutting invites it.
• Gel removal is where the damage happens. Gel must be soaked off properly. Picking or peeling it off takes layers of the nail plate with it, leaving nails thin, brittle and weak — and then people conclude that gel "ruined" their nails, when it was the removal.
• Occasional breaks from gel let the nail recover.
• Tools must be sterilised between clients, or single-use. Foot spas must be properly disinfected — poorly maintained ones are a genuine infection risk.
• Do not have a pedicure on broken skin. If you have diabetes or any circulatory condition, seek advice about foot care first; a small injury can be a serious matter.
• Fungal nail infections, painful ingrowing toenails and verrucas are medical matters, not cosmetic ones.

Lash and brow treatments

These carry the greatest risk of a serious reaction of anything in this list, so read this section properly.

• Lash extensions: individual synthetic lashes bonded to your natural lashes with a cyanoacrylate adhesive. They last a few weeks and need infills. Applied badly — too heavy, or several natural lashes glued together — they cause traction damage and lash loss.
• Lash lift: a chemical treatment that curls the natural lash. Lasts several weeks.
• Lash and brow tinting: a dye applied to darken the hair.
• Brow lamination and henna brows: chemical straightening, and a stain that also colours the skin.

Patch testing: the part people skip, and should not

Reactions to lash adhesives and to tint — particularly products containing PPD or related dyes, and henna preparations — can be severe. Swollen eyes, streaming, blistering, chemical burns, and in rare cases anaphylaxis. Sensitisation can develop suddenly after years of uneventful treatments, which is exactly why a previous good experience is not a reason to skip the test.

A patch test should be done at least 24 to 48 hours before the treatment, every time you see a new salon or a new product is used, and periodically thereafter. A salon that offers to skip your patch test is telling you that it prioritises the booking over your safety. That is all the information you need about them. See choosing a salon.

Aftercare

• Lash extensions: keep dry for the first 24 hours, avoid oil-based cleansers and steam, do not pick or pull at them, brush gently.
• Stop immediately and seek medical attention if you develop swelling, severe irritation, pain or a rash around the eyes.

A general principle

Tell your therapist everything: medication, skin conditions, allergies, recent treatments, pregnancy. It is not nosiness — retinoids, some antibiotics, isotretinoin, blood thinners and a number of skin conditions all change what can safely be done. Withholding it puts you at risk, not them.

Read next: skincare basics, spray tanning. Back to the homepage.

Independent guide. Not a salon; no treatments, no bookings. General information only, not medical advice.