What is a Mini Facial Service? How Do Mini-Facials Compare to Regular Facial Appointments?

By: Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC

We are utilizing stock images in this article to help define regular facials and mini facials; however, many of the images do not depict appropriate eye protection.  When cleansing, exfoliating, masking, etc., the client should have cotton eye pads over the eyes to help prevent skin care products from entering or harming the eyes.

A mini facial is usually an abbreviated service of a regular full facial.  It might only include a few steps of a full facial service to:

• Save time and provide a shorter service when greater time for the full service is not available
• Provide a more economical service option to the client
• Use as a paid advertising option to get clients on the table with hopes they will upgrade to the full service once they start to experience the steps
• Provide as an alternative service is a client is contraindicated or cannot have the full facial service, such as:
  • when a practitioner is fully booked and the client is running tardy
  • the client cannot receive certain aspects of full facial service such as they had:
    • a recent exfoliation
    • facial radiation oncology treatment
    • other contraindications

Full facial services are usually between 50-60 minutes long, with luxurious or specialty facials reserved for 80-90 minute services.

Full Facial Services Usually Include Any Combination or Multiplication of the Following Steps:

1. Professional Skin Analysis Including Oral Intake & Questions
2. Cleansing, including manual, brush, machinery and other methods.
3. Exfoliating, including manual/mechanical, chemical, machinery and other methods.
4. Toning, including spritzing, wiping, atomizer
5. Steaming, and other steps and applications to open pore for deeper cleansing
6. Extractions, including manual extractions and using tools to provide a deeper cleaning of the skins pores
7. Electrical applications for various purposes
8. Machinery applications for various purposes
9. Masking
10. Massaging
11. Serum applications of many different varieties and uses.
12. Eye cream applications
13. Moisturizing
14. SPF application for daytime appointments
15. Steps may be deleted or added upon at a service provider of establishment's discretion

Facials with greater steps or additional products including tools and machinery than what is listed above might qualify as a specialty facial instead of what’s considered to be a normal or regular facial service.

Mini-facials can be provided in a multitude of different methods or steps which can  include any of the following:

1. Cleanse
2. Tone
3. Moisturize

1. Double Cleanse
2. Tone
3. Moisturize

1. Cleanse
2. Tone
3. Massage
4. Moisturize

1. Double Cleanse
2. Tone
3. Massage
4. Moisturize

The Following Alterations Could Made to the Suggested Mini Facial Routines Above

• A facial masque could be substituted for the massage.
• An exfoliation or exfoliating cleanse can be substituted for the 2^nd cleanse instead of a double cleanse. 
• Serums, eye moisturizer and machinery services that are quickly applied can be added as well.

All facial services regardless of length should always be subject to a professional skin analysis to ensure:

• appropriate products are used
• avoid allergens  
• accommodate precautions
• learn of contraindications
• meet client goals

Mini facials can be executed somewhere between a 10-to-30-minute service, depending on how many tasks are performed.  We believe a decent mini facial would take approximately 20 to 30 minutes for the best efficacy and experience. Regardless of how long you offer your mini facial for, the time should be advertised similar to massage therapy appointments, so that a client is not upset if they feel the service should have been longer than what was provided.  It’s difficult to start a mini-facial over again after the client has already been moisturized. We want to avoid negative experiences as service providers, nevermind the waste of moisturizer or products when identical steps must be repeated to correct a problem.

Licensed service providers including estheticians should develop a working relationship with a professional skin care brand where they can develop reliable use and application of known products, and then retail those products for at home use and continued client benefit.