Facials in Lubbock: What They Are, What They Do, and Which One Is Right for You
- 5 hours ago
- 7 min read
You've seen the word everywhere. Spas offer them. Dermatologists mention them. Your friend swears by them. But what actually happens during a facial?
A facial is a clinical skincare session that combines cleansing, exfoliation, extractions, and targeted treatments. It's not a massage with cucumber slices. It's not optional pampering. When performed by a trained esthetician, a facial is corrective therapy for your skin's current condition.
In Lubbock's dry air and relentless UV exposure, your skin faces stressors that East Coast or humid-climate protocols don't address. That's why every facial at The Spa by Sheena begins with an assessment of what your skin needs today—not what worked for someone else or what you read online.
What Happens During a Facial in Lubbock
Sheena Klos, Founder and CIDESCO Certified Master Medical Esthetician, structures facials around five core steps. "Each step has a clinical purpose," she says. "We're not just applying products. We're moving your skin through a sequence that prepares it to absorb active ingredients and respond to treatment."
Here's what happens:
Cleansing removes surface oil, makeup, and environmental debris. Double cleanse if you wore sunscreen (you should have).
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells. This can be mechanical (scrub, dermaplaning) or chemical (enzymes, acids). We choose based on your skin's current tolerance.
Extractions clear clogged pores. This is manual work. It's not comfortable, but it's necessary if you have congestion.
Treatment application delivers active ingredients—peptides, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, retinoids—while your skin is primed to absorb them.
Protection seals everything with hydration and SPF. You leave the spa with your skin barrier reinforced, not stripped.
West Texas air is dry year-round. If your esthetician skips barrier repair or sends you out without SPF reapplication, you'll undo the treatment by the time you reach your car.
Types of Facials Offered at The Spa by Sheena
We offer six facial formats. Each addresses a different set of concerns.
Customized Facial: Sheena builds this around your current skin condition. If you're breaking out, we focus on decongestion and calming. If you're dry and flaking, we focus on lipid replenishment and hydration. If you're dealing with hyperpigmentation, we layer brightening actives. This is the format most patients choose because it adjusts to what your skin needs today, not what it needed three months ago.
European Facial: The classic five-step sequence with steam, extractions, and a hydrating mask. This is maintenance. If your skin is stable and you want to keep it that way, this is your baseline. We still customize product selection, but the structure stays consistent.
Teen Facial: Designed for adolescent skin. We teach proper cleansing, explain why picking makes scarring worse, and address active breakouts without overdrying. This is education as much as treatment. Teens leave with a home-care protocol they can actually follow.
Back Facial: Same clinical approach, different canvas. If you have back acne, keratosis pilaris, or congestion you can't reach, this is the treatment. We use stronger exfoliants here because back skin is thicker and more resilient than facial skin.
Glo2 Facial (four tiers): Oxygenating facial that uses CO2 bubbles to trigger increased circulation and oxygen delivery to skin cells. Express is the quickest version. Lux adds targeted serums. Platinum adds ultrasound for deeper product penetration. RF (radiofrequency) adds collagen stimulation. This is the format we recommend for pre-event prep or when you need visible improvement in a short window.
Add-Ons That Change the Treatment in Lubbock
Two add-ons shift a facial from maintenance to corrective.
Dermaplaning: We use a sterile surgical blade to remove dead skin cells and vellus hair. This is exfoliation at the most superficial level. Your skin looks brighter immediately because you've removed the dull outermost layer. Product absorption improves. Makeup sits smoother. It does not make hair grow back thicker—that's a myth. The hair was always there; you're just noticing it now because the tips are blunt instead of tapered.
Chemical Peels: We offer four strengths. ZO 3-Step is the mildest—lactic and salicylic acids for surface exfoliation. Herbal Green is enzyme-based and gentle enough for sensitive skin. AHA peels use glycolic or lactic acid to address texture and early pigmentation. TCA (trichloroacetic acid) is the strongest we offer—this penetrates deeper and requires downtime. Peeling, flaking, and redness last several days. You don't book TCA casually.
Sheena decides peel strength based on your Fitzpatrick type, current retinoid use, and how your skin has responded to exfoliation in the past. If you've never done a peel, we start with ZO 3-Step. If you're using tretinoin nightly, we may skip chemical exfoliation entirely during the facial.
What Purging Means and Why It Happens After Facials
Purging is accelerated turnover. When we exfoliate or introduce active ingredients, we speed up your skin's natural shedding cycle. Microcomedones that were forming under the surface come to the surface faster.
This looks like more breakouts. It feels like the treatment made things worse. It didn't. It brought forward what was already happening slowly.
Purging is not the same as irritation or an allergic reaction. Purging appears in areas where you typically break out. It resolves in one to two weeks. Irritation appears in new areas, comes with burning or stinging, and gets worse with time.
If you're purging, don't stop treatment. If you're irritated, call the spa.
How Often You Should Get a Facial in Lubbock
Your skin renews itself approximately every 28 days when you're in your twenties. That cycle slows as you age—40 to 50 days in your forties, longer after that. Facials should align with your turnover rate.
General guidelines:
Maintenance (stable skin, no active concerns): every 4 to 6 weeks
Active acne or congestion: every 3 to 4 weeks until clear, then stretch to 6 weeks
Anti-aging focus (fine lines, texture, pigmentation): every 4 weeks with periodic peel add-ons
Post-procedure recovery (after laser, injectables, or deeper peels): 2 weeks after, then resume normal schedule
West Texas wind and UV exposure mean your skin loses hydration faster than it would in a humid climate. If you're only doing facials twice a year, you're spending most of the year in deficit. Consistent monthly facials let us address damage as it accumulates instead of trying to reverse six months of neglect in one session.
What to Expect During Your First Facial at The Spa
You'll fill out an intake form. We ask about current skincare products, prescription medications, recent procedures, and sun exposure. This isn't small talk. Retinoids, antibiotics, and hormonal contraceptives all affect how your skin responds to exfoliation.
Sheena or one of the clinical estheticians will examine your skin under magnification. We're looking at pore congestion, dehydration, pigmentation patterns, and texture. We note areas of sensitivity. We ask what you've tried before and what didn't work.
The treatment itself takes 60 to 75 minutes for a full facial. Glo2 Express is shorter. Back facials take the full 75 minutes because the surface area is larger.
You'll feel cleansing (cool), exfoliation (slightly scratchy or tingly depending on method), extractions (pressure and brief discomfort), and masks (cool or warm depending on type). If we use steam, it's warm and slightly humid. If we use a high-frequency device for acne, you'll hear a buzzing sound.
We finish with SPF. You'll leave with product recommendations for home care—typically a peptide serum, a hyaluronic acid product, and a broad-spectrum SPF. We commonly recommend Hydrinity Restorative HA for hydration, ZO Refining Peptide Serum for texture, and SkinBetter Science SHEER SPF 56 for UV protection. These are the products we use in-office and trust for Lubbock's climate.
How West Texas Climate Shapes Facial Treatment in Lubbock
Lubbock sits at 3,256 feet elevation. The air is dry. Humidity regularly drops below 20 percent in winter. UV index hits 10+ in summer. Wind is constant.
This environment does three things to your skin:
Strips moisture from the outermost layer faster than your skin can replace it
Increases transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which leads to chronic dehydration even if you're drinking water
Delivers more cumulative UV damage because of elevation and lack of atmospheric moisture
Facials in Lubbock have to account for this. We use more occlusive barriers than a coastal spa would. We apply hyaluronic acid in multiple molecular weights to hydrate at different depths. We don't over-exfoliate because your skin is already losing moisture faster than it should.
If you move here from a humid climate, your old skincare routine will stop working. Your skin isn't different. The environment is.
Common Questions About Facials in Lubbock
Can I get a facial if I'm on tretinoin or Accutane?
Tretinoin: Yes, but we skip chemical exfoliation and extractions may be gentler. Tell us you're using it. Accutane: No. Your skin is too fragile. Wait until you've been off Accutane for six months.
Will a facial help with acne scars?
Atrophic scars (pitted or depressed) require resurfacing—laser or microneedling. Facials with chemical peels can improve post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (dark spots left after acne heals), but they won't fill in texture loss.
Should I get a facial before or after Botox?
Before. Get the facial a few days before Botox so you're not lying face-down immediately after injection. Wait two weeks after Botox before scheduling your next facial.
Can I wear makeup after a facial?
We recommend waiting until the next day. Your pores are open and your skin is absorbing everything it contacts. If you must wear makeup immediately, use a clean mineral powder foundation and avoid liquid formulas.
Do I need to do anything before my first facial?
Come with a clean face if possible, but we'll double cleanse regardless. Avoid exfoliating scrubs or retinoids the night before. If you're on prescription acne medication, bring the name and dosage. If you've had recent cosmetic procedures, tell us when you book.
How do I choose between a regular facial and a Glo2 facial?
If you want immediate visible improvement—brighter skin, plumper texture—book Glo2. If you're addressing chronic congestion or need extractions, book Customized. If you're maintaining already-healthy skin, European or Glo2 Express both work.
What's the difference between a facial and a chemical peel?
A facial includes exfoliation as one step. A chemical peel is exfoliation as the primary treatment. Peels penetrate deeper, require more downtime, and produce more dramatic results. You can add a peel to a facial, but a peel alone is not a facial.
Book your consultation or call (806) 701-5840
The Spa by Sheena
8713 Milwaukee Ave #200
Lubbock, Texas 79424
By Sheena Klos,
Founder · CIDESCO Certified
Master Medical Esthetician
The Spa by Sheena is a medical day spa serving Lubbock and West Texas. Clinical treatments are performed under the supervision of our medical director by our licensed team.
