Massages & treatments
How to Prepare for Your First Visit to a Facial Spa
Simple prep steps for your first facial at Monastery in San Francisco: what to skip, what to bring, and how to get the most from your appointment.
By Monastery5 min read
To prepare for your first facial at Monastery, arrive with a clean, product-free face, skip retinoids and exfoliating acids for three to five days beforehand, avoid waxing or sun exposure the same week, eat something light, and bring a list of every product you've used recently. Come ten minutes early to settle in.
What should I do the week before my first facial?
The week leading up matters more than the morning of. Stop any retinol, glycolic, salicylic, or lactic acid products roughly three to five days out. Skip waxing, threading, and laser on the face. Don't schedule a beach day. Your skin barrier needs to be calm, not stripped, so we can actually read what's going on underneath.
Hydrate. Sleep. Boring advice, real results. If you're breaking out or reacting to something new, don't cancel, come in anyway. That reactive skin is useful information for us, and adjusting the treatment on the fly is part of the work. A guest arrives sure her flare-up is hormonal. The pattern says otherwise, pointing to a new SPF she started, and the whole session shifts to barrier repair instead of extractions.
For deeper background on active ingredients and when to pause them, the American Academy of Dermatology has straightforward patient guidance [1].
What should I bring and how should I show up?
Bring your actual products, not a list from memory. The bottles tell us more than you'd expect: preservatives, fragrance, order of application, how old the jar is. If lugging bottles isn't realistic, photograph the ingredient labels.
Here's what helps us give you a better first session:
- Arrive with a bare face so we don't spend treatment time removing makeup.
- Bring or photograph every cleanser, serum, SPF, and treatment you use, including body products near the jawline.
- Note any medications, supplements, or recent procedures, even ones you think are unrelated.
- Wear comfortable clothing you can lower slightly at the shoulders and neck.
- Come hydrated but not overcaffeinated, since caffeine can amplify facial flushing during extractions.
- Write down two or three specific goals, not vague ones. "Less congestion around my chin" beats "better skin."
- Turn your phone to silent before you walk in. You'll want the quiet.
If you're still deciding who to book with, our guide on questions worth asking a skin specialist is a good pre-read.
Which first-visit option is right for me?
Not every first visit needs to be the deepest treatment on the menu. A shorter session with a focused goal often teaches your skin more than a long, aggressive one. Most people ask first about which facial gets the fastest results. That's the wrong first question. Ask what your barrier can tolerate right now.
| Visit type | Best for | When to skip it |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation-focused first facial | Reactive, sensitive, or unclear skin | You've had recent facials elsewhere and know your baseline |
| Standard signature facial | Generally healthy skin wanting a reset | Active cystic breakouts or recent peels |
| Targeted treatment add-ons | Specific concern like congestion or dullness | First-ever facial with no known tolerance data |
Athena Hewett built Monastery around 20 years of hands-on esthetics work, and the product line we use in-treatment is the same one we formulate and test ourselves. That continuity between treatment room and takeaway is intentional. For a fuller sense of the flow, see what to expect at your appointment.
Is there anything I should avoid the day of?
Yes. Skip the gym right before. A flushed, sweaty face makes extractions harder and reddens faster. Don't get a heavy lunch on the way. Avoid alcohol the night before if you can, since it dehydrates and increases sensitivity, something well-documented in general skin health literature [2].
Also: don't pick. We know. It's tempting the morning of. Leave it. Whatever you're eyeing in the mirror is easier for us to address on skin that hasn't been provoked six hours earlier. Come as you are. That's the whole point.
FAQ
Should I wear makeup to my first facial?
No. Arrive with a clean, bare face when possible. If you're coming straight from work, that's fine, we'll cleanse thoroughly, but skipping makeup saves treatment time and lets us assess your skin's real condition before anything is applied.
How early should I arrive at Monastery?
Ten minutes early is the sweet spot. You'll fill out an intake form, discuss goals, and shift into a calmer headspace. Our address is 4175 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114, and you can reach us at (415) 218-9783 to confirm parking or transit options nearby.
Can I get a facial if I'm breaking out?
Yes, and often you should. Active breakouts give us useful diagnostic information. We may adjust the treatment away from aggressive exfoliation and toward decongestion and barrier support instead, but a flare-up is rarely a reason to cancel. Call ahead if you're unsure.
How often should I come back after the first visit?
Most skin responds well to a rhythm of every four to six weeks, aligned with your skin cell turnover cycle. After your first visit at Monastery, we'll suggest a cadence based on what we saw, your goals, and what's realistic for your schedule and budget.
