9.3 Facials, Exfoliation, Skin Care Products and Machines, and Hot Towels
Key Takeaways
Rule 0200-03-.16 allows removal of only the non-living uppermost layers of facial skin (the epidermis), only with commercially available products, and never by mixing products unless the manufacturer requires it.
A basic cleansing facial follows a set order: consult and drape, cleanse, steam or warm towel, exfoliate if appropriate, massage, mask, tone, and moisturize with sunscreen for daytime.
Mechanical exfoliation uses friction (scrubs, brushes, microdermabrasion), while chemical exfoliation uses acids such as glycolic, lactic, or salicylic acid or enzymes such as papain.
Hot towels must be clean for each client, tested on the barber's inner wrist, molded to the face with the nostrils uncovered, and skipped on sunburned, broken, or couperose skin.
Clients with pacemakers or metal implants, heart conditions, epilepsy, or pregnancy should not receive electrical facial treatments without a physician's approval.
Why this topic matters
Domain VII, Skin Care, is 4 percent of the theory test. Beyond facial massage, it covers preparing the client for skin care services, use of different skin care products, scalp care treatments, safe procedures for cleansing facials, safe chemical and mechanical exfoliation, safe use of skin care tools, machines, and devices, safe application and removal of hot towels, and safe product use for all skin conditions. Under T.C.A. § 62-3-105, giving facial treatments and applying cosmetic preparations to the face and neck is barbering, and the Board's curriculum requires facial and makeup training.
Preparing the client
- Consult first. Ask about skin sensitivities, allergies, prescription skin medications such as retinoids, recent peels or waxing, and sun exposure. Look for contraindications (below).
- Wash your hands with soap and water (Rule 0200-03-.05(1)).
- Drape. Cover the client's clothing with a cape or towel. Protect the hair with a clean towel or headband. Cover the headrest with a clean towel or paper (Rule 0200-03-.05(7)(b)).
- Recline the chair gradually and support the head.
- Set out products by removing creams from jars with a clean spatula, never fingers (Rule 0200-03-.05(9)).
Skin types and product choices
| Skin type or condition | Signs | Product approach |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Even texture, few blemishes | Mild cleanser, balancing toner, light moisturizer |
| Dry | Tight, flaky, fine lines | Cream or milk cleanser, freshener (mild, low-alcohol toner), hydrating cream mask, richer moisturizer |
| Oily | Shine, enlarged pores, blackheads | Foaming or gel cleanser, astringent (stronger toner), clay mask to absorb oil, oil-free moisturizer |
| Combination | Oily T-zone, drier cheeks | Treat each zone separately |
| Sensitive or couperose (visible dilated capillaries) | Redness, reacts easily | Fragrance-free products, no steam or hot towels, no stimulating massage, test products first |
| Acne-prone | Comedones, papules, pustules | Non-comedogenic products; do not massage over pustules; refer active or cystic acne to a physician |
Product purposes
- Cleansers remove oil, makeup, and dirt.
- Toners (fresheners for dry skin, astringents for oily skin) remove residue and temporarily tighten.
- Exfoliants remove dead surface cells.
- Massage creams provide slip for manipulations.
- Masks absorb oil (clay), hydrate (cream or gel), or soothe.
- Moisturizers hold water in the skin.
- Sunscreen protects from UV damage.
A basic cleansing facial
- Cleanse, working from the neck up to the forehead with upward, outward movements. Remove with damp cotton or a warm towel.
- Analyze the skin under a magnifying lamp. Shield the client's eyes with cotton pads.
- Steam or apply a warm towel to soften the skin, unless the skin is sensitive or couperose.
- Exfoliate if the skin type allows (see below).
- Massage with a massage cream using effleurage, petrissage, and other movements (section 9.2). Keep strokes gentle and avoid broken skin.
- Apply a mask suited to the skin type, and remove it as directed.
- Tone, then moisturize, and apply sunscreen for daytime.
- Clean up. Discard single-use items, and clean and disinfect tools and the chair (Rule 0200-03-.05(11)).
Mechanical and chemical exfoliation
Tennessee's rule comes first. Rule 0200-03-.16 says:
- Only the non-living, uppermost layers of facial skin, the epidermis, may be removed, by any method, and only for beautification.
- Only commercially available products for removing facial skin may be used.
- Mixing or combining skin-removal products is prohibited unless the manufacturer's instructions require it.
Types of exfoliation
| Type | Examples | Safety points |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical (physical) | Granular scrubs, rotary facial brushes, microdermabrasion | Light pressure; avoid scrubs on inflamed acne or broken skin; do not scrub right after shaving |
| Chemical | Alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic, lactic), beta hydroxy acid (salicylic), enzymes (papain from papaya, bromelain from pineapple) | Follow label timing; do not use over broken skin or with prescription retinoids; neutralize or remove as directed; recommend sunscreen afterward |
Do not exfoliate skin that is sunburned, broken, infected, recently peeled or waxed, or treated with prescription exfoliants. Shaving is itself exfoliating, so avoid a scrub or acid right after a close shave.
Skin care tools, machines, and devices
| Device | What it does | Key precautions |
|---|---|---|
| Magnifying lamp | Magnified, lighted skin analysis | Cover the client's eyes; do not leave the lens where sunlight can focus through it |
| Facial steamer | Warm mist softens skin and debris | Keep a safe distance from the face, commonly 15 to 18 inches; use distilled water if the maker directs; not for couperose or sensitive skin |
| Rotary brush machine | Brush cleansing and light exfoliation | Clean and disinfect the brush heads after each client |
| High-frequency (Tesla) current | Warming and drying effect with glass electrodes | See section 9.2 for use and contraindications |
| Galvanic current | Direct current used to soften debris (desincrustation) or push water-soluble products in (iontophoresis) | Electrical contraindications apply |
| Hot towel cabinet | Keeps clean towels hot | Only clean, freshly laundered towels; clean the cabinet regularly |
Contraindications for electrical facial treatments: pacemakers or metal implants, heart conditions, epilepsy, pregnancy, broken or inflamed skin, and high blood pressure unless a physician approves. Remove jewelry, and follow the electrical safety rules in section 3.7.
Hot towels: safe application and removal
Hot towels warm and soften skin before shaves and facials and comfort the client after massage.
Safe application
- Use a separate, clean towel for each client. Never re-dip a used towel in hot water (Rule 0200-03-.05(7)).
- Take the towel from the towel cabinet with clean hands or tongs, and let excess heat escape.
- Test the temperature on your inner wrist before it touches the client.
- Mold the towel to the face from the chin up, leaving the nostrils uncovered so the client breathes freely.
- Do not use hot towels on sunburned, windburned, chapped, broken, or couperose skin, on active pustular acne, or on clients who are sensitive to heat. Use a lukewarm or cool towel instead.
Safe removal
- Remove the towel before it cools completely. Lift from the chin upward and wipe gently with the towel.
- Put the used towel in the covered, labeled soiled-towel container right away (Rule 0200-01-.07).
- A cool towel at the end of a service soothes the skin and is standard after shaving.
Safe product use for all skin conditions
- Read labels and follow timing. Chemical exfoliants and masks that stay on too long can burn.
- Patch-test products on clients with known sensitivities.
- Use non-comedogenic products on acne-prone skin and fragrance-free products on sensitive skin.
- Refer clients with suspicious lesions, infections, or conditions that need medical care to a physician. Do not diagnose or treat.
Under Tennessee Rule 0200-03-.16, which facial skin may be removed during a barber's facial treatment?
Any layer, as long as the client consents
Only the non-living uppermost layers of the skin, the epidermis, for beautification
The dermis, if a commercial product is used
No skin at all; exfoliation is prohibited
Which exfoliant is a chemical exfoliant rather than a mechanical one?
A granular facial scrub
A rotary facial brush
A glycolic acid (alpha hydroxy acid) product
Microdermabrasion
A client has visible dilated capillaries (couperose skin) across the cheeks. Which step should the barber skip during a facial?
Consultation
Hot towels and steam
Applying a gentle moisturizer
Draping
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.