Hand Facial in Waterloo

No. A manicure shapes and paints the nails; a hand facial treats the skin of your hands and forearms with exfoliation, a mask, massage and deep hydration. Nails are left as they are. If your hands are dry, rough or ageing faster than your face, a hand facial is the one that changes how the skin looks and feels.

Hands feel noticeably softer for several days and look smoother for about a week. How long it lasts depends on what your hands go through — frequent washing, sanitizer and cold air all strip moisture fast. A fragrance-free hand cream after every wash and gloves outdoors stretch the result. In winter, many clients book monthly.

It helps dry, rough, chapped hands a lot. During an eczema or dermatitis flare, though, we don't exfoliate broken or inflamed skin — a doctor or pharmacist should treat the flare first. Once skin is calm, a hand facial helps restore softness and comfort.

It brightens dull skin and makes hands look more even right away, because exfoliation removes the dull surface layer. It won't erase established sun spots on its own; that takes daily SPF on the backs of your hands and time. Think of it as a reset that makes your hand care work better.

It's one of our most giftable treatments: an hour of massage and care that doesn't require someone to bare their face or try a hair removal service. It suits anyone with hard-working, dry hands — nurses, chefs, new parents, gardeners — and it's $98.93 for 60 minutes.

Hands are cleansed before treatment and tools are sanitised between clients. Open cuts, cracked skin that bleeds or an eczema flare are checked first — those areas are left out or the treatment is postponed, because exfoliation and masks shouldn’t go on broken skin. Everything happens in a private room at MK Elegance Studio.