I would be really grateful from some advice - first facial

Hello everyone, I really hope you can help me.

Today I had my first facial ever. I had become concered with my skin now I'm in my late 20's and wanted to make sure I looked after it, the place I chose said they would give honest and helpful advice in skincare routine etc. They had great reviews and the person was highly trained plus the website seemed very friendly and concerned about customers, not pushing products and focusing on what was right for customers.
When I got there they gave me a skin exam,they told me a lot of awful things about my skin and that my skin care routine was not good. I was shocked as I cleanse (with a little soft rubber face scrub from Bath and Beauty range), tone and moisturise my face twice daily using day cream, night cream and eye cream (Body Shop), plus I use bio yogurt on my face each evening (my mum taught me this), CURE (which the lady told me sounded like snakeoil and I shouldn't buy again) twice a week as well as a sensitive facial scrub once a week and hydrating sheet masks twice a week.

They said my skin was super dry like a shell around my nose and cheeks, that my eye area was really thin and not looked after, as it was too dark and lined for someone my age. I was so upset by this as I had become concerned about my eyes as I age and worried about a few lines getting worse under my eyes and I've always had dark circles and wanted to see if I could lessen them other than ways I'd heard (just to clear that up it's one or two lines under my eyes like creases that I think I've had since I can remember and I've always had bad dark circles since I was a kid)
Although I've always worried about these creases as I can be a bit of a worrier sometimes my friends told me this was normal and they couldn't notice it, only airbrushed people had perfectly smooth under eyes but the facial people telling me that it was bad just made me so upset and self conscious that it looks awful and old.

The facial I had hurt so much, it felt like they were sanding my face off! Plus they used electric currents and needles to get out whitheads and blackheads I had around my nose and eyes, I wouldn't have minded so much but they never told me what they were doing or going to do or how it was meant to help, nothing was explained and I felt really lost and surprised by each thing they did. Even now a few hours later my face is tender and sore and my ears are ringing from the electric stuff they used. Afterwards I felt so scared that my skin was bad that I bought over £130 skincare from them that they said would help, only two things though for £130 (serum and face cream)! I can't afford it and after I came out I cried (lame I know) because I felt stupid for spending so much and being scared. Luckily my boyfriend made me take it back a short time later. But now I'm still really scared about my skin and routine, is it really that awful? I don't know what to do and I'm so worried about my eye area, that I'm not using the right cream and that I'm not cleaning my skin properly to remove dead cells. I always scrub gently but I've been told many times by friends and blogs online that you should never scrub too hard. It's really made me upset, I want to do the best for my skin and treat it properly but I'm so confused. I would be so happy for your advice. I felt a bit self conscious before this but also felt I was being a bit too harsh on myself, now I feel like I look worse than I even imagined

I'd also like advice on dealing with places that do facials, what should I look out for, how can I tell somewhere is good and how can I get honest advice on my skin without them scaring me into buying their stuff? Thanks for dealing with all my noob questions and I thank you in advance

Yikes! Sounds like a facial from hell!

To take care of your skin you need three things - lots of water, plenty of sleep and avoid bad habits (cigarettes, booze and fast food). You should wash your face every day with a soft facial brush. You can use pretty much what ever cleanser you want be it a facial soap, cream or gel. Follow that by closing your pores with cool water and follow up with a toner of your choice. Don't forget to moisturize with a moisturizer of your choice. Once a week do an at home facial by steaming your pores open then using a gentle facial scrub that does NOT contain stuff like ground apricot shells (too abrasive, save it for the knees and elbows). Follow that with a mask of your choice (be it home made or store bought) then remove it, rinse with cool water and follow with a toner. Too much electrical stimulus like too much botox is BAD for facial muscles and can cause the muscles to become weak which in turn causes wrinkles.

Thanks for getting back to me. Because i was a noob at this I just didn't know what to expect but I thought they'd at least explain anything to make sure I was ok with it!
I do everything you suggest to my skin including giving it a good steam while I take a bath then using a scrub to clear any dead cells. So I must be doing it right
This morning my eye area is dark purple with bruising! I'm just really shocked by the whole experince.

if i were you i would get a second opinion and go somewhere else to have a facial. if their comments are completely different to the first place get a complaint filed in fast!

also i only had my first facial a few years ago and i had NO routine whatsoever. i only washed my face with water (didnt really wear makeup much before) the feedback i got from the facial was that my skin was in really good condition (despite not even cleansing!) the only comment i had were there was some scarring on my forehead which the sun was making darker, so i needed an spf moisturiser. since then i got myself into a routine and now i moisturise twice a day and cleanse/gently exfoliate once a day and it works for me. not had a facial since though tbh would be interesting to see what they say now! im always weary of companies that push products. this place didnt at all and i didnt buy anything but i remember leaving a hairdressers once and left spending over £90 in hair products that i didnt want; i got emotional too, i was annoyed at myself for being too weak to be manipulated like that. needless to say i never went back there.

product pushing=pushing customers away in my eyes.

wow long rant, soz!

Thanks for the reply Tic Tac it made me feel a lot better hearing your story and also that you've been pushed into buying stuff you didn't want too. I'm just glad my boyfriend was there to be a pillar of sense or I would have come with the stuff!
My face is still really sore the second night now so I'm really annoyed. I did some research online and it sounds like she was talking a load of BS, she was going on about UV rays damaging skin through a computer screen!!!! I'd never heard of that at all so I was a bit and being a total noob trusted her word on it but reading up online it's a load of hogwash with no facts at all behind it.

I'm just going to have to be more careful, I mean I had no idea that facials could be so harsh, from hearing my friends talk about them in the past it was all scrubs, facial massage and masks, not sandpaper brushes and electric rollers!! I just thought I could trust this place because the website was very friendly and said no pushing of products (what a fricking lie), she had fantastic reviews and I admit I was starstruck by the fact she does a lot of celebs. Gee did I learn a lesson.
I think I'll at the very least write her a letter of complaint and there is no way in hell I'll ever go back but if my skin hasn't calmed in the next 24 hours I'm going to ask somewhere else for advice on it and take any action I can with what they give me.

Thanks again you've been so helpful

Did they even tell you what your overall skin type is? The area around my nose is tends to be super dry and flaky while the rest of my face is not - so i use a moisturiizer for dry skin there and one for normal on the rest of my face jt Could be the moisturizing routine you're following is wrong for your skin type. It could be as simple as the oily skin or combination skin you had has changed to normal or dry. Or is too harsh for those areas that are sensitive. Make sure you're using the right formulations. It may take some experimenting with different brand(s) to find the one the ones that work best for you.

You don't say if you've spoken with a dermatologist, but if not, I would recommend that. A visit to one might better address your concerns than someone who makes their money from selling their products than servicing your needs. It might give you the peace of mind you need. Stress and worry is also bad for the skin. For your life.

Can I ask, what is CURE? I've never heard of it.

Sorry for mistakes in the post above. I'm trying to do this on my phone... and I FAIL!

No they did not say anything, I already know I have combined oily and dry skin but my face was not flaky or dry around my nose or cheeks were she had said my problem is. Now, after the facial my skin is very dry, I've never had it this dry. All in all my skin before was pretty good, now and again I'd get dry patches around my lips but that never lasted and I get pimples on my forehaed and cheeks now and again. I've been through many, many moisturiizers and spent a lot of money trying to find the perfect one, until I realised that I was just buying gimicks and promises, so now I only use Body Shop products because they suit my skin and they are a reasonable priced and the set I use has no extra ingredients or miracle promises.
I've noticed no changes in my skin that said I should change my skincare, my skins been pretty constant (up to now).

This woman I went to had a cert in dermatology. So I guess they can all be out for money.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel is a Japanese product that I've been using for about four years now. First picked one up on vacation in Japan. Here's a little about it http://www.japalang.sg/cure/About_Cure.html