Can I use the gommage in the shower?
Let me be brief: No!
Yonka’s Gommage is a wonderful exfoliator that should not be used if your face is wet, whether in the shower or bath or steam room. Why not? Gommage is in a gel base and needs to dry (through massaging it into the skin) in order to grab onto dead skin cells that are later rubbed off. If your skin is wet, even with simple humidity in the room (like after a shower), the gommage won’t slough off.
The following are my instructions for using Gommage to the fullest. These instructions basically duplicate a previous post: Yonka’s Gommage Instructions (see link below). As you will read at the bottom of this post, these—“my”—instructions are actually the way Yonka used to instruct clients (and aestheticians) to use Gommage back in the ’80s. Regardless how you use it, the following tips are going to be helpful.
Yonka’s Gommage is a wonderful exfoliator that should not be used if your face is wet, whether in the shower or bath or steam room. Why not? Gommage is in a gel base and needs to dry (through massaging it into the skin) in order to grab onto dead skin cells that are later rubbed off. If your skin is wet, even with simple humidity in the room (like after a shower), the gommage won’t slough off.
The following are my instructions for using Gommage to the fullest. These instructions basically duplicate a previous post: Yonka’s Gommage Instructions (see link below). As you will read at the bottom of this post, these—“my”—instructions are actually the way Yonka used to instruct clients (and aestheticians) to use Gommage back in the ’80s. Regardless how you use it, the following tips are going to be helpful.
This is very important: Your skin and the air around you needs to be DRY (no moisture in the air, no moisture on your skin). In other words—you cannot do the gommage while taking a shower—or a bath!
- Use a quarter to a half dollar-sized dollop
- Warm Gommage in your hands
- Apply to DRY face and neck
- Gommage starts out as a sticky gooey gel
- Massage in using light, circular movements
- After a minute or two, it will start absorbing into the skin
- Keep massaging, but do not rub your face raw! (If you feel you have to rub hard, you didn’t begin with enough product or you are really dehydrated. Don’t remove what you’ve got on your face, but apply a bit more—around half the amount you began with—then continue massaging in.)
- You will start to notice pencil eraser-type flakes appearing as Gommage dries
- Get over a sink, and use brisk movements to eliminate the impurities off your face
- When complete, no more flakes will appear
- Rinse the residue off with tepid water (not hot or cold)
- Pat your skin dry with a towel
- Spray your Yonka Lotion toner
- Finally, apply your favorite Yonka day or nighttime moisturizer
- Your skin will feel extremely soft and look very clear and healthy
- Your makeup will go on smoothly
The instructions for the gommage have changed over the years—and I’m not sure why. I think the older way is also a bit more time-consuming and labor-intensive, however I believe it works massively better than the newer instructions in your box of Gommage. Those directions will tell you to apply the gel, leave it to dry for 10 minutes or so, then start to rub it in and off your face. It may seem like a minor difference, but I believe if you work it in vs. let it sit on your skin, you will ultimately get a better gommage or peel.
Here is an excerpt from a new client’s email. She had always been told the “new” way to gommage and I sent her instructions for the “old” way. Here are her comments:
Wow! Thanks, Carolyn! I was, indeed, using the gommage incorrectly. I was applying the correct amount, but I was told to leave it on after I applied it for about ten minutes, then use my fingers to sweep downwards on the skin to get the “pencil eraser” flakes to come off. I tried it your way last night. It worked brilliantly!
Whichever way you prefer to apply this product—just do it—you’ll be happy you did. Yonka’s Gommage can and will make a huge difference in the healthy look and smooth feel of your skin.
For more information, see:
- What IS Gommage?
- Yonka’s Gommage Instructions—This is Very Important Information!
- Is your face in need of extra hydration?
