Client told me hot towels ruined her skin barrier

Hugo Flores · 2026-06-05T23:15:04.946274+00:00

Had a regular say she stopped going to her last esthetician because hot towels made her face red for days. I switched to lukewarm for her and she's been fine, anyone else adjust temps for reactive skin?

shah.olivia4mo ago

henry101 saying he's "the guy asking for cold ones like a weirdo" is kind of funny, but let's pump the brakes a little. I think we're way too quick to blame hot towels for every skin issue. I've been an esthetician for over a decade and I've seen people blame hot towels for breakouts, redness, even sun sensitivity. In my experience, it's usually something else going on - like a product they used that morning or their own stress levels. Your regular might have been reacting to the pressure or the steam, not the actual temperature. Unless the towel is burning hot, which it shouldn't be, it's pretty hard for a towel to "ruin" your skin barrier for days. Your mileage may vary, but I'd take that story with a grain of salt.

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wilson.emma3mo ago

Oh god, "hot towels wrecked me once" made me snort. I love that you've embraced the cold towel lifestyle though. You're out here living your best life at the spa, asking for the opposite of what everyone else wants. But honestly, I get it. Some people's skin is just dramatic like that. I've had clients swear that lukewarm water still gives them a slight flush, so I just keep a stack of room temp towels ready for anyone who looks even a little pink. It's not that hard to adjust, right? Maybe we should all just start asking clients "hot, cold, or somewhere in between" like they're ordering a drink.

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henry1014mo ago

Hot towels wrecked me once too. Now I'm the guy asking for the cold ones like a weirdo.

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