Laser on your underarms or legs happens on skin you barely look after. Laser on your face is different. It happens on the skin that gets retinol at night, an acid toner in the morning, sunscreen, foundation and blush every day, and the occasional peel or microneedling. Every one of those affects the session, in one of two ways: it makes the skin more sensitive than it needs to be, or it makes the skin slower to calm down afterwards.
This article is a pause-and-restart schedule for each product group around an upper lip, chin or full-face session at Hugo Beauty. Sessions, prices and how to choose an area are on the facial laser hair removal in Ho Chi Minh City page; general aftercare for every area is in our skin care after laser hair removal guide. Here it is only about the face and what you put on it.
Why the face needs its own schedule
Facial skin is thinner than the skin on your arms and legs, has many small blood vessels, and, most importantly, is used to a lot of active ingredients. Retinol and acids thin the surface layer, which means the skin absorbs heat and reacts more strongly during a laser session. Peels and microneedling leave skin that is still repairing, and laser on top of that stings and can darken. The other way round, putting acids or heavy makeup on freshly lasered, pink skin keeps it irritated for longer. That is why Hugo Beauty asks about your routine at the consultation, not so you give up skincare, but so the order gets rearranged.
Retinol, tretinoin, retinal: pause 5–7 days before, restart 3–5 days after
This is the group to watch most. All forms of retinol thin the skin and make it light-sensitive, so stop at least five days before a facial laser session, seven if you use a high strength or tretinoin. Afterwards, wait until the pink is gone and there are no red dots around the follicles, usually three to five days, then restart on alternate nights. With a course of 6 to 10 sessions four to six weeks apart, you still have three to four normal weeks of retinol between sessions, so there is no need to drop it completely.
AHA, BHA, strong vitamin C, exfoliants: pause 5–7 days before, 3–5 days after
Glycolic, lactic, mandelic and salicylic acids, scrubs, and high-strength vitamin C all lift the surface layer in a similar way to retinol. Pause them five to seven days before and restart once the skin has settled, three to five days after. Gentle acid-free toners, hydrating serums and low-strength niacinamide are fine before and after, and in fact help the skin stay comfortable.
Peels, microneedling, skin lasers, light therapies elsewhere: two weeks either side
All of these leave skin that is still repairing. The rule at Hugo Beauty is at least two weeks between any of them and a facial laser session, in both directions: nothing in the two weeks before, nothing in the two weeks after. If you are in the middle of a skin programme at another clinic or spa, tell Kieu the dates so the laser session can go in a gap, rather than being cancelled when you arrive because the skin is not ready.
Sunscreen: the one thing you never pause
Sun is the most common reason a freshly lasered upper lip or cheek turns darker, and Saigon has a lot of it. Before a session, your face should not be tanned for two weeks; if you are just back from the beach, Hugo Beauty will move the date by two to four weeks and do a free test patch first, as explained in laser hair removal on darker or tanned skin. After the session, wear sunscreen every morning from the next day, a gentle one without alcohol or fragrance, and add a mask or hat outdoors for the whole course. On the day itself, just remove everything before the session.
Makeup: bare skin on the day, back on from the next morning
Before the session, the area to be lasered must be completely clean: no foundation, no concealer, no lip gloss spreading onto the upper lip, because the layer blocks the laser and can heat up. If you come straight from work, remove makeup from the lip or chin thoroughly before the session. Afterwards, let the skin rest until the next morning before putting makeup back on. For the first two or three days choose a light base, mineral or a light cushion, skip heavy foundation and lots of powder, and above all remove it gently at night, no rubbing. Wash your brushes and sponges beforehand, because freshly lasered skin reacts more to bacteria on old tools.
Bleaching cream, hair removal cream, home waxing: stop for the whole course
Bleaching and hair removal creams sensitise the skin and can make the laser sting; waxing and tweezing remove the root the next session needs. During the course, the only way to deal with hair between sessions is a light shave with a clean face razor, done 12–24 hours before the session, not right before you arrive.
The schedule around one facial session
| When | Do | Pause |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks before | Daily sunscreen, hydration | Peels, microneedling, skin lasers, sunbathing, self-tanner |
| 5–7 days before | Gentle cleanser, acid-free toner, hydrating serum | Retinol, AHA/BHA, strong vitamin C, exfoliants |
| 12–24 hours before | Light shave of the area | Tweezing, threading, waxing, hair removal cream |
| On the day | Full makeup removal, bare skin on the area | Makeup, creams, perfume on the area |
| First 24 hours | Cool water, gentle moisturiser | Makeup, hot water, sauna, heavy workouts |
| Days 2–5 | Sunscreen, light base from the next morning | Retinol, acids, exfoliants, rubbing |
| After 5 days | Normal routine, retinol on alternate nights | Peels and microneedling for the first 2 weeks |
If you have active breakouts or use prescription products
If the upper lip or chin has inflamed spots, broken or irritated skin, the session should be moved, because laser on inflamed skin stings and can darken. If you use prescription creams or tablets for your face, ask the person who prescribed them before having laser, and tell the studio; Hugo Beauty does not give advice on medication. In the same way, if hair on the chin is growing unusually fast or thick, it is worth asking a doctor about the cause first; laser deals with the hair, not the cause.
Tell Kieu your real routine before the first session
Everyone uses a different set of products, so the table above is a general frame. The consultation at Hugo Beauty is where you describe your actual routine, including the things that seem unimportant like a toner or a night cream, so Kieu can set the pause-and-restart dates for you and choose the energy level for your skin. Message us on WhatsApp in English to pick a time. Upper lip and chin are 150,000 VND per session, 800,000 VND for six; full face 400,000 VND per session; details on the facial laser price list.
Frequently Asked Questions
I used retinol the night before my session. What now?
Tell the specialist when you arrive. Depending on your skin, the session may still go ahead at a lower energy setting, or be moved a few days if the skin is peeling or clearly sensitive. Do not keep quiet just to get it done.
I wear tinted sunscreen instead of foundation. Do I need to remove it?
Yes. Anything with colour, including tinted sunscreen, needs to come off the area before laser. Put untinted, gentle sunscreen back on straight after the session when you go outside.
How soon after facial laser can I have a peel again?
At least two weeks, and ideally in the middle of the gap between two laser sessions so the two do not land on the skin at the same time.
