facial massages 101

facial massages 101

Written by Janu Yasotharan

In the same ways that our bodies can benefit from massages when we've worked our muscles or developed tension over time, we can benefit from giving our facial muscles some much-needed TLC too. When it comes to skin care, we don't often consider the facial muscles under our skin that we use daily, from smiling and frowning to chewing. Professional Skin Therapist, Nyssa Grays, shares that aside from the blissful moment of zen that we'd get from a facial massage, there are quite a few upsides to decompressing and relaxing our facial muscles.

The obvious benefit of indulging in a facial massage is relieving any tension in our faces that could contribute to jaw tightness, headaches, and even the appearance of wrinkles. But to take it further, Grays shares that we can actually help promote healthier circulation by taking the time to treat ourselves to a facial massage. By targeting specific pressure points for lymphatic drainage, we can also reduce swelling in our faces and sinus pressures. Grays shares that you can bring the spa facial experience home for the self-care we all deserve, especially in times like this.

You can incorporate this moment into your daily skin care regimen, or you can turn it up a notch and do a facial steam first. Ultimately though, taking the time to care for your facial muscles doesn't need to be time-consuming.

You'll want to prep your hands and your skin first! You want to ensure that you have a fresh, clean start so that you're not spreading the germs of the day around- so wash your hands using antibacterial soap and start with a cleansed face.

Chances are, you’ve probably seen a plethora of facial massage or gua sha massage tools online, such as jade rollers, derma rollers, face brushes, and gua sha facial tools. Though you don’t necessarily need one of these tools to reap the benefits of a facial massage, they can definitely be a great addition. That said, your hands and a moment of time are all you need to get started. 

By using the warmth of your hands and repetitive motions, a facial massage can allow you to increase product absorption- be it removing your makeup more effectively with an oil cleanser, or enabling a facial serum or facial oil to sink in deeper. For these reasons, you want to ensure you're using the right products for your skin care needs. Using enough product so that your hands or tools can glide across your face without friction, you can refer to the below graphics for the easiest ways to incorporate a facial massage into your day-to-day. Ultimately, you'll want to work against gravity and go in upward, almost circular, motions for the best results.

Grays shares that her general rule of thumb is using deeper motions if you're looking to decompress or increase your skin's firmness and a lighter touch if your skin is sensitive, acne-prone, or on the oiler side. In the same breath, because the skin around our eyes is much more sensitive, we should steer clear of too much pressure when navigating that part of our faces during a facial massage. Instead, she recommends using a very soft and light pressure in gentle rolling motions using your ring finger.

Because your skin care needs can determine the products being used, the massage techniques, and the types of motions used in your facial massage, Grays shares that booking a free virtual consultation with one of our Professional Skin Therapists to get a personalized routine, is truly the best first step in your at-home skin care experience.

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