Facial massages are treatments that you can usually do with a practitioner or on your own. With this technique, various effects are aimed by stimulating the pressure points on the face, neck and shoulders.
Facial massages use various creams, lotions, cold-pressed oils or cleansing balms, as well as a facial roller or flat gua sha tool. Facial massage relaxes your facial muscles and helps support healthy skin. It has a relaxing and rejuvenating effect, makes you look younger and gets rid of fine lines. You can also use facial massage just for relaxation or for specific treatment. There are many different facial massage techniques.
Facial massages can simply be described as body massages for your face. According to Warfield, the most common facial massage technique is to use your hands (or a professional’s) to apply “light deep strokes, strokes, pinches, and kneading” to any puffy, wrinkled, or muscular areas of your face. She recommends massaging your face for three to five minutes at least three times a week for best results.
An easy way to give yourself a do-it-yourself facial massage with a crystal roller available under various brands. While jade rollers are an equally popular choice, rose quartz is known for its calming feel and cooler temperature than jade, which helps with inflammation and bloating. Rose quartz’s unique mineral structure (rich in magnesium, iron, sodium and oxygen) makes it great for stimulating blood circulation and increasing oxygen flow to the skin. This causes less under-eye puffiness. It also strengthens the skin to reduce the appearance of dark circles and wrinkles, stimulate collagen and lighten stretch marks.
Generally, urban life, air pollution, sun rays, lights from technological devices cause people to hold a lot of tension, especially on their faces. When we feel stressed or tired, or when we concentrate too much, we stretch our forehead and eye area, which over time causes wrinkles. A few minutes of facial massage at the end of the day will help relieve this tension.
Environmental factors and the hustle and bustle of daily life cause toxins to accumulate on our skin. This leads to fine lines, puffiness, and acne. Facial massages increase blood flow, initiate lymphatic drainage on your face to get rid of wastes and toxins, and keep your skin fresh and clean both inside and out.
The action of a quick facial massage sends a wave of blood and oxygen to your skin, giving your skin the same effect your body experiences when you exercise. This increased blood flow extinguishes puffiness, especially in the under eye area, evens out skin tone and helps detoxify your skin. More oxygen delivered to the skin leads to increased collagen production and cell growth, resulting in smooth, glowing skin.
Massaging your skin in upward lifting motions with your fingers is a great way to help your favorite products such as moisturizer and serum absorb into your skin. It’s also a way to make your daily skincare routine feel like an even more relaxing self-care moment.
Facial massage is important for skin care and soothing muscle tension. However, in addition to these, one of the most important benefits is its effect in relieving emotional tension. They help you feel more relaxed and relaxed at the end of a long day.
Types of Face Massage Techniques
1. Vibration: This massage technique is used to restore soft tissues. It helps in relaxing the muscles.
2. Cupping: In this technique, special cups are put on the skin to create suction. It is done to increase the blood flow, decrease pain and relax your muscles.
3. Hot and Cold Stone: This technique involves placing heated or cold stones on the body to decrease pain and relax stiff muscles.
4. The Tapping-Tapping: This massage technique is used to relax stressed muscles by triggering nerves to energise the nervous system.
5. Knuckle Kneading: In this technique, intense pressure is applied to reach the tissues under the deeper layers of the skin. This is a common technique to open up tight muscles, increase flexibility and reduce pain.
Types of Face Massage
1. Swedish: This is the most common type of massage. It includes soft and folding strokes on the uppermost layers of the muscles. This massage is relaxing and energising.
2. Shiatsu: Shiatsu means ‘finger pressure’; in this, the therapist uses a different level of pressure on certain points of the body. This massage helps in opening blockages in the muscles.
3. Remedial: Remedial massage works as a healing treatment to provide relief to sore muscles that are damaged, knotted or impaired. It improves overall health by relaxing the tensed muscles of the body.
4. Acupressure: It is a specific massage technique that aims to relax muscles, lessen pain and increase blood circulation in the body.
5. Gua sha: This massage technique involves using a quartz stone or a jade roller on the skin in an upward motion to relax the stiff muscles and promote tissue drainage.
How To Do Facial Massage At Home
- Be sure to start with clean hands and a clean face.
- Give the back of the neck and shoulder some love. The neck is the superhighway for circulation to the face and lymphatic drainage coming down from the face.
- Use your two fingers below the jaw and two fingers above the jaw like a scissor, and come up to the ear and then gently down the side of the neck.
- Use your thumbs to massage down the jaw muscle. You can use a good amount of pressure here. The jaw muscle is very strong and tight.
- Next, using from the index finger to the thumb, stroke and lift the entire lower face.
- Use your index finger and thumb to pinch all around the lips. This helps plump the lips and skin but also reduce tension around the mouth.
- Use your knuckles to perform very light circles all over the forehead.
- Finish by stroking upwards from the center of the brows to the hairline.