Promoting healthy skin with some simple facial massage techniques is a great addition to your self-care routine. Easy to do by yourself, not needing much material and instantly relaxing, facial massages have become very popular in the beauty world. To make your life easier, here’s 4 facial massage techniques that even busy mums can find the time to enjoy!
What’s the fuss with face massages?
Maybe you’ve already enjoyed a relaxing massage while getting a facial at a salon and thought it takes a lot of training and a ton of supplies to do well? Or you’ve seen beauty influencers promoting this trendy “do-it-yourself” technique thinking it seems too complicated to do? Rest assured, it doesn’t have to be complicated with expensive products to be effective.
With some simple strokes and touches, massages can increase blood flow to muscles, help get rid of toxins, and best of all release tension. With massages, we can stimulate our skin and help with its natural cell reproduction. Done regularly, face massages help with collagen production, skin elasticity and overall appearance.
What do you need for a good face massage?
From the chinese gua shua stone to rose quartz rollers, or electronic face massage devices, there’s tons of gadgets out there. They can be fun to try out, but realistically all these magic wands are more likely to gather dust on our bathroom sink than be used regularly. Therefore, I don’t recommend investing into any of these, unless you make face massage a daily self-care ritual.
Use your hands
The best (and cheapest) tool is your fingers! Using the soft pad of your fingers, the side of your palm and different types of motions and pressures you can really activate the blood flow under your skin.
Use natural oils
For your fingers to glide smoothly on your skin, I recommend using an oil rather than a moisturizer, which would quickly absorb into your epidermis.
Select a natural oil, preferably organic and free of any additives. You can select an oil for its properties, scent or just because you already have that one at home. Just stay away from mineral oils which are made from petroleum.
Some of my favorite oils are apricot oils for dry and mature skin, jojoba oil for deep moisture, and safflower oil for its nourishing quality.
For additional properties, you can blend into your carrier oil some essential oils such as lavender for relaxation, tea tree for acne, geranium for aging skin… Just make sure you only put a drop or two and to keep it away from your eyes and lips as it can get irritating.
To make it more effortless, pick up one of the Petit Jovial oils. My Body & Scalp Massage oil, is like it’s name indicates, an amazing product to massage into your skin. With safflower, sunflower, sesame seed and jojoba oils it’s incredibly moisturizing and nourishing. If you want something with a delicate and relaxing scent, try my Nourishing Bath oil. This oil doesn’t have to be washed off after application, just let your skin drink it. With its beautiful blend of sunflower oil, lavender, clary sage and geranium essential oils it’s as relaxing as it is efficient.
What facial massage techniques are most effective?
At the beginning of your massage, rub a little bit of your chosen oil between your palms to heat the oil and get into a relaxing mindset. It’s a good idea to take three deep breaths with the scent of the oil to ease your mind too.
Your massage can take just 5 minutes to a full hour, it’s completely up to you.
Release tension in the forehead
Using your fingertips, apply pressure gliding from the center of your forehead to your hairline. Repeat this motion a few times then use your forefingers to zigzag up the center of your forehead. This motion will help smooth out vertical lines from between your eyebrows to your hairline.
Lift the neck
Using your whole palm, alternate applying your right hand to the left side of your neck in an upward lifting motion. Repeat with the left palm to the right side of your neck. Keep alternating hands for a full minute. Next, apply pressure using your fingertips to the area below your ears. This is a great spot to massage your lymph nodes and release tension.
Tone cheeks
Using your palms, apply large strokes from your nose to your ears and jaw line, slightly upward. After a few strokes, use your fingertips to apply pressure from the side of your nostrils to your temple, as if you are drawing the contour of your cheekbones. These motions will help release the tension in your cheek muscles.
Relax around the eyes
I like massaging the delicate area around my eyes last, when I don’t have too much oil left on my fingers. Here be especially careful if you are using essential oils. You still want your fingers to glide easily, so just a drop of a pure oil like jojoba is great here.
Use the soft side of your pinkie fingers to use less pressure and start drawing arcs from the inner to the outer corners of your eyes staying on top of your orbital bones. I find it especially relaxing to apply a little extra pressure where the brow bone and the nose connect.
A few tips to maximize your face massage
- Wash your face before starting.
- A scrubbing to get rid of dead skin cells is optional.
- Check your nails are smooth to avoid scratching yourself.
- Switch up oils and essential oils to make it more interesting.
- You can also do this during a bath or while watching tv.
- Use circular motions and add a little pressure on your temples for extra relaxation.
- In areas where you want more pressure, use your knuckles. For more control, use only your forefinger.
- While massaging your neck, make a detour to your chest. We often forget to moisturize the delicate skin of this area.
Hope these facial massage techniques will quickly become part of your self-care routine!
Until next time, Tania xx