FACIAL MASSAGE: A HOLISTIC ANTI-AGEING TREAT!
Massage is one of the most relaxing activities around and just like the rest of your body, the muscles and skin of your face can definitely benefit from gentle massage too.
WHY SO GOOD?
Awesome for your collagen
As we know collagen is the protein in your skin that is responsible for providing elasticity and strength. For anyone who wants to stay youthful and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of ageing, you need to boost your body’s supply of collagen as it begins to decrease as you get older.
Improved circulation, one of the benefit of massage, will keep essential nutrients flowing through the blood and help to boost production of collagen.
Furrows be gone!
Daily use of your face and stress often results in tension buildup in the muscles. Foreheads furrow and lines form between the brows and along the lip line. Gentle, routine facial massage can help relax these tight and drawn muscles, decreasing the lines that they form.
Detoxify me!
Lymph fluid is responsible for providing cell nutrition and removing waste products and toxins. Unfortunately the lymphatic system has no pump to keep the lymph circulating and instead relies on muscle contraction.
When this system does not function correctly, perhaps due to tight muscles, there is a build-up of fluid in the tissues which can manifest as swelling and fluid retention in an area. You may notice puffiness around your eyes for example.
The lymphatic system responds very well to gentle massage and by improving lymphatic circulation you can provide improved nutrition to the cells in the epidermis and dermis. You can also increase the removal of waste products and toxins.
Mood Booster
Facial massage decreases anxiety and can improve a negative mood, according to a study conducted in 2008. Psychological tests administered after 45 minutes of facial massage showed significant improvements in both mood and anxiety levels. So a relaxing facial massage may be just what you need to reduce stress.
In addition, your face is full of nerves and pleasure points, so it makes sense that a facial massage is a desirable form of pampering.
HOW TO FACIAL MASSAGE?
I'm sure you've already guessed that I'm a massive fan of facial massage and totally believe in the results.
As a massage professional I practise Fingertip Facelift which is also known as Rejuvanessence. This is unique holistic anti-ageing therapy that combines very gentle but highly effective massage techniques on the the 91 muscles of the face, neck, skull and shoulders to help you look younger in a natural way.
Unfortunately I can't do a fingertip facelift to myself so for a DIY method I love using a Jade Facial Roller. The roller is a really simple way of giving yourself a facial massage and done correctly and consistently it can be really affective.
How to use your Jade Facial Roller
From the centre line going either left or right begin at the hairline rolling slowly towards the ear. Repeat 3 to 6 times at the same line. After repeating move down to roll another line. Continue to the eye. Continue rolling in strips from the corner of the eye to the ear. Below the eye work from the nose out to the ear. Continue with upper lip, lower lip and the chin. At the chin follow out the lower jaw line to under the ear lobe. Then repeat with the other side. When that is finished do long rolls from under the chin to the collar bone working out to the side of the neck starting each sweep from the chin.
Important notes are:
- Your touch needs to be very light, so light your mind will tell you it can't possibly be effective, especially if you're used to deep massage. However, 70% of the lymphatic vessels are located just underneath the skin. If you use too much pressure, you bypass these vessels. The lighter the touch, the more powerful the effect on the lymphatic system.
- You're not gliding across the skin. Rather, you're very lightly stretching the skin. The lymphatic vessels are attached to the skin with small elastic fibres. When you stretch the skin, you're manually pumping the lymphatic vessels simultaneously.
- The stretch will always be in the direction that the lymph flows normally.
- Make the rhythm is slow, there is no need to rush.
RESULTS?
A DIY facial massage only takes is 1 to 2 minutes per day and you can see from my video the results can be awesome.