How to Become a Facial Massage Maestro
'Tis the season of long-haul flights, overnight train journeys and windswept boat rides! Of course, all of this travel has an impact on your skin and lymphatic drainage system. This guide will teach you how to become a facial massage Maestro in order to reduce puffiness, improve toxin removal, strengthen facial muscles and stimulate collagen & elastin production through regular massage.
Facial massage has heaps of benefits for the skin and of course, the mind. Consistent touch will connect you to your skin and can reduce stress levels and aid relaxation, while boosted circulation brings nutrients and oxygen to the skin, imparting a glow from within.
If you’re not really sure where to put your fingers to begin, our 20 minute Massage Masterclass with one of our therapists will take you through a massage routine you can incorporate into your regimen.
You will need:
A clean face
Your hands
A small amount of oil or cream to give the skin slip
A Gua Sha Tool if you have one to hand
Or, try some different massage techniques at home using our step by step guides:
The De-Puffing One
Your lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that helps to clear the body of waste. Lymphatic drainage massage is a massage technique that encourages the movement of lymph fluid through the body. This massage technique helps to eliminate toxins, as well as reducing puffiness. It is very different from other massage techniques as it only uses very light sweeping techniques.
Always glide towards the lymph nodes which are located by the nose, ears and neck.
You are removing waste by clearing the area, boosting circulation and in turn bringing fresh blood to the area giving a bright plump appearance.
Step 1 - Using the pads of your fingers, glide from the centre of the forehead out to the temples x3
Step 2 - Pinch the eyebrows from the inner corner closest to the nose going working outwards squeezing the middle and ends of the brows x 3
Step 3 - From the corners of the nose, use your index fingers to press into the boney area and glide all the way to the front of the ears x3
Step 4 - Pinch under the chin and glide up to the ears x3
Relax and Reflex
This reflexology and pressure point routine will help you release tension throughout the whole body. In reflexology practice, different areas of the face are connected to different areas of the body. By applying pressure to these reflex points, it is believed that it can rebalance and encourage healing.
Step 1 - Place your index finger in between your brows and apply light pressure in a circular motion - this helps to relax the heart and slow down breathing. Take 30 seconds here
Step 2 - Use gentle tapping around the eyes to clear the kidneys going all the way round the top of the brows in a circle x 3
Step 3 - Using the index finger again, start at the right side of the chin and apply pressure. Keep doing this pressure point move as you go up towards the lips across the top lip and down the other side. This area of the face is connected to clearing the large intestine x3
Step 4 - Using 2 fingers in front of the ear draw large circles in the jaw releasing tension and balancing the system
Step 5 - Whilst keeping that pressure in your two fingers, move up higher by the hairline - this area works the ankle joints
To finish, find your temples, press and hold.
Stimulate and Circulate
Wake up your skin with our stimulating massage. Boosting circulation will help to bring oxygen and nutrients to the skin for that inner glow.
Step 1 - Start with raindrops type movements all over the face using the pads of your fingers to stimulate the skin starting from the forehead moving down the face around the whole eye area around the cheeks and back up again .
Step 2 - Using your middle fingers in the centre of the eyebrows flick up towards the forehead keeping a steady rhythm x 12
Step 3 - Pinch the cheeks from the sides of the nose and keep squeezing till you reach the front of the ears x 3.
Step 4 - Then pinch from the middle of the chin at the jawline pinch outwards up to the ear x 3
Step 5 - Using the hands in a flicking motion starting at the side of the mouth use the fingers to flick the skin upwards going back and forth along the jawline waking up the skin x 3
Step 5 - Use your knuckles on the jawline in a round motion starting from the centre of the chin moving outwards.
Step 6 - Then glide over the face using the base of the palms under the chin first to soothe the skin and glide up to ears .Glide under cheek bones to the ear , x3 Glide across the forehead to the temples
Step 7 - Finish with small circles at the temples
The Gua Sha Guide
Gua Sha is a chinese massage technique that is focused on draining the skin and releasing tension. Gua Sha means scraping sand and the massage uses a crystal tool (usually jade or rose quartz) to scrape the skin in upwards motions, encouraging lymphatic drainage, boosting circulation and releasing the fascia and muscle tension.
You will need a Gua Sha tool to perform this massage. We recommend the Odacité Crystal Contour Gua Sha which has been shaped to target every surface of the face.
Step 1 - Using the large end of the tool glide from the centre of the chin along the jawline up to the ear apply pressure so that you can feel the skin moving with the tool x 6
Step 2 - Place a finger under your cheekbone to lift the skin on the side of the mouth, then use the tool in a gliding motion up to the corners of the mouth x 6
Step 3 - Sweep under the eyes from the inner corner out using the small edge x6
Step 4 - Lift up the eyebrow starting in the inner corner underneath the brow and glide right out to the end of the brow x6
Step 5 - Sweep over the top of the brows clearing the sinuses always sweeping outwards x6
Step 6 - Any areas that have deeper lines, such as between the eyebrows, the forehead or nasolabial lines, rub the tool back and forth to warm up the skin causing slight erythema (redness). This will bring blood to these areas, improving hydration levels and feeding the skin with oxygen and nutrients.
Step 7 - For a tight jaw use the tool in front of the ear and behind the ear and rub back forth creating more blood flow
Step 8 - Turn head to one side creating length and use the tool from behind the ear all the way to the collarbone this is to release tension in the neck x6
Apply all moves to both sides of the face.
Best products to help with facial massage
Can't be bothered to do this all yourself? Book in for our Restorative Recharge treatment! This is a 90-minute facial that harnesses the core principles of face massage, while also helping to balance the mind and soul.
