The Role of Facial Massage in Natural Skin Care and Top Tips to Get Started

What’s my top secret weapon to amazing, glowing skin and perfectly unpuffed under eyes?
Ok, my face isn’t that flawless yet, but we’re on a journey! Anyway, my secret natural skincare weapon is facial massage.
You know you’ve seen it before. Facial massage is a nonsurgical cosmetic treatment that uses your hands or a tool to stroke your face and neck, and it’s all the rage on the skincare scene.

The benefits of massage for your face are endless. Here’s everything to know about facial massage, plus a few tips to get you started:

A Long History of Facial Massage Made Very Brief

You may not think of massage as an ancient medicine, but it definitely is!

The very first record of massage comes from a Chinese medical text dating way back to the third century BC. The ancient Greeks, Persians, and Japanese also included massage treatment in their medical literature.

Facial massage is relatively radical in the West, but the trend is catching on quickly. Massage therapists, estheticians, and makeup artists are all known to perform this cosmetic treatment in the US.

History of facial massage

The Natural Skincare Benefits of Facial Massage

Facial massages are the answer to many skincare prayers: dull skin, acne scars, poor circulation, enlarged pores, and more.

These are just a few of my favorite benefits of facial massages:

• Relieves tension in the face. If you’re like me, you hold a lot of tension in your face, especially in the jaw. Think about it: with every emotion we feel, our muscles express that on our faces. This, of course, can cause both soreness and wrinkles. One example is when you laugh so hard your cheeks hurt (guilty!). When you give your face a good rub down, the muscles will relax and naturally release tension.
• Reduce puffiness. Facial massage helps decrease puffiness, dark circles, and overall dullness.
• Increases circulation. Good circulation is important for good skin, and a facial massage will kickstart the blood flow.
• Releases toxins. Toxins from our environment can build up on our skin, causing acne, blemishes, blackheads, and other unwanteds. Massaging your face and increasing circulation helps your body to release these toxins.

Are you as impressed as I am? My mind was blown the first time I realized the connection between facial expressions and tension.

Now, on to the fun part-

Facial Massage: A Step-By-Step

Ok, so now you pretty much know that facial massage is more than a fad and that it has a ton of benefits. But how do you get started? Well, that’s easy- you just keep reading my post!

Here’s how to massage your face, step-by-step:

1. Cleanse your skin. Before you begin the massage, cleaning your skin to remove dirt, pollution oil, or makeup is critical. Otherwise, you might just end up pushing that gunk deeper into your pores!
2. Gently apply an oil or serum. Facial oil helps your fingers to glide smoothly over your skin during the massage instead of pulling, which can decrease elasticity over time.
3. Warm up your hands. Rub your hands together for a few seconds to warm them up. This will transfer heat to your skin, which can increase blood flow and open up those pores. You also avoid putting ice-cold fingers onto your face, which is always good.
4. Start from the top. With your fingertips in the middle of your forehead, slowly massage outward toward your temples with small, circular motions. Repeat this motion several times.
5. Look for the eyes. Pun intended. With your ring fingers, gently rub the area around your eyes from the inner corner towards the temples. Go slowly to avoid pulling at the fragile skin around your eyes.
6. Time to get cheeky. Massage your cheeks in wide, circular motions. Start at the center of your cheeks and end at the temples.
7. Go to the jawline. Gently massage upward along your jawline, increasing the pressure as needed.
8. Neck out. Finish your facial massage using your fingertips to massage your neck in circular motions. Start from the collarbone and make your way to the chin.

And it’s that easy. Keep reading for a few more facial massage tips to really set it off.

5 Quick Tips for Facial Massage

Facial massage is easy. These 5 quick tips will make it even easier:

1. When it comes to pressure, more is less. Always be gentle, especially around your eyes. Tugging too hard or applying too much pressure can damage and stretch the skin.
2. Enjoy yourself. A facial massage has benefits that go way beyond your skin. Relax, unwind, take time for yourself, listen to a podcast, light a candle, and make it a romantic experience.
3. Up the game with a jade roller. Not only will a jade or stone roller make your massage more pleasant and relaxing, but the roller itself has skin benefits, such as circulation.
4. Cleanse after your massage if you’re prone to acne or breakouts. Make sure no serum or natural oil from your skin is left behind to create pimples later.
5. Consult a pro. If you really want to get good at facial massage or have any specific anatomy-related concerns, consult a professional massage therapist.

The Final Stroke

So now you’re convinced of the wonders of facial massage, and you’re ready to change your life and skin. Comment below and let me know before you head over to my other natural skincare resources!