A facial massage is the best way to rejuvenate and relax your facial skin and muscles. It also instantly lifts your mood and helps relieve stress. However, most of us do not have the time to visit a salon or a spa every week to get a professional facial massage.
That doesn’t have to be a matter of concern, though, as it is possible to give yourself a spa-like professional face massage right at home. In this article, we have shared the right techniques and steps to do a facial massage at home. Scroll down to learn the ways to treat yourself.
How To Do A Facial Massage At Home – Step By Step Guide
Before you start, do the following:
- Clean your face with a mild cleanser. Your skin should be clean before you start massaging.
- Choose a good facial oil. For dry skin, pick almond, marula, or argan oils. For oily skin, pick jojoba or grapeseed oil. For acne-prone skin, pick rosehip seed oil. For sensitive skin, pick aloe vera or moringa oils.
- If you do not want to use oil, you may go for a good quality moisturizer/cream for face massage.
- Make sure to wash your hands properly.
If you do not wish to use your fingers, you can also use a face roller (or jade roller) for massaging your face.
Once you have applied the facial oil or cream, follow these steps.
Step 1: Massage Your Forehead
- Place your knuckles on your forehead, right between your eyebrows.
- Gently move them up, towards the hairline, and then sideways towards your temples. Do this in a scraping motion.
- Repeat this movement five times.
Step 2: Massage The Eye Area
- Place the tips of your middle and index fingers on your temples.
- Glide the fingers under your eye area, towards the nose bridge.
- Continue gliding it over the eyebrows and then come back again under the eye area, following an oval path.
- Repeat this five times.
Step 3: Massage The Cheeks
- Place your knuckles on your cheeks, near the nose bridge.
- Swipe it gently across your cheeks, towards the ears.
- Repeat the movement five times.
Step 4: Massage The Mouth Area
- Make a “V” sign with your index and middle fingers (both hands).
- Place the fingers on your mouth area in a way that the index finger is above the upper lip and the middle finger is below the lower lip.
- Gently press and pull the fingers towards your ears.
- Repeat five times.
Step 5: Massage The Chin Area
- Place your knuckles on your chin in a way that the jawline rests between the knuckles.
- Gently pull the knuckles upward, along the jawline, toward your ears.
- Repeat this five times.
Step 6: Massage The Neck
- Place the knuckles right under the chin.
- Pull them downwards gently towards the collarbone.
- Keep repeating the movements by moving the knuckles along the jawline and pulling then down to the collarbone.
- Do this five times.
Step 7: Massage The Entire Outline Of Your Face
- Place the knuckles between your eyebrows.
- Move it upward, along the hairline, towards the temples.
- Bring it down the side of your face, including your jawline.
Once you are done with these steps, place your palms on your face and gently press while taking a deep breath. This will help you relax.
This is a very basic yet effective facial massage technique. These steps are easy to follow. Facial massage has numerous other benefits as well.
Benefits Of Facial Massage
1. Helps Reduce Stress
A study found that 45 minutes of facial massage could reduce psychological stress by activating the sympathetic nervous system (a part of the autonomous nervous system that directs the “fight or flight” response of your body). The massage technique helps reduce anxiety and elevates your mood (1).
2. Helps Improve Blood Flow
A study found that massaging the face for just 5 minutes with facial massage rollers improved blood circulation in the facial skin. It found that massaging regularly for 5 weeks could dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow .
3. May Have Anti-Aging Benefits
Studies found that massaging regularly could induce changes in skin structure . It was shown to alter the facial expression muscles and intra-facial tissues (4). The researchers found evidence for the efficacy of facial massage. The improvement in skin structure may help keep the skin smooth and also minimize the appearance of fine lines (3).
To learn more benefits of massages and facials, click here.
Facial massages are extremely comforting. Here are some additional tips that can help you make it further relaxing for yourself.
Facial Massages – Tips To Follow
- Use A Massaging Tool: It is the best way to enhance your experience. You may use Gua Sha tools or a jade roller to give yourself a calming massage. The technique remains the same. The only difference is you will be using a tool instead of your fingers or knuckles.
- Never Ignore The Neck: The skin on your neck needs equal care and attention. Whenever you are massaging your face, extend the motions to your neck and chest area as well.
- Use Anti-Aging Creams: Adding anti-aging creams to your facial care routine will help enhance your skin health, reduce fine lines, and delay other signs of aging.
- Exfoliate Before Massaging: This helps your skin absorb the oils or moisturizers better.
- Massage In The Evenings: This van helps your skin absorb the products overnight.
You may add or skip the massaging steps as per your convenience and comfort level. Regular massaging can slowly improve your skin texture over time. Hence, if you have a few minutes to spare, try incorporating facial massage into your skincare routine.