Facial Massage

At 46 years old, I'm all about aging gracefully. I've never had any "work done"...not even botox which is quite common today.

With that said...aging, wrinkles and sagging skin is the pits. I'm always looking for ways to look and feel beautiful in a natural and safe way and sharing things I've found that I love.

Lately I've learned more about Facial Massage and I'm a fan...

The face is full of nerves and pressure points and is a great way to pamper yourself...while benefiting your skin. Facial massage is not a new thing. It's been used in Chinese medicine for a very long time...

Here's some benefits of Facial Massage:

We know how important excercise is for our body. Think of it like exercise for your face. 

• It increases circulation by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the face which is like a "natural face lift".
• It helps your face products absorb better and deeper into skin so they can work even better.
• Relieves tension in the face...tension that can lead to more wrinkles.
• You'll look younger because the massage stimulates blood flow, which increases collagen and over time will help you have more youthful, glowing, firmer skin.
• Reduces puffiness by helping to move and redistrubute fluid and subcutaneous fat that can settle.
• Reduce stress and anxiety by relieving that facial tension.
• Helps congestion, allergies, even headaches, by releasing sinus pressure that can build up.
• Detoxes the body by stimulating the lymphatic system to release toxins (get those areas along the jawline especially).
• It FEELS GOOD. A great way to do something for YOU daily that's healthy!

When I first started facial massage I was surprised how much that the area around my eyebrows was painful when I massaged there...like it was sore. This really made me realize just how much tension I was holding there. Over time, that pain has gone away because I'm releasing that tension on a regular basis. I love that.

Facial massage can be done during a facial by a professional but there are ways you can easily bring the benefits of into your home by easily doing it yourself.

You can use your fingers to perform a facial massage on yourself, but I've found a couple of tools that I use and love...

Tools I use for at-home Facial Massage:

• Clarisonic Smart Profile Uplift 2-in-1 Cleansing and Micro-Firming Massage Device - This Massage Head smooths the look of fine lines and wrinkles, boosts the absorption of your daily skincare products, and with 27,000 micro-firming massages per use, delivers a pleasurable ‘spa-like experience. I love this...I even give my husband facial massage treatments and he LOVES IT. Don't tell him I told you that;)
• Jade Roller - the above device is my favorite but this is a less expensive option that I work into my facial massage routine too. The guys from Queer Eye For the Straight Guy recently talked about this...so you know it works because those guys know the best beauty tricks! Jade is naturally cooling. Just make sure you get one made with real Jade like this one I've linked. Oh and don't drop it because it will break.
• Ice Roller - I don't use this as much as the other two tools above, but when I'm feeling extra "puffy" and I need it...I'm glad I have it. I keep it in the freezer all the time and once in a while I roll my face and neck in upward strokes with this super cold roller that totally stimulates my skin and wakes it up! When I do use it, I use this one first with no product, then apply Face Oil or Serum, and follow with one of the above. Extra tip....this ice roller can be used on your body too, for example when I've had shin splints from running, I'll ice my shins and it works great! Also great for headaches. Here's what it looks like....

Products I use for at-home Facial Massage:

You don't want to use facial massage just with dry skin. First of all you don't want to tug on skin...you want the massager to glide on skin easily. Second massage allows products to absorb deeper into skin and work better, so I choose safe, high performing products that are like "nutrition" for my skin...

• Beautycounter Face Oils - Don't be afraid of face oils....especially these face oils. I think of them as "liquid gold".  They're on BC's "Best of Beautycounter" customer-voted list and won Allure's "Best of Beauty" Award in 2017.  Since discovering these face oils I will never be without them. They aren't synthetic like many face oils on the market, so they don't sit on top of skin, make you break out, or make you feel greasy...they absorb and moisturize beautifully. This is my go-to product whenever using my Clarisonic Massage Head.
• Countermatch Intense Moisture Serum - This is a super concentrated serum that bio-mimics your skin to give it exactly what it needs and nothing it doesn't. This one absorbs a little bit quicker than the Face Oil, so I use this with my Jade Roller, but doesn't work as well with the Clarisonic.

How to:

Apply product to face and then use your tool of choice in upward, outward strokes all over your face. When using the jade roller, I use it until it no longer feels cool on my face which is a couple of minutes. When I use the Clarisonic, I use it a bit longer...about 3-5 minutes. I try to use facial massage daily, but at least 3 times a week. Many times I do it right upon waking before I even go to the kitchen or have coffee. It makes my skin feel awake, alive, and hydrated. Starting the day like this is a great pick-me-up!

If you want to see me demonstrating both tools and products on video, head over to my Instagram @happywifestyle Story Highlights under "Beauty" and you can see them in action!

Enjoy, let me know your thoughts and if you give Facial Massage a try. If you need any help with which number Face Oil is right for your skin, #1 Brightening + Vitamin C, #2 Plumping/Hydrating + Jasmine, or #3 Balancing w/ Ylang Ylang, I'm happy to help!