Beauty
Smooth moves: Massage your way to a fresher face
Masterfile
Beauty
Smooth moves: Massage your way to a fresher face
We detail how to massage your way to a firmer, more refreshed complexion.
Women across countries and cultures describe beautiful skin with words like smooth, plump and radiant, but how they achieve it varies from place to place. In France—one of the world's skin-care leaders—facial massage has been practiced for decades, bestowing anti-aging benefits and relieving stress. Alex Weissendeder, facialist at the prestigious Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris in Toronto, says that facial massage "brightens up the complexion, aids in circulation—which is good for impurity removal—and helps to reduce fine lines." Facial massage is easy to do at home, often with products that are already in your beauty cabinet.
To begin, cleasne and exfoliate your skin, says Weissendeder, then warm a small amount of oil or serum in your hands. Liquid products slip better than creams and minimize tugging on the skin.
For mature skin
Using an anti-aging serum or cream, smooth your wrinkles in an upward motion or pinch the wrinkle and roll it between your fingers. Always move your hands upward instead of pulling down. "If you tug on the skin, it's going to case damage," says Weissendeder. If your skin has lost elasticity, brace areas of your face with two fingers and rub the wrinkles in between. Finish by pressing your fingers into the pressure points on your skull, around your sinuses and at your third eye (just above the midpoint between your eyebrows) to relieve stress.
For acne-prone skin
If you suffer from fluid retention or breakouts, try a lymphatic drainage massage. Gently pinch or cup your facial skin to bring blood to the surface. Once your face looks slightly red or feels warm, press your fingers at the inner corners of your eyebrows and draw a line to the outer edges of the brows, around the eyes and down the cheeks. Continue pressing down the neck until you reach your armpits, where your lymph nodes are located. Repeat several times. This time of massage will drain fluids and get rid of toxins and inflammation.
Comments