How to Perform Spa-like Facial Massage at Home

With much of the country still under lockdown and beauty procedures and treatments restricted, many of us beauty enthusiasts miss out, especially on facials. Personally, I am accustomed to treating myself at least once a month (or more if there is a special event or preparation that needs to be done). This is probably one of the most missed beauty treatments in my life before COVID. From deep cleansing to extractions to masks, there is something very relaxing and luxurious about facials, but almost everything is a facial massage.

Nothing compares to the way a skilled esthetician massages your face. The way it relieves all the tension in your jaw, forehead, and scalp is commendable, and after a truly successful facial, you feel relaxed and sculpted. And while there is nothing that can rival the real thing, there are ways to treat yourself at home, although most estheticians keep their practices closed to keep both themselves and their clients safe.

I consulted with three well-known Los Angeles-based estheticians about the best techniques for massaging one's face at home. Take a look at some sage words from Shani Darden , founder of Shani Darden Skin Care and famous facialists such as Jessica Alba and Shay Mitchell. Aziel Rogers , Lead Esthetician What We Do ; and Yolanda 'Yoli' Mata , Resident Esthetician Tatcha , whose clients include Desi Perkins, Patrick Starrr, and many other luminaries in the YouTuber and influencer field. Its clients include Desi Perkins, Patrick Starrr, and many other luminaries in the YouTuber and influencer fields.

What is Lymphatic Drainage Facial Massage?

As the name suggests, lymphatic drainage is the process of "draining" fluid from the lymph nodes using massage techniques. This gentle massage targets the lymph nodes, drains toxins, and encourages the lymphatic system to deliver fresh nutrients to the cells. The result is a more sculpted jawline, a de-puffed face, and a radiant complexion that will help improve firmness, lack of dullness, and plumpness over time.

A good facial massage starts with your tools

Depending on what effect you want, you can try various facial massage rollers and tools .

However, Mata mainly uses her hands to stimulate lymphatic drainage and release water accumulation by hitting all the pressure points on the face. She spends a lot of time using her talented double-jointed fingers to sculpt the contours of the face, especially under the cheekbones, around the chin, and around the forehead bone. For more targeted pressure, she identifies spots such as the Tatcha Akari Gold Massager, the temples and the hinge of the chin.

Rogers incorporates several different types of rollers and massage tools into her facials, depending entirely on the client's needs. Gua sha stones in different shapes, such as hearts, claws, and boomerangs, "help drain, tighten, and tone the lymphatic system. She use the L&L Skin MIO2 Face Lifting massager which is a heart shape electric beauty device.  She also recommends a jade roller to help penetrate products, especially after applying serums, and an ice roller when the face needs help depuffing. And of course, you can always use your hands, as nothing can replace your touch.

Darden likes to massage her face in combination with another treatment, so she uses a microcurrent device. "It uses low-level electrical currents to tone, tighten, and lift the face," she explains. "This helps to improve facial contouring, tone the skin, reduce wrinkles and make you look better." When she performs facials in person, she usually uses microcurrent gloves. This is because it is a more evenly distributed, deeper treatment that treats all areas of the face. It can literally scoop up the cheek muscles and lift and sculpt the cheekbones more.

But since most people don't have their own microcurrent glove (and even then, it's hard to scoop up your own cheekbones), she uses the NuFace Trinity Facial Toning Kit, a device that can be used daily to sculpt, lift, and stimulate facial muscles for a more youthful appearance. It can be used daily to promote a more youthful appearance. When Darden isn't using microcurrent for facials, it's usually a slippery cleanser-like cleansing serum from her eponymous line.

Your tools need a little help

Investing in a good facial massage tool will certainly help, but you will need some assistance to glide the tool evenly over your face. This is usually where face oil comes into play. Not only do face oils properly lubricate the face for a facial massage, but many oils are packed with ingredients that are perfect for you that can further build up nutrients in the skin barrier. (Also, keep in mind that all skin types, including oily types, can benefit from using a face oil.)

Jojoba oil is closest to your skin's natural sebum, so we also include Peach & Lily Pure Beam Lux Oil and Squalane Oil for ultimate hydration. Rogers helps balance, brighten and protect the skin with a mixture of blackcurrant, jojoba, primrose, grapeseed, safflower, blackcurrant and vitamin E oils of that we do.

Naturally, Mata contains Tatcha's best-selling Gold Camellia Beauty Oil, a 23-karat gold and camellia oil that helps treat dryness, fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and uneven skin tone. The oil can be used not only on your face but also on your hair and cuticles.

If you are an oily person and are uncomfortable about incorporating oil into your facial massage routine, use an oil formulated for your skin type. FreckBeauty's Lil Prick Cactus Seed Dry Serum Serum is made with all the features but the finishing touch of oil. It is packed with a blend of fatty acids and oils to nourish and protect the skin, but is not comedogenic and is suitable for oily skin types.

For those who are using microcurrent, face oil is definitely not the move. Petroleum is not a good conductor of electricity and using the two together can produce undesirable results. Instead, use NuFace Hydrating Leave-On Gel Primer; the gel contains phytomoist and hyaluronic acid to refresh and hydrate the skin, and conduct electricity properly throughout the face.

Best Techniques and Practices

The main tip from all three estheticians is to work in an upward and outward motion. It is important not to pull down, as facial massage is meant to help lift and shape the face. Massage the skin in a circular, upward motion. Begin at the base of the neck on the side where your arteries are. Continue to knead the skin in gentle circles, upward, toward the chin, up the sides of the face, and around the eyes. Take care to be gentle around the eyes, as the skin is very delicate and sensitive to excessive pulling.

It is also important to keep the skin well lubricated so that your hands and tools glide easily over the face. Skipping can cause unnecessary pulling, leading to premature aging or deepening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

When massaging your own face, it is advisable to use your fingertips to control the pressure. You can also use your lower knuckles and the upper knuckles of your hands to apply deeper pressure. For example, you can use the pointer's lower knuckles and middle finger to sculpt the cheekbones and jawline, a technique called tapotement, where you gently tap the skin with your fingertips. Rogers likes to use this technique around the eyes and forehead to stimulate those areas. If you are using the Gua Sha tool, Rodgers also recommends using it in a "scraping" motion before and after fine lines or hyperpigmentation.

And voila! When done, you should be left with contoured, smooth skin. If you want to do the whole sivan and continue with a comprehensive spa experience, please visit How to DIY a Facial at Home .