Give Yourself a
Facial Workout
Want an instant facelift? Why not try a facial massage to tone up your visage.
Every day physical and emotional tensions accumulate in the scalp, face, neck and shoulders. By massaging the muscles in your face, you release tension in the skin and its underlying structures.
Within the skin is the tiny muscle called the arrector pili. Immediately underneath the skin are the circular and long muscles that allow us to control movement of our eyes, mouth, jaw and neck. They are the muscles of eating, speech and facial expression and usually hold a significant amount of residual tension in their fibres. They need stretching, exercises and deeper massage to relax and reset them. These same techniques can be used on most other areas of the skin.
What are the Goals of a Skin Massage?
* Relax the superficial arrector pili muscles.
* Relax and un-knot the facial muscles and their joints.
* Firm skin contours.
* Restore lymph and blood circulation.
* Free the energy flow in meridians and reflex points.
Massaging the Face
Before you begin the massage, gently warm the face. This can be done by briskly rubbing clean hands together and placing them for 5 to 10 seconds on the area of skin that will be massaged. Alternatively, soak a cotton hand towel in warm water with two drops of lavender essential oil (optional). Wring it out and place it over the face and neck for 5 to 10 seconds.
Both these methods gently heat, relax and open pores and encourage blood and lymph circulation. The massage can be done on dry skin or with a cleanser, moisturizer or oil as a lubricant. Try pure Aloe Vera gel. Some of the movements follow the meridians and flush energy along their course.
First, gently pat the whole face and neck, imagining you are giving yourself a gentle spanking over your entire face and neck, then follow the steps below.
Gently Stroke the Skin in this Order:
* Centre of the forehead out to the ears.
* Temples and around the ears.
* Around the eyes.
* Collarbone to under the jaw and chin.
* Jaw and cheekbone.
* Chin to around the mouth and nose.
* Bridge of the nose and along the eyebrows.
Make Gentle Circles with the Fingertips:
* From the centre of the forehead out to the ears.
* Around the ears.
* Over the temples and jaw joint.
* In the hollows of the cheeks.
* From the collarbone to the chin.
Press and Release on the following Areas:
* Along the bottom of the cheekbone.
* Along the top and bottom of the jaw bone from the chin to the jaw joint.
* Over the jaw joint.
* Around the mouth.
* On the bone around the eyes.
* Where the eyebrows meet the nose bridge.
Finish by briskly rubbing your hands together and then “palm” the eyes to the count of 10 (to do this, place elbows on a flat, stable surface, place the heel of your palms over your closed eyes and use the weight of the head as gentle pressure). If there’s any discomfort, stop and consult a practitioner.
After the massage, steam the face, gently exfoliate and apply a mask. This removes the dead cells, debris and secretions loosened during the massage. Alternatively, cleanse as normal and soak a clean cotton hand towel in warm water, wring it out and gently wipe it over the entire area you have massaged. Close the pores by splashing the face with either cold water of Witch Hazel. Moisturize with your moisturizer of choice; e.g., pure Aloe Vera gel.
This is an edited extract from “Radiant Health, Radiant Skin,” by Dr Megan Mathews and Alison Cassar.