Like it or not, the summer is coming to an end – and with it, our holiday glows. And while it’s all well and good for any It girl who can bask in gold-leaf and glitter masks or elaborate ten-step skincare routines designed to create a mega-watt skin sheen (2018 is all about getting your glow on), it can be harder for those of us without the time, patience or money to chase a pro glow 24/7.
Luckily, there’s a simple solution allowing all of us to enjoy an extended summer glow. Bring your facial in-house and steal one of these massage techniques that promise to reduce sinus pressure, puffiness and fluid retention, while promoting lymphatic drainage and allowing your skincare to penetrate deeper. After all, who else knows your skin better than you?
Facial massage is the secret every skin pro relies on – and here’s why. “Over 40 muscles make up the scaffolding of the face. And just like the muscles in the body, the more you move them, the more lifted, tightened and tone they become,” says Inge Theron, founder of FaceGym. “Any time you can fit facial exercises into your day is great. I tend to do it morning or evening as part of my skincare routine, that way I get the added benefits of really working products into my skin, too.”
The Speedy
For a daily glow fix on all skin-types
Committed glow-getters should try out the ‘Whip, Knuckle and Contour’ facial exercise moves developed by FaceGym. This super speedy two-minute routine developed is easy to build into your daily skincare routine. “Massaging or brushing product into the skin, rather than just slapping it on, will maximise the benefits for your skin tone and texture,” says Theron.
The Daily Lift & Sculpt
For increased blood circulation and stimulation
If you’re looking for a tool to help make your facial massage speedy and easy (but still effective) let us introduce you to an ancient Chinese skincare secret: The Gua Sha.
Garnering loads of attention from the ‘gram because #crystalpower, the smooth palm-sized tools (usually made from jade or rose quartz) are designed in a specific shape to hug the contours of the face.
Stroking it in different directions and areas with the aid of a serum or oil, will help to boost blood circulation and stimulate the skin. The tool maintains a cool temperature, which will help to depuff and awaken a tired complexion. It’s a bit more hardcore than a roller, and you may notice slightly more tugging of the skin.
The Fashion Favourite
For dull and dry skin
The massage suggested by Chanel is designed to make the most of its beautiful new facial oil, L’Huile de Jasmin. Composed almost entirely of naturally-derived ingredients (jasmine, camellia and jojoba amoung others) the moisturising, nourishing and fortifying product protects the skin barrier – think suppleness, firming and brightening. It’s basically luxury in a bottle, so why not maximise the benefits with a massage that promotes absorption?
Abigail James says you should “massage a face oil into the face, neck and décolleté for a good eight minutes”, so really take your time and enjoy the process. The longer you massage, the more warmth the oil retains (from your hands and face) which will help absorption and circulation.
The GANKIN massage (which is patented, by the way – how cool is that?) is designed to explore and relieve the relationship between stiff facial muscles and sagging skin. Stiffness in the face often indicates that the lymph flow is not working efficiently, preventing all the toxins from being drained and causing the skin to swell or sag. By applying pressure to the face one is able to massage away tension, while promoting blood circulation and lymphatic flow.
