If you’ve ever had a professional facial, you’ll know how amazing it feels – and how good skin looks afterwards.
The experts say that, aside from the skin-benefiting active ingredients, it’s massage that is key to that post-appointment glow.
We spoke to a Payot educator to find out how to massage like a pro, de-puff and achieve instant radiance.
The Benefits:
Just as massage tones and stimulates the body, face massage helps ward off premature ageing and skin slackening.
“Face massage not only supports the muscle structure and contours of the face but stimulates micro-circulation and oxygen to the skin tissues for better functioning cellular activity and a more youthful appearance,” says Rachael Lupton, national education manager at Payot.
The brand has known about the important of face massage since 1917, when founder Dr Nadia Payot created her own face exercises and massage technique to tone skin and ward off ageing.
“Face massage boosts the energy and blood flow to the skin and helps to awaken the process of collagen and elastin production,” Lupton says.
Payot Herbier Huile de Beaute Visage Face oil, $95
Types Of Facial Massage:
“There are so many advanced skin-tech treatments to choose from in the beauty industry today but we can’t forget the power of human touch,” says Lupton, who explains that there are a number of massage techniques a professional can offer, depending on skin needs.
Pressure-Point Massage:
“Pressure point massage is beneficial for calming and soothing reactive or sensitised skin.”
Lympathic Drainage:
“This massage type is great for the elimination of toxins.”
Tapotement Massage:
“This is a stimulating [rhythmic] technique, which is essential for ageing and lacklustre skin.”
Relaxation Massage:
This is a deeply soothing style of massage that is “great for that wellbeing and self-nurture”.
Extra Top: Apply a facial oil. This will allow better glide, hydration and essential nourishment to the skin while massaging, says Lupton
How to De-Puff:
Puffiness can crop up as a result of a lack of sleep or exercise, poor diet or incorrect skincare products.
To smooth under the eyes, Lupton recommends slowly using “your middle and ring fingers with medium pressure to drain under the eyes from the bridge of the nose outward to the temples, repeating four to five times”.
If you’re experiencing puffiness in other areas of your face, Lupton advises working “from the top of the forehead down the face, as if drawing horizontal lines across the skin. This will stimulate and drain lymph vessels and eliminate toxins.”
Payot, Huile Fondante Démaquillante Milky Cleansing Oil, $59
Extra Tip:
Enlist Facial tools.
Built to Stimulate and Drain Fluid, skin tools can help fast-track results. “Gua Sha and Rose Quartz Rollers are favourites of mine for lymphatic Drainage, mirco circulation and facial contouring,” says Lupton, who also advises massaging on clean skin.
CAW rose quartz face roller, $50
Lips THE CLOWN – Open your mouth wide to reduce the appearance of lip wrinkles and lines.
Eyes: THE OWL – Tone the eye contour, de-puff and reduce dark circles by placing your fingers on the brow bone and the tops of the cheekbones, keeping your eyes fully open, then closed.
Forehead: CAT’S PAW – Use both hands to slide the pads of the fingers from the centre of the forehead towards the temples. This technique smooths forehead wrinkles.
Horizontal Lines: THE SLEEPY – Smooth forehead wrinkles by lowering eyebrows and eyes, and then looking downwards without bending your neck.
Jawline: THE SNAKE – To reduce the appearance of jowls, loosen the teeth and jaw, then place the tip of your tongue behind upper teeth.
Learn the Moves:
Learning a few massage techniques will help ward off signs of fatigue and tiredness – as well as early lines and wrinkles in the longer term.
“Payot’s unique Gym Beauté face exercise and massage technique is the perfect step-by-step daily routine for all skin types,” says Lupton of the brand’s
11 signature movements.
“After three weeks, features are uplifted, contours are defined and wrinkles are smoothed.”
Here are some of our favourites – they’re so easy!
ARITHMOS gua sha tool, $42
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