Does facial massage, also called facial gym, mean something to you? These manual treatment protocols are inspired by Kobido and face sculpting to smooth and lift facial features. They are mainly carried out in institutes by facialists, but have been made accessible to the general public, thanks to different tools designed to “facilitate” self-massage at home. But which ones to choose and how to use them? Everything will depend on your skin, as specialists explain at 20 minutes.
Facial massage tools all aim to relax the muscles, drain and smooth the skin. However, facialists generally use them depending on the client’s problem, the targeted area or the treatment protocol chosen. Furthermore, there are many varieties, but here are the three main tools that you will find in institutes and on the market.
Gua Sha, ideal for sculpting
Think of a puzzle piece. This flat tool has the particularity of having fairly irregular shapes which allow it to fit into hollows to better reshape the oval of the face. “Gua Sha can be used to drain but also lift and why not be used locally to smooth wrinkles,” explains Coralie Esnault, facialist trainer at Payot.
The price of a Gua Sha is 29 euros at Payot.
The Roll-on, an ally for draining
As the name suggests, the roll-on has one or two rolling tips of different sizes. “By rolling on the skin, it drains the lymph and therefore stimulates blood circulation and eliminates toxins,” explains Mélody Barbier, facialist and training manager at Seasonly. After using the roll-on, we notice that the skin is instantly brighter because “the cells are re-oxygenated”.
As an alternative accessory, you can opt for boulado, which also reproduces the palpation-draining movement on the skin.
The price of a Roll-on is 24.99 euros at Sephora.
Mushrooms, to relieve congestion
The mushroom has the appearance of a mushroom. Its circular shape is better suited to massaging the eye contour and awakening the eyes, as the Seasonly facialist explains: “Using the mushroom helps decongest and deflate the tissues around bags and dark circles.”
As an alternative gesture, you can use fake face ice cubes which have the same function. Dr Alexandre Koutsomanis, aesthetic doctor, recommends “placing these tools in the refrigerator before using them to stimulate microcirculation”. Not in the freezer, because using them too cold could cause thermal damage.
The price of a mushroom is 28 euros at Seasonly.
The essential cosmetic
For facial massage accessories to be truly useful, there are several rules to follow. Firstly, their use must always be preceded by the application of a cosmetic with a rather oily texture (cream, oil, serum). This is what will allow the tools to “slide” on the skin during the massage and not aggressively cling to it. This gesture will also aim to increase the effects of the treatments applied, as explained in 20 minutes Mélody Barbier: “Massage tools complement the products because they help the active ingredients to better penetrate the skin.”
The right gesture, from bottom to top
Then there is the art and how to use it. You should always use massage tools from the bottom to the top of the face and from the inside to the outside, “to relax the tissues”. The opposite could cause or accelerate skin sagging.
The right materials according to the skin
Also note that the choice of materials for your tools matters. Indeed, facial massage techniques are closely linked to lithotherapy, a practice which consists of combining the benefits of certain stones or crystals with a treatment. “Stones have different properties, for example rose quartz which is the most common has soothing properties for the skin, it is better for sensitive skin. Conversely, white jade will be better for combination to oily skin because it has purifying and cleansing properties,” explains Mélody Barbier.
Tools that don’t promise miracles
If you want to see results, rigor and discipline must be there. “The earlier you start, the less quickly wrinkles will appear,” explains the Seasonly trainer who also recommends 3 to 5 minutes of massage daily.
“By massaging regularly you can smooth the skin and reduce certain wrinkles but not necessarily make them disappear,” she warns. Even if these treatments provide an instant healthy glow, they do not offer any miracle solution to skin aging, nor to blood circulation problems which fall within the medical field.