Photo Credit: Aqua-Dome
Have you ever treated yourself to a facial treatment from a professional? If you have, more than likely, it resulted in skin that was glowing and healthy looking. Wanting to maintain that as long as possible, you might have purchased the products that were recommend, only to be disappointed a week or two later when your skin did not look that great anymore. The products might have be great, even perfect for your skin, but there are a few major differences between skin care at a spa and skin care at home.
- During a professional treatment highly concentrated “professional” grade products are used on you skin.
- Sometimes advanced treatment protocols are used for product penetration and stimulation, such as ultra-sound, or galvanic current.
- For the duration of your treatment, you are in a reclined position. This can be so relaxing; it is very common to fall asleep.
- The therapist spends time massaging your face.
I’m guessing that you probably do not own professional grade products, ultrasound devices, nor recline while you wash your face, right? Well there is not much you can do about the first two points, but you might be shocked by the difference a little reclining can make on the appearance of your skin.
I am not about to ask you to cleanse your face while on your back, but I am going to suggest that it would be great for your skin’s appearance, and health, if you reclined while putting on your moisturizer.
The combined action of lying down, and massaging your face for five minutes, creates a rush of blood and oxygen to the face. This stimulation assists the skin cells in the process of absorption, and elimination. This means that a gentle facial massage helps product penetration by stimulating the cells into better acceptance of the active ingredients. It also helps the cells that are holding toxins to release them. This process is very simple and does not need to be time consuming to be effective. Try the following routine 3 times a week for 2 or 3 weeks, and then revel in the results.
World-Class at Home Face Massage for Great Skin
- Set up your bed, or couch in a way that your head will be flat on the surface, with no pillow. Place the pillow down by your calves.
- Go into the bathroom and follow your normal routine, but when it is time to apply your moisturizer, go to the place you set up in step one, and get yourself situated (with pillow under calves).
- Apply a nickle-sized dollop of moisturizer on your chin, forehead, and cheeks.
- With very gentle movements, move the moisturizer all over your face in smooth, fluid motions. Use different pressures and speeds, but never pull hard or tug on the skin.
- Do this for at least five minutes, and enjoy…you are doing your skin’s favorite thing.
When you finish, your face may appear a bit red. No worries: this is from the stimulation of the massage, and will subside quickly, leaving you with gorgeous skin.
[Personal Note] My personal preference is to do this at night, but if you do it during the day, be sure to follow with sunscreen. Sometimes you may want to massage with a specialized treatment serum, or something as basic as sweet almond oil. Feel free to experiment.
When you give yourself a face massage at home, you are giving your skin a similar physiological benefit as the professional treatment. This benefit is very easy to achieve, and has lasting effects for remarkable skin. Try adding a five minute face massage to your skin care routine today--your friends will comment on it tomorrow!