The Benefits of Facial Massage & Exercise

When we think of parts of our body that carry tension, we often think of larger areas, like our backs, shoulders, and necks. While those core areas do a lot of work keeping us upright during the day, our faces hold equally as much tension, but often get neglected when it comes time to pamper.

All day long, your face is working hard to show your emotions, to help you eat and to talk. All of that strenuous work can lead to tight and fatigued muscles just like the ones in your back. Taking the time exercise your facial muscles can help strengthen them against the rigors of your everyday emotional, communication, and nutritional needs. And facial massage, well, let’s just say that every part of your body deserves to be pampered!

• Detox – One of the greatest benefits to facial massage is that it helps to increase blood flow, thereby improving circulation. Better circulation means more blood pumping through the areas of your face, whisking away any impurities. Tight, stiff muscles can hold those impurities, so begin the detoxification process with a few simple exercises you can do on your own.

• Firm – An added benefit to facial exercise is that along with becoming stronger, the muscles help firm up the skin that lies over them. One area in particular that people struggle with as they mature is the jowl area (the area around and underneath your cheeks and chin). Check out this video for exercises that help to firm up the jowls, including my favorite, known as “kissing the sky.”

• Relax – Have you ever gotten one of those really killer headaches right between your eyes? Or the kind that wrap around your forehead and feel like a vice? Those headaches can actually be caused by muscle tension in your face. Just like with the rest of your body, facial yoga can help easily stretch and relax. The moves are as simple as rubbing your palms together until they’re warm, and then cupping them gently over your eyes.

• Pamper – Massage is an excellent modality for relaxation, helping to increase blood flow and soothe tense muscles. Facial massage is typically something that you get at a spa, but you can also perform some basic massage on your own face. First, select a light, gentle, hydrating lotion to use as a massage cream, because you don’t want to leave something heavy on your face that might clog your pores. Remember to begin at the bottom and work your way up, lifting the facial tissue with each stroke.

Tags: massage

This entry was posted on Friday, March 27th, 2009 at 8:05 am and is filed under Beauty Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.