Clearly, there are countless benefits to daily face massage—and I personally have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Since I don’t believe in gate-keeping, I asked Theron everything you need to know about starting your own face massage regimen too.
Face massage: Morning or night?
I personally massage my face every morning, just after completing my skin care routine and before applying makeup and SPF. That said, you can do it whenever it makes sense for you. “If you’re a morning person then adding a few minutes into your routine can help to boost your energy and start your day off on the right track,” Theron says. “Alternatively, adding into your evening routine can make for a relaxing end to the day, a moment of self-care for you to unwind and de-stress before bed.”
You can also incorporate different moves at different times of the day, she says. “For example, in your morning routine, moves such as knuckling and whipping will wake up the system and kickstart your circulation,” Theron continues. “However, in the evening adding more of the softer sweeping and draining moves will help to release tension and work on the lymphatic system to depuff and decongest to assist your skin reset overnight.”
Face massage serum and oil
As for how to actually massage your face properly? First, apply face serum or oil before you start massaging.
“Whenever you’re doing any facial massage it’s important to remember to use an oil or serum first to create slip and glide on the skin so you’re not dragging or pulling,” says Theron. “My favorites are FACEGYM’s Face Coach Lifting Face Oil and Youth Reformer Vitamin C Oil-in- Serum. Not only are they both perfect for workouts but they offer additional benefits for the skin too, such as hydration and improving the appearance of expression lines and wrinkles.”
Face massage tools
Next, find a tool that works for you. I’m partial to my gua sha, but like to change it up depending on my mood, often opting for the sculpting bar I stole from my grandmother or jade roller instead.
Theron recommends the gua sha as the ideal face massage starter tool, though. “If you’re looking to enhance your contours and add facial definition, it’s a must-have,” she says. “It’s the ultimate at-home contouring tool to carve out the perfect cheekbones and a super-sculpted appearance. With six unique edges all designed to target a different area of the face, this really is your all-in-one tool, it helps you define your contours, release facial tension, depuff and drain water retention and much more. My top tip is to keep it in the fridge overnight, then use it in the morning for additional cooling and soothing benefits.”
Face massage technique
Finally, there’s technique. If you’re unsure where to start, the Face Gym website offers expert training guides online that walk through how to use their products and relevant facial massage moves. Until then however, here are Theron’s three favorite face massage moves.