“Relax your eyebrows, release your jaw.” This has become an internal dialogue to keep my face at ease while I unconsciously daydream about the minor anxieties in my life.
From smiling to frowning — and even flexing a casual RBF — it’s funny how our face holds all of our outward expressions and inward stressors without us being fully aware of it. So how nice would it be to give ourselves a facial workout to reduce stress, relieve muscle tension, and restore a sense of relaxation? Well, an at-home facial massage just might be the answer.
Facial massages have a wide range of benefits that can help you reach a sense of calm at the start or end of your day. A gentle technique of rolling and kneading your face can stimulate blood flow, boost oxygen delivery to the skin’s cells, removes toxins, and reduces puffiness in your skin.
Regular facial massages are an easy way to unlock the fountain of youth that goes skin deep by toning the facial muscles, improving skin elasticity, and reducing the appearance of under-eye bags, resulting in a healthier complexion and natural glow.
HOW TO PREP YOUR SKIN BEFORE A FACIAL MASSAGE:
Before starting a facial massage, it's essential to prepare your skin properly. Begin by washing your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap, to ensure a clean and sanitized starting place. Facial massages can be seamlessly integrated into your existing skincare routine, so take your time while cleansing and moisturizing to incorporate your technique of choice into your skincare system.
The warmth generated by your hands and rubbing motion can assist in absorbing your serums and oils. And while using your hands alone is perfectly suitable for the massage, there are also a variety of tools accessible that can enhance the overall experience, like a gua sha or jade roller.
Lymphatic Drainage Facial Massage:
This massage technique focuses on stimulating the lymphatic system in the face and neck area. It aims to improve lymphatic circulation, reduce fluid retention, soothe sinus congestion, and detoxify the skin. The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in removing waste, toxins, and excess fluid from the body.
How To:
- Begin by gently massaging the lymph nodes in your neck area. Use upward strokes and light pressure to move from the base of your neck toward your jawline. Repeat this motion a few times.
- Proceed to the face, using gentle, light pressure throughout the massage.
- Place both hands on the center of your forehead and sweep them outward towards the temples. Repeat.
- Use your fingers to stroke along the cheekbones, starting from the nose and moving toward the ears. With upward strokes, massage along the jawline from the chin towards the ears. Repeat as needed.
@hairaconda Some facial massage techniques that are basically the same regardless of you using your hands or a guasha #facemassage #facemassagetips #guashatutorial #guasha #guashafacial #skincareforblackwomen
Gua Sha Facial Massage:
As a traditional Chinese technique, this massage method involves using a gua sha tool in a combination of strokes and swipes across the face and neck. This massage is said to reduce facial puffiness, ease tension, and even sculpt your face.
How To:
- Cleanse your face and apply a facial oil or serum to provide some slip for the tool, and hold the tool with the curved side against your skin.
- Begin at the base of your neck and use upward strokes, scraping the tool gently but firmly towards your jawline. Repeat each stroke 3-5 times.
- Move to your chin and jaw area. Start from the center and work outward, using upward strokes along the jawline and chin.
- Finish on the forehead, using upward strokes from the eyebrows towards the hairline. Pay attention to any areas with tension or fine lines.
- After the massage, cleanse your face to remove any residual oil or product. Apply your regular moisturizer or continue with the rest of your skincare routine.
@selfcarebykaysha guasha + ice roll every night !! For SNATCHED SKIN #fyp #foryou #KAYKissCountdown #viral #guasha #blackgirltiktok @Herbivore Botanicals
Face Tapping Massage:
Also known as percussive tapping, face tapping is a technique that involves using light, rhythmic taps on the face to stimulate the skin and underlying tissues. It is believed to promote circulation, awaken the senses, and provide a gentle, energizing effect to restore a sense of calm.
How To:
- Start with a freshly cleansed face and apply facial oil, moisturizer, or serum of your choice to provide some slip for the tapping massage.
- Begin with gentle taps using your fingertips or the pads of your fingers.
- Starting from the center of your forehead, use a light tapping motion to move outward towards the temples. Repeat this motion several times.
- Move to the eye area and tap gently around the eye sockets, including the brow bone, under the eyes, and the outer corners. Be extra careful and gentle in this sensitive area.
- Continue tapping along the cheekbones, along the jawline, to your chin, and towards the ears.
- Finish by tapping lightly on the neck and chest area.
@yourenergyeste All the self respecting girlies are doing it 💕 #selfloveclub #blackgirltiktokers🤎🦋 #chinesemedicineworks #freestressreliever #energypractices #meridianpoints #tapping
With every technique, it’s important to practice gentle pressure and always listen to your skin if redness or soreness occurs. By using these techniques correctly, you’ll be on your way to relaxation in no time.
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Featured image by shironosov/Getty Images
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The pair often says they’re two sides of the same coin. Skylar is an Aquarius. She attended art school, paints, and loves poetry. She’s more than happy to let the couple’s management firm and agency, Kensington Grey, handle their admin work. And, she loves to sleep in. Temi, on the other hand, wakes up early. He’s a Virgo. He loves a to-do list and regularly checks in on the couple’s brand partnerships spreadsheet to make sure everything is on track.
Because his storytelling was steeped in his love of technology, he didn’t always think of himself as a creative person. “Where I [am] the dreamer who wants to pluck things out of the sky and spend all day with my head in the clouds, Temi [is] so good at grounding me and helping me figure out how to make things make sense on paper. We just work together in such a complimentary way,” Skylar says.
It’s been more than six years since Brooklyn-based couple Temi and Skylar started dating, and nearly four since they cemented their working relationship. On TikTok and Instagram, the couple’s travel, fashion, and home content regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. They’ve worked with brands such as Coach, Aesop, Away, and Liquid IV, bringing their vibrant perspectives to every campaign they execute. Still, nearly two years since both Temi and Skylar committed to full-time content creation and creative directing, the couple says their romantic connection remains their priority.
“We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting,” Skylar says.
Working from home can make it hard to separate work from personal life for any entrepreneur. It can be even more challenging when your business partner is also your lover. Temi and Skylar had already used couples therapy as a tool to help them effectively communicate with one another. When they ran into challenges while working together, their therapist helped them set physical boundaries to help combat the issues.
"We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting."
“It actually took us doing very specific physical things to create boundaries between work and play in our relationship,” Skylar says. “So, for instance, we will only have conversations about work when we're out of bed or we're at the table or in the office. Initially, when we started, we had to light a candle to say that, 'Okay, this is a space where we're connecting, we’re not talking about work.' We needed really hard boundaries at the top. And then it became a little bit more organic.”
The boundaries have been crucial to implement, especially because the couple began working together so naturally. When the pair first met, Skylar was NY-based a social strategist for BuzzFeed and was using content creation to drive business to her lingerie company. She was shooting her own content. Temi was working for Microsoft in D.C. He’d recently traded in his DJing equipment for a camera. “I've always loved taking pictures,” he says. “Even when I was a kid, my African mother would wake me up at 3:00 a.m. [during a] party, and be like, 'Come take the family picture.'”
Growing up, Temi says he watched his parents support each other and be the true definition of partners. He knew he wanted the same for his own relationship. But, the couple also wanted to make sure they were being financially responsible. The pair didn’t quit their traditional jobs until they’d saved up two years' worth of their cost of living. And, Temi received his Master of Business Administration from New York University with the knowledge that it could either help him advance in his corporate career or be applicable to his business with Skylar.
Temi and SkylarCj Hart @hartbreakToday, they say their working relationship is more of a “quiet dance.” They still implement some of the boundaries they learned in therapy, but they also lean into their natural strengths and deep love for one another. When we speak, Temi has planned a date for the couple to see Princess Mononoke in 4K IMAX and added it to their Notion so they can factor it into their busy schedules. “I fully plan to date for the rest of my life,” he says.
Skylar says the couple doesn’t just wait for date nights to check in with one another, though. This often happens in the mornings, after Temi has made her peppermint tea and poured himself a cup of coffee. When they ask each other how they slept, she says, it’s not just a “nicety.” It’s a genuine question meant to foster connection.
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What’s better than being in love? Building wealth while doing it. Watch Making Cents here for real stories of couples who make money moves together.
Featured image by Cj Hart @hartbreak