Stress-Relieving Facial Massage Techniques That Only Require Your Fingers
Stress is something that just about every one of us can relate to on some level. While some stress isn't so bad and can even be beneficial, the majority of the time, we suffer from chronic stress brought on by the never-ending pangs of life. In addition to changes in the way your body functions, stress can also impact your face and your head in general.
When we are stressed, it usually shows on our faces. Whether it's worried eyes or deeply furrowed brows, the face is usually a dead giveaway when you've got a lot on your mind. Licensed massage therapist Liz Aigner told Well+Good that constant facial expressions can cause tension which takes a toll on your appearance. According to Healthline, the accumulation of stress can cause physical changes to the face, such as worry lines and wrinkles.
On the upside, massage therapy is known to be able to help relieve some of this stress. Aigner attests that facial massages can hit the reset button for you to de-stress and work out some of those facial muscles. However, these days everything is uber-expensive, and getting a massage or a facial is a luxury not everyone can afford on a whim. The good news is that you can learn some techniques to alleviate your facial stress right in your own house.
Use your emotions to locate key areas for massaging
When it comes to de-stressing your face, it might help to know which areas are saturated with the most tension and focus your fingers on those points. Because stress is usually triggered by things happening in our immediate lives, it also becomes a psychological and emotional problem as well. Tiktok face tension enthusiast @sagefacetensionrelease shows how to achieve this by meeting your feelings guide you to problem spots. First, she oils her face. Lubrication is very important when giving yourself facial massages because you want your fingers and hands to glide across your skin without too much friction that can cause redness. You can use natural oils such as jojoba or argan oil.
Then, she allows herself to immerse herself in whatever is causing her stress in the first place. You can envision your job or your life problem and then you'll be able to pinpoint which parts of your face the strain is most concentrated at. Then, massage those areas. She uses her knuckles and fingers to gently work her way deep into her cheekbones, lips, and scalp while tugging lightly at her facial muscles.
You might get a little emotional during this technique, but that's the point. Coming to terms with your problems will help you be able to manage the stress in your face and alleviate it.
Don't ignore your eyebrows
Your eyebrows are one of the most emotive parts of your face and therefore usually under plenty of undue stress. Aigner explained to Well + Good some tips on how to massage this feature to let go of some of the rigidity here.
"Using your pointer finger and thumb, pinch the brows starting from the center out to the temples," Aigner said to the publication. As you move along your brows toward the temple, look out for the spots that have the most tension and hold on to them for longer before releasing. Repeat this exercise at least twice more and more if you need to. You should feel the tightness in this area start to melt away with more physical contact.
For smoother skin, gently pull the forehead
Although there isn't much scientific evidence to back up this claim, it is believed by some people that massaging your face regularly could minimize signs of aging. According to some studies, face massages can provide you with increased blood circulation to the face which in turn promotes the distribution of nutrients to those vessels.
TikTok creator @hellojosieliz demonstrates how to give yourself face massages targeted at premature aging. She first relaxes her forehead and cheek muscles with breathing exercises, and then massages them using her fingers with circular motions. Then, she cups her face and pulls back gently to stretch her skin while resting her head in her palms.
Beauty influencer @glowwithava uses an anti-aging serum during her massages to enhance the anti-aging benefits. You can try out the Olay 7-in-1 Anti-aging serum. Balling her hands into fists, she uses her knuckles to rub her forehead vertically for the eyebrows toward the scalp. Then she moves horizontally from one end of her forehead to the other in order to smoothen out any wrinkles. Afterward, she uses her knuckles to massage out her cheekbones gently with outward motions toward the temples before switching to using her thumb to lift the cheeks out.
Massage your strained jaw to soothe a TMJ headache
You may find that when you're the most stressed, your jaw muscles tend to clench up, causing tension and leading to headaches. Since it's best to knock these problems out from the root, giving yourself a jaw massage can really come in handy when it comes to relieving stress.
Board-certified massage therapist Rachel Richards does this in a video by focusing the facial massage on the tempromandibular joint, which is the point at which your jaw and skull connect. You can locate it by placing your fingers right in front of your ears and opening and closing your jaw to flex the joint. Richards recommends relaxing your jaw while massaging this area with circular motions. Then, she cups her jaw on either side with both hands and, gently and slowly, glides them down to her chin.
This will serve to release the tension in your jaw and can soothe your stress headache. Because we tend to unknowingly clench our jaws throughout the day, you can try being more mindful of slacking it periodically to prevent tension in that area.
The appropriate massage can temper sinuses and rejuvenate your skin
Per Healthline, face massages around the nose can help you clear up your sinuses temporarily if you are experiencing congestion or headaches. It also serves to rejuvenate your skin and give you an effortless glow. Detroit Sinus Center recommends gently using two fingers to massage either side of the bridge of the nose in a circular motion. This will help to alleviate sinus pressure or pain that could be triggering headaches. On the other hand, if you are dealing with allergies, applying the same technique to your cheekbones can relieve congestion. Although a lubricant is not totally necessary for this type of massage, adding an oil in your favorite scent, such as lavender, could help you feel more relaxed.
Face massages are easy, fun to do, and can help calm you down after a stressful day or during a harrowing time so don't hesitate to jump right into this routine.