A facial can have many benefits such as health and facial appearance improvement and the best part is, it can be done at home! What are the specific benefits? Let’s take a look.
Did you know that there are two different types of facial massage that have similar benefits but there are 2 different ways to perform them?
1. Facial with a focus on massage.
2. Facial dry brushing.
But which one should you do? That will depend on your skin type.
If you have oily or normal skin, either method will work well for you. If you have dry or sensitive skin then a modified facial or a very light dry brushing may be best for you.
Facial dry brushing
As the name states, facial dry brushing is done to the face. But before beginning, it is important to read through all the information on how to perform a DIY dry brushing session on yourself.
Though facial dry brushing is beneficial for lymphatic drainage, it is best to only perform a session once or twice a week. The face only requires exfoliation once or twice a week.
Dry brushing should be done with a clean face but can be done before or after a shower.
Facial dry brushing requires only one tool; you may find a wet/dry face brush on our website at: https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/dry-wet-face-brush/
Facial dry brushing offers these benefits:
Exfoliation
Increased blood flow
Lymphatic drainage
Reduces wrinkles
Decreases puffiness
Strengthens facial muscles
But how do you get these benefits?
First, you get your dry brush (yes, it should be dry), make sure your face is free of makeup and dirt, and dry your face if it is not already dry. Also, make sure your moisturizer is nearby before beginning.
Start brushing your chin towards the hairline from one side, then move to the other side. Use gentle upward strokes. The movement should not cause any irritation.
For your cheeks, make a circular motion in an outward and backward fashion.
For your upper lip, start from the center and brush outwards.
For your nose, use small circular motions starting from your nose tip towards the middle of the brow area.
For your eyes, use light strokes encircling your eyes in a circular motion.
Make sure to be very gentle when brushing, particularly around the eyes and begin very slowly and lightly.
Don’t forget to dry brush your neck also. Starting from your chest and moving upwards towards the chin across your neck. (1)
After dry brushing, wash your face and drink a glass of water to help support the detoxing process that has just been stimulated. Then apply a moisturizer of your choice. My favorites are jojoba oil, Dandelion Naturals Tallow Balm or Whipped Tallow from Root Apothecary. Jojoba oil is very similar to our natural sebum and tallow is thicker and thus best for an evening moisturizer but it also works for an all-around moisturizer. Moisturizers are most effective when applied to a damp face.
Things to consider:
Your dry brush will need to be cleaned. A way to clean it is: Use tea tree oil and gentle liquid soap to clean your brush. Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant and has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Rinse your brush and let it dry, face down on a towel. Avoid any prolonged dampness in your brush to avoid bacterial growth and make sure you dry it thoroughly. You can also dry your brush outside in the fresh air with the benefit of disinfecting sunlight. (2)
Some of the benefits that can occur because lymphatic drainage has been stimulated: It can even help to reduce swelling after surgery; as one 2007 study about its use after wisdom tooth removal points out. Levitt Gainsley notes that the treatment is also helpful for conditions such as acne, eczema, and digestive disorders. (3)
Dry brushing is not the only way to receive the benefits of lymphatic drainage. A facial, specifically a facial massage can also impart many of the same benefits.
Facial with a focus on massage:
“Doing facials allows your skin to be continuously exfoliated, which helps bring forth new skin,” Kanaan explains. “This helps to:
Shrink the size of your pores.
Lessen your skin’s oil production.
Reduce hyperpigmentation (dark spots).
Help balance your skin’s pH.” (4)
Clearer skin
Relieve facial tension
But how do you receive these benefits?
It is a 5-6 step process. Reduce the amount of exfoliation and skip a drawing mask, instead choose a moisturizing mask if you have dry skin.
Step 1. Cleanse your face. Make sure it is free of makeup and dirt. This could be done by oil cleansing, soap and water, or just water and a microfiber cloth. A great facial cleanser is our Tallow Bar Soap. You find it here: https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/tallow-bar-soap/
Step 2. Exfoliate. We have many exfoliating soaps available that would be perfect for this but a sugar or honey scrub could also be used here. If you would like to try a Dandelion Naturals exfoliating bar soap then I would recommend our Raw Milk Calendula and Oats Bar Soap. You can find it here: https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/raw-milk-calendula-oats-bar-soap/
Step 3. Steam. A facial steaming device would work best but it can be done with care using a pot of boiling water. Be cautious to stay a safe distance away. Performing a steam will open up your pores and prepare them for the next step.
Step 4. Mask. This could be a clay mask of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar if you are looking for a drawing mask or a honey and whole-fat yogurt mask if your skin needs moisturizing.
To make a bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar drawing mask then take two tablespoons of bentonite clay, place it in a glass bowl, and add apple cider vinegar till you reach your desired consistency. Use a spoon (not metal) to stir and apply to your face. Allow the mask to dry for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off. Note, if you use a metal spoon or metal bowl for this mask, a chemical reaction takes place and removes most of the benefits that bentonite clay imparts.
If you would like to make a yogurt and honey moisturizing mask then mix ¼ cup of whole-fat yogurt and 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of honey together. Apply to your face and allow to penetrate for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off.
Step 5. Moisturize. Whatever moisturizer you prefer but my favorites are listed above, under dry brushing steps.
Step 6. Massage. This is where many of the lymphatic drainage benefits come from. But how do you perform a facial massage? Grab an oil like jojoba, a serum, or tallow whip and you can use your fingers, a jade roller, or gua sha stone to: “Work from the middle out, and always go upward in motion,” says McCord. “If you’re going to work around the eyes, you need to make sure you have enough product around them. You certainly don’t want to tug on that area, since the tissue around the eyes is a lot thinner.” (5) Relax and enjoy the facial!
If you have followed either of the facial routines above then you can now reap the benefits. And the first time is always the hardest. To continue to reap the benefits add a facial to your skincare routine, once or twice a week. But why so often? Because: “As our skin cells die and drift to the surface, they collect and form what is known as the stratum corneum layer of the skin,” explains Alatorre. “In addition to dead skin cells, our skin is being exposed to pollutants and other debris that can be trapped on the surface, and over time, this buildup can lead to dullness, breakouts, and lackluster skin.” (6) That is why both types of facials include exfoliation.
Performing a facial has been touted as being a non-invasive form of a facelift saying: “Some have started incorporating facial lymphatic drainage into their beauty regimen as a weapon against puffy, dull complexion, and skin irritation. Some have gone so far as to call it a nonsurgical facelift.” (7) Let’s look at why that might be.
A few more thoughts:
If you aren’t convinced that all these benefits can truly come from a facial massage then consider this test that found: “Facial massage appeared to show lifting and tightening effects. It caused the cheeks to shift cranially, and thick cheeks became thinner. Moreover, the SMAS‐height increased. Our results provide useful information for beauty treatments and could contribute to the objective scientific literature for facial massages.” (8) This test performed scans and calculated measurements and found that self-massage was effective for receiving these benefits. The study also concluded that: “Increased blood and lymphatic flow are thought to be the main factors underlying the effectiveness of massages” (9)
The method of massage used for the test was:
(10)
While the study used hands to perform the massage, it is within reason to assume that facial dry brushing would cause just as many benefits due to the fact that it also stimulates blood flow and lymphatic drainage.
Dandelion Naturals is proud to provide all-natural tools and products for skincare that truly supports your health. You can find more products like the ones listed in this article at: dandelionnaturals.com and if you are interested in learning more about nourishing benefits of tallow check out this article: https://dandelionnaturals.com/why-is-tallow-such-an-excellent-ingredient-for-all-natural-skincare/
Resources:
https://www.pranabrush.com/blogs/blog/dry-brushing-your-face-the-complete-guide (1) (2)
https://www.healthline.com/health/lymphatic-drainage-face#takeaway (3)
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-a-facial/ (4)
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/facial-steps-at-home (5) (7)
https://helloglow.co/benefits-of-facials/ (6)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9907650/ (8), (9), (10),
