Skin experts have known a cheeky secret for years – a nightly facial massage can take years off your face. In just a few minutes, you can make your complexion glow, help fade fine lines and tighten your skin. Here, acclaimed facialist Nichola Joss offers a step-by-step guide.
Step 1
Choose your facial oil. “I place three or four drops of facial oil onto my palms, then rub them together to warm it up,” tells Nichola. Lift your hands to your face and breathe in the relaxing aroma.
Step 2
Place your hands on your cheeks and gently sweep up and out. “Use smooth, gentle motions. Start in the centre and work outward to boost hydration and help lymphatic drainage,” explains Nichola. “Then tap your fingertips across your face in small, circular movements for a minute.”
Step 3
Help tone and firm your jawline, using your knuckles. “Bend your middle and index fingers on both hands. Gently rest your chin between the two knuckles on each hand, then smooth them up along your jawline to your ear,” says Nichola. Repeat six times.
Step 4
To help relax the lines on your forehead, place your fingertips in the centre and pull them outwards towards your temples. Apply a little bit of pressure as you go. Repeat this six times.
Step 5
To boost firmness in the delicate neck area, use the heel of your palms to lightly massage oil in. “Use upward sweeping motions with gentle pressure,” says Nichola.
Step 6
“Lastly, use your palms to moisturise and massage your chest,” she says. “Work from the left shoulder to the right, gently touching your décolletage with your palms.” Do it in three motions on each side. Any remaining oil can be massaged into the back of each hand.
1 Trilogy Age-Proof CoQ10 Booster Oil, $48.90.
A combination of four specially selected anti-ageing plant oils are blended with antioxidant CoQ10 to protect skin from free- radical damage.
2 Lipidol Overnight Facial Oil, $10.
As well as its rejuvenating overnight effects, this blended oil includes ylang-ylang to help calm the mind.
3 Moreish Liquid Gold Pure Argan Oil, $30.
Argan oil is prized in Moroccan beauty rituals for its restoring properties. It’s also wonderful for hair and nails.
4 Antipodes Divine
Face Oil, $35.Collagen-boosting avocado and rosehip oils work to reduce wrinkles and diminish age spots and scars.
5 Bio-Oil, $20-$45.
With a combination of plant extracts and vitamins in a non-greasy oil, this will help tackle uneven skin tone and scarring.
6 L’Occitane Shea Face Comforting Oil, $65.
Just a few drops of this shea and marula oil blend will help to comfort very dry and sensitive skin types.
7 Linden Leaves Miraculous Facial Oil, $65.
Organic white tea, rosehip and evening primrose oils provide instant hydration, smoothness and brightness.
8 Olive Facial Booster Oil, $30.
Botanical oils such as apple seed, pomegranate, hazelnut and immortelle help to improve elasticity and moisture retention.
9 Natio Renew Line & Wrinkle Silky Miracle Face Oil, $30.
Silky shea is joined with plumping jojoba, replenishing argan and smoothing apricot kernel oils.
