Have you ever gone for a facial and found it to be absolutely incredible and on another occasion thought it was alright, but nothing special? A good spa menu offers so many different facials to choose from that it would be a shame to just have a product rubbed on your skin, or settle for a basic facial massage. There are so many modalities of massage, Thai, Swedish, Reiki, Lymphatic Drainage, Reflexology, Pressure Point, Shiatsu, . . . to name a few. While the fundamental massage is fine, incorporating different massage techniques is far more specific and targets skin care problems more efficiently. This is as important as choosing the correct products for your skin type. Keeping all of this in mind, the beneficial effects of the products will be drastically increased, not to mention your overall well-being. For example, what if your skin is dull, stressed, has uneven color and circulation, congestion under the surface (asphyxiated), and if there is a history of medication, poor eating habits, lack of water intake, elimination irregularity, sun damage and/or smoking damage? The massage you should choose incorporates some classical Swedish massage techniques for de-stressing and improving circulation, but must also include some lymphatic drainage techniques to detoxify the skin and pressure point techniques to promote elimination and improve nourishment to the cells.
If, however, the focus is primarily anti-age the goal is to improve cell nourishment and regeneration, as well as the tone, color, hydration, and vitality of the skin. The facial massage choice should incorporate classical massage manipulations that relax, improve circulation and de-stress, but also one that focuses on massage techniques that stimulate cellular activity of the skin and the muscles of the face and neck, perhaps combined with Shiatsu and/or pressure point techniques to trigger regeneration.
How do you choose the right facial? The best advice we can offer is to have an open discussion with your skin care professional about your needs and expected results. Ask about incorporating different facial massage techniques during your appointment and how it may improve your treatment. Take a trip away from the 'same old, same old' and imagine the results when a customized facial massage is combined with a superb product. Incredible!
*Do you need help figuring out what type of facial you should choose? Write to us and we would be happy to make some personalized suggestions.
