A facelift is a cosmetic surgical operation that can help us look younger and more refreshed by removing unwanted wrinkles and lifting the face’s skin, muscles, and soft tissues. However, not everyone is ready for a facelift surgery. Some people prefer non-surgical or other rejuvenation procedures. If this is you, an anti-aging facial massage might be an excellent fit for you. Read further for the best anti-aging facial massage to do instead of facelift.
According to Ayurvedic wisdom, a daily self-oil massage has many incredible anti-aging benefits. By nourishing your skin, muscles, joints, and tendons with nutritious oils, you root out any tiredness and exhaustion while enhancing your physical strength.
In addition, applying nourishing oils on your face, head, and scalp improves your sleep, vision, and skin complexion, plus it increases your longevity. Can it get any better than this? Does a daily self-oil massage mean a longer life?
According to a study investigating the effects of Ayurvedic Abhyanga Massage and stress, Abhyanga massage is promising in reducing subjective stress experience. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2011)
Benefits | the best anti-aging facial massage to do instead of facelift
Slows Down Aging
The aging process results from the increase of the Vata dosha in the body. Something which happens naturally over time which we cannot avoid. But we can nevertheless slow it down by balancing the Vata dosha with a regular daily facial oil massage. A daily facial oil massage slows down any sign of aging on the skin and promotes healthy tissues.
Counteracts Fatigue
An oil massage relaxes the facial muscles by relieving the excess Vata dosha accumulated in the facial muscles. Stiffness in the neck and facial area is nothing but a sign of exhaustion which can be reduced with a self-oil massage.
Increases Lifespan
When our prana (life force energy) is high, we feel healthy, and when our prana is low, we feel anything but healthy. A facial massage balances the prana and nourishes the facial tissues and sense organs. In addition, it calms the mind, and a calm, stress-free mind means a longer life.
Boosts Sleep
A daily facial massage improves the quality of your sleep. Applying warm calming oil such as sesame oil on your face calms the mind and the sense organs, resulting in a good night’s sleep.
Nourishes the Skin
Your skin is a reflection of your Self. When you are happy, your skin glows, and when you are sad or anxious, your skin is dry and dull, which is the fastest way to age prematurely. Ayurvedic oils such as sesame oil nourish and strengthen the skin.
Prevents Disease
The application of oil nourishes your facial tissues. And a revitalized tissue is stronger and more capable of facing aging without catching more unwanted bacteria.
Amplifies beauty
A daily facial oil massage improves your skin color and complexion and makes the texture of your skin softer and smoother, amplifying your beauty, glow, and radiance.
Recommended Oils
Our face is one of the most sensitive and delicate areas of our body. For best results, Ayurveda recommends using face oils. According to Ayurveda the best oils to use for an anti-aging facial massage instead of facelift are Sesame, Coconut, Almond, and Castor oil.
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil has antiaging, antimicrobial, and antioxidant qualities. The best quality of sesame oil is one that is pure, cold-pressed from black-seeds oil. White and gray oils are of less good quality.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil nourishes, cools, and lubricates the skin, and minifies rashes. For better effect, you can mix coconut with sesame oil.
Almond oil
Almond oil is an excellent antiaging, strengthing oil that revitalizes the senses and the nervous system. Almond oil is a bit more expensive, but you can always mix it up with sesame oil.
Castor oil
Castor oil improves the glow in the skin and is rejuvenating and antiaging. It is a bit thick. For easier usage, you can mix it up with sesame oil.
Heating the Oil
To heat the oil, you can use an electric massage oil warmer or a small electric crockpot. Or just the old-fashioned way like I do. Fill an empty bottle; it can be plastic or glass, with your preferred oil, and place it in a bowl or sink with hot water, let it sit there for a little bit, and in just a couple of minutes, the oil will be warm. Always check the temperature of the oil first before using it. You can do this by squeezing a little bit in your hands first and see if it’s the right temperature.
Step-By-Step Guidance | the best anti-aging facial massage to do instead of facelift
According to the Ayurvedic tradition, an oil massage is an act of self-care and self-love. Ayurveda suggests closing your eyes, taking long, deep breaths in and out, and being aware of each incoming and outgoing breath as you massage your whole face.
Neck
Using both palms, gently massage the neck from the base of your neck to your chin in an upward direction.
The area between the chin and lower lip
- With your palm facing towards you, place your right index finger on this area between the chin and the lower lip.
- Place your middle finger under the chin so that the two fingers are like cutting your chin with scissors.
- Using your index and middle finger, massage your chin and jawline, moving from the center to the right ear.
- Do the same with the left index and middle finger on the left side of the face.
- Alternately massaging the right and left sides of the face.
Laugh lines and cheeks
Using your index fingers, massage the laugh line in an upward direction, starting at the chin and going up to the base of the nose. Using your palm, continue to massage upward from the bottom of the nose across the cheeks out to the temples.
Eyes
Using the ring finger, place your fingertips at the start of your eyebrows where they meet the nose. Then massage outward along the eyebrow, down and inward along the lower lid area, and back up towards the nose, as if you were finger-painting circles around the eyes.
The Third Eye
The third eye, also known as the Ajna or sixth chakra, is located a little bit above the eyebrow where Indian women wear the red dot known as bindi. With your middle finger, massage each side of the nose upward to this point.
Forehead
To reduce lines on the forehead, place your middle and ring fingers together across the nose bridge and massage upward to the hairline. Repeat this six to ten times, alternating your right and left fingers.
Then place the right fingertips on the left temple and stroke across the forehead with your palm. Place left fingertips on the right temple, and with the fingers and palm, stroke across the forehead to the left temple. Repeat this six to ten times, alternating on both sides.
Extra Facelift Boost
Massage the following areas in a clockwise direction for twenty to thirty seconds for an extra Facelift boost using the middle finger unless directed otherwise:
- Center of the chin
- Both corners of the mouth.
- Center of bone between the nose and the upper lip.
- Outside corners of the nose where nostrils flare
- Center of cheekbones. Push up on the underside of bone and massage.
- Lower lids just above cheekbone. Press gently with ring finger. Do not massage.
- Brows. Use the bottom of your thumbs. Press upward on the inside corner of your eyebrows at the bridge of your nose. Then, pinch each brow across the whole arch from inside to the outside corner with your thumb and forefinger. Repeat a few times. This area holds a lot of tension, and if you do this correctly, it may cause mild soreness. It is a perfect massage for headaches.
- Temples. Use flat fingers to massage gently.
- Third eye.
- Crown. Place both hands on top of the head and move them rapidly back and forth and feel the sensations in the scalp.