Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Why Facial Massage Is the Skin-Care Habit I’m Committing to in 2021

Why Facial Massage Is the Skin-Care Habit I’m Committing to in 2021

Since the pandemic began, my Instagram feed has been filled with face workouts and face tools. Every other scroll, I see someone gua sha–ing their face for a lymphatic massage, or another blowing their cheeks Dizzy Gillespie–style to work their muscles.

Then there are all the tools that are marketed towards me: a tiny gilded piece that looks like a paint roller with spikes, a micro-current tool that resembles a sex toy and sends shocks through the skin to tone muscles, and a thin metal stick with a ball at the end to stimulate different muscles as an exercise of facial reflexology and detox. The before-and-afters are particularly mesmerizing: nasolabial folds are lifted, undereye bags are gone, and jowls are smoothed. Call it the era of the au naturel nip-tuck.

I’ve no doubt been influenced: Every morning, I start with a general lymphatic massage from the collarbone up with a face oil (during which I can literally feel the fluid draining from my face). Next, I use a mix of lessons from the Glowbe app and various Instagram instructors to do an at-home 30-minute face workout, which includes me making bizarre facial movements and using my hands to aid the stimulation of muscles. (Gravity is crucial here: Never down, only up.) Then, I use a fist-size jade gua sha tool to drain any excess fluid, followed by a beauty roller that I use to further knead my face and chest. Finally, as the icing on the cake, I use a micro-current tool that sends satisfying, pinch-like shocks into my face. The end result reveals me to be a de-puffed, sharp-cheeked goddess, particularly ideal when Zoom seems to catch every unflattering angle.

I’m not the only one who has caught onto the trend. My coworkers are constantly texting about different variations of gua shas and face-zapping tools. It’s like collecting Pokémon cards: There is a new update on a tool every week, and we have to catch them all. My facial-workout obsession reached new heights during lockdown, when the lack of a commute meant I finally had the time to take 30 minutes out of my morning to do a meaningful amount of above-neck reps after my full-body fitness routine. This type of dedication is common among fans of FaceGym, a studio that offers face-sculpting sessions featuring special massage techniques. The company reports that its online sales (including both online classes and products) are up 700% year to date.

For those not quite ready to commit to a gym, there is a slew of Instagram accounts dedicated to facial massage and workout how-tos. Anastasia Burdog, 40, of @anyclass.faceonline boasts more than two million followers, and uses a tightening-and-release technique often referred to as “face gymnastics.” She offers her classes in Russian, but you don’t have to understand the language to get the gist of the instruction. (Plus, the before-and-after images will convert anyone into giving their visage the Liberace treatment.) Then there’s 30-year-old Karina Trigubchak of Ukraine, whose skin is as smooth as a baby’s palm. While she has only been publicly active on her account for about a year, she has been practicing facial exercise for more than five years. “The essence of my course is very different from massage or face fitness. Face fitness pumps the muscles of the face, which is essentially not correct,” she writes in Russian. “All problems, such as expression wrinkles, creases on the face, are due to spasmodic and shortened muscles. Therefore, my technique is aimed at relaxing the muscles of the face.” Call me a sucker, but whenever I have a moment, I find myself pinching my eyebrows à la Trigubchak in the hopes of widening my eyes.

The results of all this exercise are evident to me, but does the science back it up? I’ve heard skepticism around my very long morning facial routine, mostly from my mother and friends who are constantly questioning whether the results are permanent. But cosmetic and medical dermatologist Hadley King notes that there is evidence in several studies that these facial workouts, well, work out in the long-term. She does note, however, that those studies involved informed technique: “The subjects were following a specific and rigorous massage methodology and it wasn’t some just haphazard rubbing.” To that end, King suggests that better data is needed to support the magic of facial workouts. “We don’t understand all the mechanisms,” she says. “[But] there is some limited data that shows that there might be real results from these things.” While I wait for the additional assurance that my routine is backed by robust data, I’ll still be kneading my face every morning-that killer concave silver in my cheek doesn’t lie.

    

NuFace Trinity Facial Toning Kit

    

FaceGym Pure Lift Face

    

Herbivore Jade De-Puffing Face Roller

    

Stainless Steel Manual Acupuncture Pen-Deep Tissue Massage Tool

    

Goldie Face Roller

    

Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×