Easy to Use Face Massage Tools
What is one of the first things that comes to your mind when you think of facial massage? Probably gua sha, right? As a trained professional, I LOVE using gua sha stones in my treatment room to transform faces and improve everyone’s skin. However, gua sha stones can have a bit of a learning curve for at-home, personal use, especially if you’re looking for the same results that you would get from a trained gua sha therapist. I find that sometimes my peers or clients will purchase a stone with the intent to use it often and then get a little frustrated with the learning curve and end up putting the gua sha in a drawer and not revisiting it.
I’m here to share with you my other favorite facial massage tools that have less of a learning curve than gua sha. These different facial tools that are so easy to use they can be added to your skincare routine ASAP! They are massage tools that provide visible results, aid in relaxation, and are easy to get the hang of! That pretty much guarantees you’ll want to use them often.
scrub me secret: determined to become a gua sha pro so you can incorporate it into your daily or weekly skincare routine? Check out my blog posts like “Important gua sha tips for beginners”, “Gua sha facial massage-lymph drainage movements.”, and “Gua sha facial contour massage.” You can also use the search bar located at the top of each blog article to search scrub-me-secrets for more gua sha posts.
Read below to see which facial massage tool speaks to your current skincare needs!
Anma - facial massage tool
The results: Facial contouring, a more radiant glow, awakens and smooths the eye area, and lifts areas that are sagging or wrinkled.
Some results are immediate and others come with time and consistent use.
How to use the Anma: Apply nourishing serum or your favorite facial oil to clean skin. Then glide the claw part of the Anma tool along your jawline in gentle back-and-forth motions (about 10 times). The tool should fit right along your jawbone. Then, move upward on your face working in sections, doing the same gentle back-and-forth motions in each section.
Use the prong end of the tool to glide underneath your eye in outward motions only when you get there and use lighter pressure. About 6 times.
Finish up on your forehead with some gliding. I like to do one final lifting motion where I take the handle part of the Anma and use it to scoop and lift upwards from my collarbone to my forehead.
You’re done! You can do this daily or a few times each week. Play around with what feels good to you, just always make sure you are lifting upwards and outwards when you massage.
The Lymphatic Brush
The results: Less overall puffiness, a brighter and more radiant complexion, and stress release. Some even notice a more contoured face and lifted neck and face from consistent use. These results come from lymphatic drainage and flow.
How to use the Lymphatic Brush:
It’s all about the connection of the brush to your skin. This brush is specially designed to create lymphatic flow and movement easily. You’ll use a light touch with this brush and slow movements.
Place the brush on your skin (making sure all the bristles are touching tissue) starting at your decolletage. Sweep outward from your sternum to your shoulder, and do a few strokes on each side. From there, we want to do some downward strokes under each ear. This opens up lymphatic pathways. When you get to your face sweep the brush from the inner parts of your face, outward. For example, when you are working on the jawline you will sweep from the chin out to under your ear.
Cecily Braden’s site also has easy-to-follow tutorials for lymphatic brushing.
NuFace - microcurrent tool
The results: Addresses fine lines, deep wrinkles, and sagging skin using a microcurrent that stimulates facial tissues. Fine lines are usually the first to fade away or diminish, followed by deeper wrinkles. This happens after a few weeks of consistent use. While it cannot completely reverse aging, your skin does look visibly more youthful with consistent use of this device.
How to use the NuFace: This device comes with a charger and a water-based gel to apply to your skin before use. Charge your device and apply a layer of NuFace gel (or aloe vera gel) to your clean skin. Turn on your device and glide it along any fine lines, wrinkles, or sagging skin you want to address using upward motions. You can do this daily or a few times a week.
scrub me secrets: don’t stop using your facial tools after you’ve gotten the desired results. Part of preventing signs of aging and keeping our skin healthy is consistent care. My clients who are happiest with their skin are the ones that have a nice consistent routine.
Cool roller - specifically The Skinny Confidential roller
The results: Less redness overall, immediate de-puffing, slightly smoother and firming feeling skin. The initial coldness of the roller also gives you what feels like a big dose of endorphins. Great for when you’re feeling tired.
How to use the cool roller: Keep your cool roller in the freezer so it’s nice and cold. You can use this roller before you wash your face, on clean skin, or after your full skincare routine, whatever you like.
When you take the roller out of the freezer it’s going to be COLD, you can start using it right away or you can let it sit out for a couple of minutes to defrost before using it. Take the roller and roll in outward motions on puffy areas, like under the eyes or under the chin. Or you can roll it over areas with redness. It’s that easy! You can use this daily or even multiple times a day.
The results: Tension release in areas with tight muscles like the jaw area, temples, along your brow, behind your ears or wherever feels tight. This tension release will results in the reduction of any discomfort and helps alleviate headaches.
How to use the mushroom stones: Grab your mushroom and run it under warm water for a minute to let it soak up some heat. Find a tense or tight area in your jaw, neck, face, or shoulder area. Hold the mushroom stone by the small handle and place the larger part on the tense area; do this lightly at first to make sure the stone isn’t too warm for you. Once the stone is at the right temperature press and hold it on the tension. You can make small circles for more release if you’d like. This can be done daily.
scrub me secret: releasing tension in areas of the face like our jaw and brow can actually help give our face a natural lift. When the muscles are tense, tight, and stuck it pulls your facial tissues a bit downward. When the tension is gone things sag less.
Textured roller - facial massage tool
The results: Smoothing and diminishing of fine lines and wrinkles. Gives skin an overall healthy glow from all the oxygen flow and circulation. Results are both immediate and build with time and consistency.
How to use the textured roller: To treat fine lines and wrinkles, take the roller and roll it back and forth along the line/wrinkle with firm pressure. Then, lift up the roller off your skin and change directions so you’re rolling perpendicular to the line with the same firm pressure. Do this for about a minute on each wrinkle. Less time and pressure if your skin is sensitive. You can do this daily or a few times a week.
For overall skin radiance, take about 2 minutes each day to roll the tool upward and outward along your neck and face.
Watch my facial roller tutorial video for more in-depth tips.
scrub me secret: facial stones, rollers, and the cool roller should be sanitized after each use. I find that a scrub me soap bar works great! Or you can wipe it off with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
Having items like this to use at home is a great way to upgrade your skincare routine and keep your skin looking and feeling its best in between visits to your esthetician. ✨