Yu Ling jade facial roller
I first wrote about facial massage in September 2016 – it was becoming more and more popular as an at-home solution for smoothing away wrinkles and plumping up skin – and I am seeing more tools on the market now to help with massage, because fingers are just not enough 🙂 . If you google ‘face massage tools’ you’ll see anything from scary plastic claws on a stick to what look like razors with oscillating balls where the head should be – something for everyone.
The popularity of facial massage as a natural anti-ageing solution is not waning. It helps to smooth away wrinkles, push products into skin, bring more blood and therefore oxygen to the surface, break down any tension, drain away toxins, and relaxes you way into your night-time routine.
Su-Man (renowned facialist) swears by it, Charlotte Tilbury has her own patented Tilbury Tap which she uses as her pre-show pick-me-up on her models before applying makeup (starts at 1:14), Sarah Chapman has a facialift roller, Lisa Eldridge has a nightly facial massage routine, and so on. You will easily find a technique to suit you, which you can use with any face massage tool, in my opinion.
I’ve been doing it for years as part of my night-time routine, and became hooked on the philosophy nearly 20 years ago when I started using Decléor and had Darphin facials, both focusing on lymphatic drainage. The massage action drains away any congestion, soothes tension and plumps up skin. This is one of the reasons I absolutely love oil as it lends itself well to being massaged into skin without pulling it, which creams tend to do because they get absorbed so quickly.
For years I have been using my fingers, and treated myself to a Yu Ling jade roller last year which I use a couple of times a week. Jade is reported as having healing properties, with regular use leading to firmer and clearer skin by stimulating detoxification, increasing microcirculation, and toning up facial muscles. A little tip – cool it in the fridge for those days when you’re having a hot flush or during the height of summer when you need to cool down. I could do with one of these for my whole body!
Facial massage is a natural way to ease skin’s ageing process, whether it is done with fingers or with a facial roller. I love this jade one, with the large roller ideal for use along cheeks and jaw, and the little one for around the eye socket. You can follow any face massage technique with this tool – around the eyes, down the sides of the nose, along the jaw line, up the neck and around the décolleté. I don’t suffer from puffy eyes but it has helped to firm skin along the jawline so I look less jowly. I use it after I’ve layered some of Face Oil by Sofia Latif over serum on to cleansed skin, anything from a minute to five minutes a couple of times a week. It’s definitely cheaper than buying anti-ageing night creams, which I don’t like because they clog my pores!
I got mine from here, and it now costs a more reasonable £22. (I bought mine for £43). There are smaller and cheaper ones too, and even one made of rose quartz which I have my eye on next. Just make sure it is authentic jade and not some other material.
Yu Ling jade facial roller