This Face Massage Technique Changed My Face Shape

For anyone who has spent any time on TikTok, you know that facial massages are all the rage. And one thing's for sure, the before and after pictures are impressive. Facial massage requires no lasers, microdermabrasion machines, or high-tech tools, and still, the benefits can be astounding. If the massage is performed correctly, it can yield somehow plumper cheeks, a more sculpted jawline, and an effortless glow like never before.

While some facial massages are performed by world-class facialists, there are many techniques you can use at home. Ahead, Dr. Jeannette Graf and Koh Gen Do's senior managing director and lead facialist Megumi Setoguchi share the steps behind a macro beauty facial massage—along with its benefits.

Keep reading to find out how to perform a macro beauty massage on yourself.

What Is a Macro Beauty Massage?

"The macro beauty massage is a unique method that relaxes the stiffness of your head, neck, nerves, muscles, meridians, and lymph nodes, which will help support beautiful skin," says Setoguchi. It is designed to promote skin health from the inside out. "Many women tend to concentrate on troubled skin areas, but usually, the causes of troubled skin are not apparent on the face surface."

Benefits of a Macro Beauty Massage

• Promotes overall skin health
• Reduces stiffness and muscle tension
• Improves lymphatic circulation
• Adds a glow to the skin
• Decreases the appearance of puffiness
• Relaxes tense contracted facial muscles

Overall, Graf says this massage technique promotes lymphatic drainage and will result in "an immediate release of tension in the face, reduction in puffiness, firmer skin, and a radiant glow due to the nature of sculpting the facial muscles to drain the excess fluid that causes puffiness."

"This method of facial massaging targets the lymph nodes underneath the ears and on the neck and drains the toxins built up underneath the skin that cause dull skin. More circulation in those areas brings more oxygen to the skin that stimulates collagen production overall skin nutrients and health," she explains.

The star of the treatment was a specific facial massage technique where the esthetician used the palms of her hands to firmly sculpt and knead my facial muscles, like a deep-tissue body massage. By the time I emerged, my face literally looked like a different shape—more lifted and more contoured. "I feel like I just had really good sex," I told a woman in the lobby who'd just gotten out of the same facial, and she heartily agreed.

What to Expect During a Macro Beauty Massage

In short, you can expect to feel supremely relaxed (and, at times, maybe a little uncomfortable). There are two main goals of the massage: to relax muscle tension and to drain excess fluid in the face that causes puffiness. You'll want to use the surface of your palm instead of the points of your fingertips for this massage. The Koh Gen Do technique asks you to massage "deeply, slowly, and wide."

What You Need For an At-Home Facial Massage

The only product you'll need to execute this facial is a creamy moisturizer, like Koh Gen Do's Macro Vintage Royal Massage Milk ($263), which is packed with avocado protein, probiotics, amino acids, and gentle brightening acids, all of which are meant to work to make the skin look smoother, plumper, and brighter. It's super silky, fragrance-free, and has never made my combo skin break out.

If my skin's feeling drier than normal, I like to add a couple of drops of Koh Gen Do's Macro Vintage T3 Premium Oil ($188) to my massage milk. The non-greasy oil boasts ingredients like perilla seed oil, kukui nut oil, and cannabis sativa seed oil. These contain essential fatty acids and natural antioxidants, which restore the skin's moisture barrier and prevent dryness and fine lines.

How to Perform an At-Home Facial Massage

The first part of the technique is dedicated to reducing tension: Start by applying your moisturizer evenly all over the face, using the surface of your palm instead of the points of your fingertips. Now place a palm in between your eyebrows. With firm even pressure, massage in circular motions up toward your hairline. Next, take both palms to your temples and continue massaging with firm pressure in circular motions. You can adjust how long you do this according to your tension level, but 20 seconds or so usually does it for me.

Now's it time to try to de-puff by draining the excess fluid from your face. Using that same level of pressure, place your palms underneath the cheekbones and massage backward toward the hairline. End by using the palms to cup the cheekbones and firmly pull upward for five seconds. Repeat these same steps from the jawline toward the sides of the face, ending by sweeping down the neck underneath your ears to drain the lymph. Feel free to repeat these motions five or six times.

Last, place the sides of your index fingers onto the nasolabial fold (aka the crease that connects the sides of your nose to the sides of your mouth) and sweep in one fluid motion toward the side of your face, ending by slowly sweeping your fingers from the jawline down your neck to drain the lymph. Follow the diagrams above if you need a visual or this video tutorial.

Aftercare

By the time you're finished, you might notice a visible change in your face shape (I know I do! See above—lookin' pretty contoured, no?). Shop the products I personally use and Graf recommends using post-massage below.

Graf says to continue your usual skincare routine post-massage, as well. If you need to relieve dryness post-massage, Graf recommends using Saint Jane’s Vitamin C Glow Drops ($90) to deliver hydration and antioxidants to the skin. Consisting of citrus botanicals, vitamin C, and active ingredients, this serum aims to revive dry, dull skin, as well as fine lines. She advises applying this serum after cleansing and before moisturizing.