Chapter 15: Facial Massage

1. The benefits of massage include:

• Relaxes the client and the facial muscles
• Stimulates blood and lymph circulation
• Improves overall metabolism and activates sluggish skin
• Helps muscle tone
• Helps cleanse the skin of impurities and softens sebum
• Helps slough off dead skin cells
• Reduces puffiness and sinus congestion
• Helps product absorption
• Relieves muscle tension and pain
• Provides a sense of physiological and psychological well-being

2. The different styles of classical massage movements are:

Effleurage: a soft, continuous stroking movement applied with the fingers and palms in a slow and rhythmic manner.

Petrissage: a kneading movement that stimulates the underlying tissues.

Friction: a rubbing movement; pressure is maintained on the skin to create friction.  Chucking, rolling, and wringing are variations of friction.

Tapotement: fast tapping, slapping, and hacking movements.

Vibration: a rapid shaking movement in which the technician uses the body and shoulders, not just the fingertips, to create the movement.

3. The Dr. Jacquet movement is mostly used for oily skin.  It helps move sebum out of the follicles and up to the skin's surface by kneading.

4. The facial massage steps are:

1. Set up the room
2. Prepare the table, equipment, and workstation
3. Help the client prepare for the service
4. Apply the massage product with relaxing strokes
5. Move up the forehead
6. Begin upward strokes in the middle of the forehead and at the brow line
7. Begin a circular movement in the middle of the forehead along the brow line
8. Start a crisscross stroking movement at the middle of the forehead, starting at the brow line

5. Some contraindications for massage include:

• contagious diseases
• inflamed acne
• sunburn
• sensitive skin
• certain health problems such as high blood pressure or cancer

7. On the muscles, you massage in the direction from muscle insertion to origin.