The one thing any killer skincare routine needs

We try to be good to our skin. We cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate and nourish every morning and night.

Anyone who has switched to the griffin+row five-step routine receives full points in our eyes. They’re using products which provide effective results (thick clearer, plumper, more luminous skin) which are also derived from natural ingredients and are free from all those unnecessary chemicals and toxins that flood the market today.

For those who have made the switch, or are looking for a simple way to up their skincare game without adding dollars to the shopping cart or hours slaving away, we have one simple trick that will boost the efficiency and effectiveness of their skincare.

It’s called facial massage.

We think you might have heard of it, but have never been keen enough to try it at home. Until now, that is.

Our face has over 40 muscles which are working hard throughout the day to produce expressions. Whether we’re laughing, frowning, concentrating or eating, these muscles are getting a major workout and, like every other muscle in our body, can benefit from the easement of massage. In fact, just two minutes of massage a day can help to prevent wrinkles. Are you reading ‘two minutes’ and thinking that sounds unachievable? If your skincare regime takes five minutes or more, the chances are you could easily be including a simple facial massage into your current routine without knowing the difference.

It’s not just something that feels nice at your local spa. Massage is an ancient form of touch that focuses on increasing blood flow to muscles, thus flushing away toxins and releasing tension. Yes, it feels lovely and promotes relaxation, but it is also incredibly healing and good for your body.

In fact, massage is said to stimulate the Galvanic Skin Response which results in an increase of cell production. This means is can be useful in the treatment of fine lines, skin texture and radiance.

Massage also helps with lymphatic drainage, the process of toxin removal through our lymph system. The manual stimulation through the movement of our hands and fingers can encourage the draining of excess fluid which houses unwanted toxins, particularly around the eyes.

On top of all of this, the process of massage using our skin care products can improve our skin’s ability to maximize the benefits of them. When performed in combination with a cleanser, we can break down and clean off makeup more effectively and the gentle warmth of our fingers can increase the absorbency of our treatments and moisturising products.

We’ve got three easy facial massage techniques to include in your everyday skincare routine. Practice them as you apply your cleanser and moisturiser – it will barely make a difference to the time it takes you to get ready for bed.

1. Smooth the forehead.

Begin by placing your thumbs on your temples to sturdy them. Then, using your first three fingers held tightly together, make small circular movements starting at the brow bone and moving up and out. Repeat for up to 60 seconds to help soften lines and smooth the forehead. This technique is also great for releasing tension.

2. Soothe the eyes.

Place your index and middle fingers to the temples and gently massage in circles for a moment. Then softly glide your fingertips beneath the eye area all the way to the bridge of your nose. Then, with a slightly firmer pressure, continue the oval pattern along the top of the brow and back to the temple. Repeat 5 times. Then, once your fingertips have returned to the temple again, glide them gently down the side of your face until you reach your neck. This is particularly effective for those who suffer from puffiness under the eyes and struggle to remove excess fluid.

3. Tone the jawline.

Begin with your thumb beneath the point of your chin and your index finger on the base of it. Then, moving along the jaw line, make soft and gentle pinching movements until you reach the ear. At this point, reverse your direction and continue the technique moving back to the chin. Repeat this circuit five times as it helps to unclog the lymph nodes in this area and minimise sagging around the chin and jaw area.

4. Overall glow.

Using both palms and fingers, stroke slowly but firmly up the sides of your face, from the chin to the forehead. Glide your hands softly back down to the starting position and repeat 5 times. This is a super simple way to increase your blood flow and add glow from the inside out.

Bonus: Never forget the neck.

Whatever we do for the face, we must also do for the neck. We love to follow this golden rule with our daily massage as well. Simply place both hands over your chest/décolletage. Begin with your left hand, gently gliding it up the neck to the jawline before switching to the right hand and mirroring this action. Repeat five times.

Some final tips: • Always have warm hands to massage as this encourages the muscles to relax.
• Make sure your hands and nails are well manicured, without tags or jagged edges.
• A general rule of massage is to never lose contact. Maintain an even, fluid movement the whole way through.
• Don’t massage without product – your fingers will drag and pull the skin which will do more harm than good and isn’t remotely relaxing!

These simple massage techniques are perfect to implement during your everyday skin regime. It’s a way to add a little extra ‘something’ to all of your skincare and your daily self-love practice.

Embrace the time you take out for yourself and take your griffin+row regime to the next level with a daily facial massage.