Before you look at yourself in the mirror and consider going full Kris Jenner, ask yourself this: do you need a facelift, or does your face just need draining instead?
Lymphatic drainage is a simple, ancient treatment that has been flying under the radar for decades, only recently emerging into the mainstream beauty world. With regular practice, fans say the unique form of facial massage can be a game-changer for midlife issues of sagging eyelids, dull skin, and fine lines, working by shifting various 'knots' and tension in the face. The best part is that it only takes facial oil and well-trained hands, rather than needles and knives – plus you can do it yourself at home once you know how.
For some years, I've noticed that whenever I get on a flight, have a big night out, or am stressed and lacking sleep, my face feels puffy afterwards. I didn't really understand why until I had a lymphatic drainage facial massage by a professional, and my whole face deflated and felt more defined. Even my jowls felt tighter, and I could see a sharper jawline.
I've tried to ease off using Botox recently and have really enjoyed seeing the effects of lymphatic drainage on my face. While you can't beat a treatment from an expert, I have felt benefits in releasing tension in my jaw and I love watching my eyes lift in the mirror just from a massage, rather than an injection.
How does lymphatic drainage work?
Our lymphatic system is our body's waste disposal system, carrying everything out that we don't need via a series of glands and channels. According to the NHS, it is important to help us fight infection, remove fluids and keep us healthy. And when it isn't working properly, we can get puffy and bloated with fluid retention.
Unlike the cardiovascular system, which can work on its own, the lymphatic system sometimes needs manipulation - and this is where drainage massage comes in. "The lymphatic system is so important when we are talking about how our skin looks," says Nicki Wright, facialist and founder of clinic Niksskin. "So many of our clients come into the clinic and say their skin feels rubbish. They look lacklustre because they haven’t got fresh, oxygenated blood travelling around their skin.
© popsugarsocial"When your lymph is sluggish, you may feel puffy and like you have jowls, or heaviness around the eyes, which can be caused by a heavy weekend, or eating food that contains a lot of salt."
Beauty history
In traditional Chinese medicine, they say the lymph is supposed to flow like a river. "If you can imagine beautiful, clear water, fish swimming freely, that's how our lymph is supposed to flow," says Nicki, who launched her own Niksskin Glow Academy course for members with a series of videos to show you how.
"Our face has 42 muscles, and just like when we get knots in our shoulders that need massaging out, when we get knots in our face it can affect the way that we look. When you have knots and inflammation in these muscles it will impede the lymphatic flow. So, this lymph which sits superficially right underneath the skin will sit there, almost stagnant like pondwater and can lead to congestion and the greyish appearance. By releasing the tension in our muscles it will help to drain the lymph. By encouraging and awakening the lymph nodes, we can wake up the skin."
© popsugarsocialHow to reap the benefits of lymphatic drainage
While the facial massage can help, you need to treat your body right, too. Try steering clear of salty food and lower alcohol intake, and keep moving to help stop blockages from the lymphatic flow.
At-home tools can help, too, but Nicki cautions that our own hands are best. "There are so many tools on the market, such as gua sha stones and jade rollers, but the best tool you can use is your fingers and facial oil to help slide hands over the skin and prevent drag.
"The trick is to have a very light, feathery touch - you don't want to massage too hard as that skips the lymph and goes straight to the muscle."
The transformative effects, she says, can not only be in the way we look but the way we feel. "If you are holding tension in the jaw there can be a release. It can also help if suffering from headaches around the eyes and scalp."
© popsugarsocialA beginner's guide to lymphatic drainage
- Start off by deep breathing to calm the central nervous system.
- Then begin the gentle massage under your arms. If you can feel puffy pads of skin that can be a sign of a stagnant lymph. Do this 10 times on each side with the palm of your hand.
- Use scissor fingers (ie. Separating your index and middle finger from your ring and little finger) to glide up the jaw and cheekbone area applying gentle pressure - always ending by the ears and then draining down to the collarbone.
- Duck face move - as I like to call it - is where you press your lips together and pinch out. "This plumps the lips so there is no need for filler," claims Nicki.
- Eye lift – this is my favourite move. Use one hand to lift the brow and the other to gently circle under the eyebrow and when you move your hands away, the eyes appear more open and the hooded lids lifted. This is a great move to do before a night out. It also has the added benefit of releasing tension.
- Pressure points - give some love and attention to the pressure points around the side of the eyes to release some of the tension that is building up in your muscles.
As always, consistency is key, so try to fit in five to seven minutes a day while you are sitting on the couch watching TV, or on the train on the way home (although prepare for some funny looks!)
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