Thanks to your extensive knowledge and experience with various skin types, your esthetic clients know they can rely on you to bring out the best in their skin. You’re already fully equipped to help them achieve their goals using great products; you can kick things up a notch by bringing in tools to help you deliver amazing results while providing an extraordinary experience. Let’s look at some trending facial massage tools that will help you give your guests the glow they’re looking for.

Benefits of Facial Massage

Massage is a great way to relax and soothe tense muscles—and facial massage is no different. On top of relaxation, there’s a long list of additional benefits that can help guests achieve their skin goals.

If you’re a fan of facial massages, you’ve likely noticed the muscle relaxation, smoothing and sculpting benefits. Clients will see this in their complexion, too. Studies have found that most spa-goers who received a facial massage reported that skin looked and felt fresh, rejuvenated and supple afterward.¹

Additionally, some within the study saw the tightening of their skin and a delay in the onset of wrinkles.¹ Some forms of facial massage have also been shown to improve blood flow, which helps bring nutrients to the skin to promote a healthy-looking glow.²

Level Up With Advanced Tools

Many of these benefits can be achieved through a manual massage, but there are specialized tools that will take your facial massages to the next level. There are many options available, and each tool has unique benefits. If you’re ready to explore ways to enhance your facial treatments, here’s a list of tools you’ll want to know about.

Facial Rollers & Spherical Massagers

These buzzy tools have become a staple in recent years. Whether made from jade-like stone, steel or another material, rollers are well loved because the massage they provide is thought to support lymphatic drainage and de-puff tired-looking skin.³ A pre-chilled roller can also soothe and refresh the skin while evenly dispersing products.

Gua Sha

Like facial rollers, gua sha stones are another tool that supports lymphatic drainage.⁴ With roots that trace back to ancient China, these tools were traditionally used to “vigorously scrape” the skin and bring out redness, which was believed to have a restorative effect.⁵ Today, most spa practitioners use gentle strokes to create a lifting and invigorating effect.

Facial Cupping

Another technique with origins in ancient China, facial cupping moves soft, pliable cups to create a vacuum-like effect across of the skin’s surface. Cupping is a great addition to a facial massage because it manipulates the skin to relieve muscle tension, while increasing blood flow and visibly improving collagen density.⁶ Unlike cupping done on the body, this technique doesn’t typically leave bruising.

Hot & Cold Tools

While not generally used to perform massage, tools that add heat or cold can be used in conjunction with massage techniques. Heat is frequently used in facials to dilate veins, increase pore malleability, encourage blood flow and ease muscle tension. Conversely, cold is useful for constricting veins, soothing inflammation, enlivening skin and visibly tightening up pores.⁷

You likely already have a facial steamer to warm the skin, but you can also try an herbal poultice, which is a traditional Thai method that massages the skin using a steamed muslin cloth stuffed with herbs. You can warm gua sha stones and facial rollers before use (but not too hot).

Gua sha tools and facial rollers can also deliver a chill factor when stored in a fridge before treatment. Facial globes are another classic way to cool the skin throughout a facial massage.

Brushes

Facial brushes offer exfoliating benefits and a deep cleanse (especially great for those who wear makeup regularly).⁸ Another major perk is that brushes come in many forms. You can find options with natural or synthetic fibers, or antibacterial silicone bristles. Some brushes are even electronic, offering a more vigorous exfoliation than can be achieved manually.

Related: Offerings and Tools that Promote Well-Being

The Right Tool for You

It’s clear that spa professionals are spoiled for choices regarding massage tools. Having multiple tools on hand is ideal, as each client is unique and will benefit from a customized treatment.

But, you should consider your guests’ needs and interests, along with your spa’s specialty. For example, medspas will benefit from having the newest tech, while Ayurvedic spas will find that gua sha stones work best for them.

Ultimately, your goal is to help your clients experience blissful relaxation while achieving their skin goals. Choose the tool(s) that will help you achieve that.

While generally safe, some guests may not benefit from adding a facial massage to their ritual. All forms of facial massage tend to leave temporary redness on the skin, so bear this in mind before working on particularly reactive skin types.

Specific tools can also pose issues for those with certain skin or health concerns. For example, gua sha is not recommended for those prone to bruising and tenderness, or those on blood clot medication.⁴ Avoid facial cupping on broken, inflamed skin or those with active breakouts, rashes or sores.⁶ Similarly, brushing is not ideal for clients with acne or a compromised microbiome.⁸

When in doubt, opt for gentler massage tools or a manual massage.

Benefits for Your Spa

Facial massage, especially with these targeted tools, allows you to offer premium facials or add-ons to increase profit per service. This will increase your revenue over time.

Furthermore, these tools have the potential to deliver more dramatic results in fewer treatments, helping your guests feel happy with the way they look by the end of their visit. This ultimately results in higher rates of return business.

Another bonus for your spa is that you can sell retail-friendly tools to clients to help them recreate the in-spa results between treatments. Gua sha stones, jade rollers and facial brushes are all options that clients can bring into their routines regularly.

Your team will love these tools, too. Not only do they produce incredible results, but they can also reduce the wear and tear on an esthetician’s body. Repeating the same treatments can take a toll over time, especially when they require hands-on contact. Tools that make the massage process easier help prevent aches and pains resulting from the work you do.

If you aren’t already incorporating facial massage tools into your treatments, it’s well worth considering. Between the results they bring for your clients’ skin and the benefits they have for your estheticians and spa’s bottom line, adding them to your repertoire is a great way to promote client longevity while securing your spa’s success.

References:

1. PubMed: "The benefits of facial beauty treatments." PubMed, National Institutes of Health, 2002, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12121555/#:~:text=The%20benefits%20of%20facial%20beauty,wrinkles%20in%2021%20(14.8%25).
2. Medical News Today: "Does Anti-Aging Face Massage Work?" Medical News Today, [insert publication date if available], https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/anti-aging-face-massage#does-it-work.
3. WebMD: "What Is Face Rolling?" WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/beauty/what-is-face-rolling.
4. Northwest Pharmacy: "What Is Gua Sha?" Northwest Pharmacy, https://www.northwestpharmacy.com/healthperch/what-is-gua-sha.
5. WebMD: "What Is Gua Sha?" WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-gua-sha.
6. Healthline: "Facial Cupping: Benefits, Side Effects, How It Works, and More." Healthline, [insert publication date if available], https://www.healthline.com/health/facial-cupping#potential-bruising.
7. The A Home Beauty: "Hot and Cold: The Power of Temperature." The A Home Beauty, [insert publication date if available], https://blog.theahomebeauty.com/hot-and-cold-the-power-of-temperature#:~:text=The%20heated%20function%20helps%20muscles,that%20often%20builds%20up%20overnight.
8. Dr. Rashmi Shetty: "Pros and Cons of Cleansing Brush for Your Face." Dr. Rashmi Shetty, https://drrashmishetty.com/pros-and-cons-of-cleansing-brush-for-your-face/#:~:text=Using%20cleansing%20brushes%20regularly%20or,and%20thrice%20for%20oily%20skin.

Amber McBain, vice president of marketing & communications at Éminence Organic Skin Care, is a sharp innovator with more than 15 years of marketing and communications experience. Continuously striving for improvement when it comes to customer experience modeling and brand management, McBain has spearheaded the company’s marketing strategy for the most successful product launches in Éminence’s history.