The Weird Af Facial That J.Lo & Meghan Markle Are Obsessed With
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If we told you that having someone put their hands inside your mouth and massage your face from the inside out would feel good and make you look better, you probably wouldn’t believe us. But the fact that the beautiful faces of Meghan Markle, J. Lo, and Kate Moss are fans of this weird facial called buccal massage, goes to show its value in sculpting the face and improving your skin. We spoke to the glowing founder of Noy Skincare, Danna Omari, to find out exactly what buccal massage is, how she does the technique, why it’s so great, and how you can do it yourself – you know we love a DIY!
What is Buccal Massage and How is it Different to Other Facial Massage Techniques?
Having someone put their hands inside your mouth might not sound nice, but it’s actually a super relaxing process. The name buccal refers to the area that’s being massaged, which is your inner cheek. Danna tells us that this isn’t just a deep tissue massage, but by going “inside the mouth (intraoral), we are able to access and massage the muscle inside and outside simultaneously, which removes blockages and adhesions and completely improves the posture of the face by lifting, sculpting, and firming”
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So What Are the Benefits of Buccal Massage?
“We work on select muscles, stretching and relaxing them, ultimately strengthening them,” Danna continues that buccal massage “promotes self-healing in the skin, removes blockages where toxic waste becomes trapped, ultimately helping and improving skin function. It also helps to de-puff, soften deep lines and wrinkles, firm, tighten, lift and improve the posture of the face.” It’s also meant to be great if you grind your teeth, have tension in your jaw, or have a TMJ disorder.
How Does Buccal Massage Actually Sculpt the Face?
“By removing blockages and working out the muscles and relaxing them, we ultimately strengthen them. We are re-training the muscles. As we age, everything starts to become sluggish but by massaging, we are not only relaxing the muscles but also giving them a workout. And eventually, they rise. By the repetitive movements, we are also causing a micro-trauma so that the skin can regenerate. We are guiding the skin to heal itself.” Danna explains.
What Makes Buccal Massage So Good?
According to Danna, most of her clients walk out feeling like they’ve received a facelift, with everything looking and feeling lifted. And it’s not just the amazing results for your skin and face, the experience is also incredibly relaxing, “What I understand from people is that they love the massage portion of facials but when they receive massage in normal facials, it lasts for not more than 5 minutes. People want to come in and relieve tension in their face and jaw (we hold so much tension here) while also looking sculpted.”
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Do You Need to Do Multiple Sessions of Buccal Massage to See Long-Lasting Results?
Okay, the main thing we want to know is, will this instant facelift fall flat 10 mins post-appointment, or is it going to last all day and night. Danna says she recommends one or two sessions per week for eight to 10 weeks to see a real difference in the contours of your face (think of it like working out), and then after that course, a maintenance appointment every month. However, she also says by the fourth consecutive treatment you’ll start to really notice a difference in your skin and face.
Where Can You Get Buccal Massage?
Buccal massage, which originated in France, isn’t like getting a regular facial, so it’s not available everywhere and, at anywhere between $300 to $500 per message, it’s definitely an investment. That said, you will see instant results in one treatment, and frequent visits are comparable to going for a massage to relieve stress – if you can do it for your body, why not for your face? To find a buccal massage trained therapist near you, just search buccal massage followed by the area or city you live closest to.
DIY Buccal Massage
If you want to incorporate buccal massage techniques into your at-home skincare routine and save your money, then insists “be careful and go slow.” First things first, start with cleansed skin, then apply a facial oil, which will give your skin some ‘slip’ so you can easily massage without pulling the skin. Wash your hands, then insert your thumb into your mouth and work each side of the face using the opposite hand – so if you’re massaging the left side of your face, use your right hand. Then work on relieving any tension you have.
Danna tells us “the key is to work both the thumb (inside) and fingers (outside) at the same time. It’s very intuitive, you have to just do what feels good as long as you are gentle. You can work starting from the jaw in circular motions going up and also starting from and gliding (with your thumb that’s inside the mouth) on the zygomatic bone (cheekbone) out towards the outer corner of the eye, then circle back around. This is all about creating space for movement and flow as well as relaxing and strengthening the muscles of the face.”
Are you guys going to book yourselves an appointment or try it at home? Let us know in the comments below.
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