By Chloe Lawrance

Few beauty trends have made an impact like facial massage in recent years. But when you consider its many benefits, it's no wonder the practice has caught the attention of skincare fans.

'Facial massage is key for picking up the circulation,' explains skincare expert and facialist Rhian Truman. 'It gets the blood flow moving, helping to oxygenate skin tissue and leave your complexion looking plumped up. It's also going to stimulate lymphatic drainage, which will help to reduce congestion and puffiness.' Basically, it's an essential tool for getting sculpted, glowing skin.

Before you dive straight in, there are a few things to remember to make the most of your at-home facial massage.

'Begin with fully cleansed skin, and don't be afraid to really get stuck in. The more movement you can create, the better,' says Truman. 'I always recommend facial massage at night, as this is when skin does most of its regeneration, so you'll be encouraging that cell renewal along.'

Truman also recommends using a massage product that gives skin some slip. Our new Face Oil fits the bill perfectly: powered by a phytocomplex of enzymatically activated oils, the lightweight formula melts into the complexion to support healthy skin barrier function and provide deep nourishment. Just a few drops pressed into your face will provide exactly what you need to master these simple facial massage techniques.

1. Warm up the skin

'Start your massage by applying product to the palms of both hands,' says Truman. 'Then, using a decent amount of pressure, sweep your palms up and outwards from either side of your nose towards the ears. Your lymph nodes are situated by your temples and underneath your ears, so this sweeping movement will help you to move toxins towards them from the middle of your face outwards.

'It's a good first step to warm up the skin in preparation for when we go in a little deeper later in your massage, too,' Truman adds.

2. Work the jawline

For a more refined, sculpted look around the jawline, Truman suggests using a pinching technique.

'Take your index finger and thumb, then pinch the jaw, starting from the chin and working out towards your ears. I like to alternate between a pumping motion, and a smooth glide up and outwards.

'You might feel pockets of lymph build up there, particularly if you're run down. This technique not only helps ease that swelling, but can also help speed up your recovery.'

3. Target trigger points

Many of us hold tension around our jawline, too. In fact, tightness in the trapezius, back or neck might travel up to sit around the jaw. Because of this, Truman recommends really spending some time working out that tension.

'Take your knuckles and pop them on the chin,' she says. 'Don't be scared to really apply the pressure here - it's not going to bruise. Slowly work your knuckles up and down, up and down, as you work outwards towards the jaw. It's going to feel lovely.'

4. Don't forget the eye area

'I think people get scared about putting pressure on their eyes,' Truman says. 'But it's an area that holds a lot of fluid retention, which is why our eyes can look puffy.'

While Truman doesn't recommend going all out, she does suggest using a little more pressure next time you apply your eye cream.

'Typically, we're told to tap in product around the eyes with the ring finger, which is great as it does get the blood moving. But try using your index finger to swipe up and out towards the temples from the corner of the eye, too. It's going to reduce a lot of pressure and help to depuff the eyes significantly.'

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