Perhaps every one’s favorite part of a facial, the massage often feels so nice it is hard to believe there are real improvements happening to your skin.  At Sano I have always tried to remind people that facials are one of the wonderful things in the world that have tangible health benefits and also feel so much like a luxurious treat.  Facial massage is the perfect example of why this argument is true.

Effleurage (sweeping strokes) facial massage slows down the aging process by effecting the skin in a number of ways.  Perhaps the most obvious is the relaxation of facial muscles.  This releases tension that can cause strain on the skin and lessens the appearance of wrinkles as well as preventing the formation of new ones.  Facial massage also increases circulation to the skin.  The increased blood flow brings with it more oxygen and nutrients which help keep skin soft, supple and healthy.  Additionally, facial massage works to deeply penetrate moisturizers into the skin.  All skin types can benefit from increased hydration, and when the massage is preformed after both steaming and professional exfoliation, which opened pores and removes dead skin, the moisturizer used as an emollient is worked deeply into the skin and has even greater results.

At Sano, facial treatments all include a combination of both traditional effleurage massage as well as Shiatsu (accupressure).  Shiatsu applies pressure to points on the face which work to stimulate the flow of energy along specific meridians.  Various points on the face have a profound effect on reducing tension headaches and eye strain, releasing sinus pressure or congestion and alleviating  jaw or muscle pain.

Both techniques leave people feeling highly relaxed.  This incredible feeling of relaxation was recently studied by a group at Kyushu University.  The results of the test show that facial massage has a measurable effect on the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing anxiety and lifting the spirits.