FACE MASSAGE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 330, 17 September 1932, Page 6

FACE MASSAGE

R. M.

Blom.fi eld.)

AN AID TO BEAUTY HOW BAD HABITS CAN BE OYERCOME BY CARE. t CONSISTENT TREATMENT.

(Specially Written for the "Morning

Post" hy

The care of the face is the first principle of beauty culture, and facial massage is all important, because it prevents wrinkles, gives the slcin the necessary tone, and hy keepdng it healthy lceeps it beautiful. Massage is very valuable as an aid to muscular development. The muscles are stimulated to throw off waste particles, which malce the tissues unhealthy if they accumulate in them. The same muscular movements stimulate the building up and growtli of fresh tissue. For facial massage a special massage roller can be used, or the fingertips. In the latter case the nails rnust be kept slxort and care talcen not to scratch the slcin. Every movement xxxust be gentle and even, and the touch light. Drastic rubbings and heavy pressure oxx the delicate muscles of the face do more harm than good. A good crearn rnust be used — pure cold cream or any good slcin food — for facial massage. It does not pexxetrate and increase the layer of fat under the slcin, but lubricabes the slcin, malces it soft and elastic, and prevents the finger-tips, or massage roller, from injuring its texture. The skin-food or cream rnust be applied freely and left on the face for a quarter of an hour, if p'ossible, before beginning the manipulations, and the finger-tips rnust also be dipped into the cream at frequent intervals. Movements. Facial massage movenients should be performed twice a day. Thoy are necessary in the morning because during the night the face muscles relax and need toning and bracing up. Massage should also be performed at night, either at bedtime or before dinner. Each exercise lxiust be repeated for three or four xninutes and with gentlencss and x'egularity. Facial massage can be employed to improve the contour of the face, and eradicate double chins, rexxxove crow's-feet from around the eyes, the frowning lines between the eyes, or the hox-izontal lines which so oi'ten disfiguro the forehead. It is also useful in eradicating the lines on either side of the mouth, whether caused by laughter or otherwise. The general rule is to rub across a wx'inkle and not along its lengtli. Conloux*. To improve the contour of the face and eradicate a double chin,.place the thumbs beneath the chin so that they touch and the fingex-_tips rest lightly 011 the temples. Gently draw the thuixxbs along the jawbone until tliey reach Ihe lingers. Itepeat this movement for several minutes at a timo. Forehead Lines. To remove forehead lines, place the forefmger and middle finger on the bridge of the nose; draw them upwards and then outwards above the eyebrows. Then place all the fingerLips on the middle of the forehead and draw then gently across the forehead towards the temples. Habits. Ilabit usually plays a large part in wrinkle forming, and a frequent cause is the constant and habitual raising of the eyebrows while conversing; another is poering with the eyes whiicattenipting to do line work— -the latter, especially, is apt to malce the creases or puckers between the eyes extreniely deep and they soon attain added slrength by habitual aetion. The movement for smoothing out these particular blemishes which are p'opularly lcnown as "brown lines," should be more of a rotary nature. It is advisable to do the circular strolce with hand only, pressing the fingers firmly into the flesh and lxxoving them in small circles — use the other hand (the first and second fingers) to keep the fiesh in its place. Be Consistent. The all-important thing to be kept in mind is that only by porsistent and constant daily practice of any form of massage or exercise can those suffering from unsightly defects hope to remove them. So many try for a night or two, or a few days, and are disappointed because they cannot eradicate in that short timo the defects of years of neglect and bad habit. In some cases it will take weelcs, oi months, to accomplish the desii-ed improvement, but remembor it will come if you persist.