Beauty Culture (Woodbury)/Chapter 21

To undertake regional massage or the upbuilding of parts of the face or improvement of the skin of such parts, the student is referred first of all to the muscular structure of the parts and the direction of action in them shown in diagram on page 262.

The operator, being ready to proceed, may take up a regular way of massaging the face; may begin with the cheek or the forehead, etc., but perhaps the following order will be found most practical:

In massage of the cheeks, consider first what is necessary to do. Are the cheeks drooping and saggy or too prominent and puffed? In one case the checks are to be nourished and strengthened; in the other the fat is to be removed.

Sunken and Wrinkled Cheeks.—Given then a pair of sunken cheeks, drooping with signs of jowls, proceed to massage in the direction of the lines shown in Fig​ure 108. The three lines show the upward path of the fingers.

Fig. 108.

Fig. 109.

Follow this with the circular movements as shown in Figure 109.

If the parts are poorly nourished, the usual thing in such cases, you must aid the upbuilding work by using a tissue-builder like cocoa-butter or tissue food, a cream of high nourishing value, a little of which is massaged into the parts with the palms of the hands in circular movement at each sitting. It is understood of course that the health of the patron is looked after internally as well.

Perhaps the best tissue food to help build up poorly fed parts is pure cold-rendered leaf lard. It absorbs readily, is cheap, clean and can be had at all times. For the purpose it may be perfumed with any of the essential oils. The following is a fine preparation:

This is mixed together into a smooth paste, and a quantity the size of a hazel-nut is rubbed into each cheek daily. This procedure may follow a general massage of the face or be rubbed in with the palms of the hands ​moved in a circular way directly after the use of the hot water towels which have opened the pores of the skin and made them ready to absorb fatty matter. Give the patron some to use at home, if not taking daily treatment.

When the cheeks show less flattening or do not require the use of tissue food, massage should be resorted to alone, using the massaging cream, and if the skin shows a tendency to wrinkle, the use of a wrinkle lotion is advantageous.

This lotion is best applied at home daily after the evening wash, when cream and powder are not necessary. The lotion is daubed on with absorbent cotton and allowed to dry on skin and remain over-night.

Dissolve the alum in the rosewater, and while stirring add the almond milk. Another mixture is made of:

Dissolve the tannin in the rosewater and add the glycerine. This lotion is applied at night with a small piece of absorbent cotton and allowed to dry on. These wrinkle lotions can of course be applied to any part of the face or neck. It is understood that they help to remove the wrinkles only when coupled with faithful massage. When occurring in elderly patrons little can be done but to improve the lines generally, although a process termed face-skinning may be undertaken.

Fig. 110.

Fig. 111.

Fat or Puffed Cheeks. The fault here is an overproduction of fat which can be readily removed with massage. Having too much fat, it is of course not necessary to mention that as little cream is used as possible; in fact, just enough to permit the movement of the finger tips over the parts. The pressure can be heavier and the treatment prolonged to a degree that tends to wear down the surplus fat. The movements, stroke and direction are shown in figures 110 and 111.

Fig. 112.

Under Eye Massage. Massage of this part of the face is usually employed to remove laughing wrinkles or lines, the result of bagginess under the eyes, a fault that is not so easily corrected because there is so little ​muscular tissue below the thin skin. Persistent and daily massage, using the finger tips of the index fingers only, will, however, give good results. One of the wrinkle lotions may be used also. The movement of stroke is the most successful. Its direction is shown in Figure 112.

The pressure used here is somewhat gentler than that used with any other part except the eats. Circular movements may also be tried, but here the circles are made to unite in a spiral form as shown in Figure 113.

Fig. 113.

The pressure of the spiral is made in a semi-circular upward and downward direction.

Nose Massage. The nose generally needs less massage than any other feature, its skin being practically fixed on the bone and cartilage. Use thumb or thumb and forefinger with a rotary motion to a point just above inner corner of eye. Take care to cleanse thoroughly the natural wrinkle on both sides, a place where dirt collects.

Mouth Massage. The massage about the mouth includes both upper and lower lips. The movements are index finger strokes as shown in Figure 114.

The build of the mouth does not permit of very efficient circular massage, but it can be done especially to remove fine lines, using the spiral direction given in Figure 115. ​It is well to call patrons' attention to a frequently met habit of pursing the lips or contracting the mouth muscles—this should be overcome and the muscles relaxed when the mouth is in repose.

Fig. 114.

If the lips are thick and require reduction, the simple stroke movement, moving outward and upward instead of inward, as shown in Figure 116, is used. Here also is employed the use of the operation for thick lips explained on page 354.

Fig. 115.

​Drooping angles at the mouth are worked upward, using the same direction as with sagging cheeks.

Fig. 116.

Temple Massage. The best individual movement here is the circular made with the second and third fingers, although the stroke massage for cheeks is used first. The movement in the former is shown in Figure 117.

Fig. 117.

Fig. 118.

The same movement used lower down over the outer corner of the eyes helps to remove crow's-feet.

Forehead Massage. Here there is usually a frown to overcome. This is to be worked from the centre, ra​diating upward and outward somewhat in the shape of a palm-leaf as shown in Figure 118.

For transverse lines of the forehead the direction of massage is outward from the centre to the temples as shown in Figure 119.

Fig. 119.

Fig. 120.

The outward circular movement is also used here with advantage, being carried out as shown in Figure 120.

Chin Massage. Much can be done to reduce a heavy or growing double chin. The pressure used should be quite hard beneath and gentler in front of it. The best movement is the stroke in either case as shown in figures 121 and 122.

Fig. 121.

Fig. 122.

Massage very heavy chins somewhat heavily beneath the jaw. Absorbent cotton, saturated with the wrinkle lotion and held in place by a strip of muslin, should be worn during the night. Chin straps, worn at night, also ​help to check the growth of fat both by pressure and sweating. These are caps of knitted cotton or silk made to fit the chin with tapestrings or wide rubber bands tied under the chin and over the head. Further instruction for the prevention and treatment of double chin is given on page 339.

Ear massage. Into the inner curves of the ear the fingers cannot easily go. These ought to be gently rubbed with a small orangewood stick on which wind a small cap of absorbent cotton. A drop of olive oil on this is both pleasing and beneficial. Then take that part of the ear in front of the lobe and just above it, using first the tip of the forefinger, with an upward movement and a slight pressure inward toward the skull. When the forefinger reaches the beginning of the upper curve, use the thumb with it, following up and around and down very gently to the tip of the lobe. Never manipulate the ear outward, but always toward the skull. Never rub the lobe up. Ear massage should be the most delicate of all.

Neck massage. The skin here is usually very loose, requiring many treatments to get good results. Stroke the parts with the finger tips meeting in front, at the middle of the throat under the chin and drawing them with part of the applied palms as well, backward and upward toward the back of the ears. Follow with the circular movement often repeated, using all three fingers, both sides at once. Sometimes use of one of the tissue foods helps much to again round the drooping wrinkled skin.