Facial Rolling + Wellness + Beauty

This month, our theme is #selflove. After designing our brand new website with the team over at Go Live HQ, we took a break from blogging to focus on creating the most beautiful, accessible site we could. Now we’re back to one of our top goals: education!

Since February is commonly associated with all things love and romance, we decided this would be a great month to have a blog series all about romancing someone in particular...yourself! Finding ways to incorporate self-love and nurturing into your beauty and wellness routine is important. It’s essential that your lifestyle encompasses well-being, since it’s going to benefit you so much more in the long run. While Botox and fillers may be the icing on the cake, your daily routines with regards to skincare, stress, and diet are what make up the bulk of how you look and feel.

With that being said, our first blog of the month (and year!) is going to be on facial rolling.

Facial rolling is more specifically known as jade rolling, since it gained notoriety as a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) technique, and in TCM the roller is usually jade. It’s been used for centuries in Asia as a way to increase wellness and vibrancy. However, in the US, facial rollers are now made out of a variety of materials. Some of the most common are jade, rose quartz, and black obsidian. According to tradition, each stone that’s used will have different effects. Jade tends to be cooling, and is used to draw out heat and inflammation. Rose quartz is meant to be a nurturing, “warming” stone, while black obsidian is known as a clearing stone.

Some people find they have a strong connection with specific crystals, and it’s important to find one that works for them. Other people simply appreciate facial rolling for the therapeutic benefits, regardless of the stone. It’s up to you which kind you’d like to purchase; maybe it’s just which color you like best! Either way, at the end of the day you’re still going to benefit from using one, so try not to get too caught up in finding the perfect stone. 

Before we get into the technique of actually using a facial roller, let’s talk about some of the benefits. These include:

-lymphatic drainage (aids in detoxification) 

-release of muscle tension

-reduction in find lines and wrinkles

-improved circulation

-improved muscle tone

I would also add that it’s a great way to unwind at the end of the day. It can have an incredibly calming effect on the nervous system, and conversely, it can help you wake up at the beginning of the day, especially if you keep your roller refrigerated. 

Now that we know what some of the benefits are, let’s talk a bit more about how to use a facial roller. Here are some important points:

-always go in an “upwards” motion, that is, towards the hairline

-always use an oil or moisturizer before rolling

-avoid too much pressure; gentle is best

-use the large side of the roller for the majority of the face, and the small side for the eye area

-be especially gentle on the forehead, as there’s so little fat in that area.

-try to practice taking deep belly breaths while you do your rolling

Whether you do your rolling in the morning or at night (bonus points if you do both!) I’d recommend always doing it after freshly washing your face, and applying your skincare products. Without any products to “glide” over, the roller will tug and pull on your skin, which can actually increase wrinkling, and it’s not very relaxing. I personally recommend using your favorite face oil, which I find works best, but moisturizers are okay too. You’ll just have to be more efficient, as moisturizers can become quite tacky as they dry, which means you can run into the same problem of having too much friction. 

Once you’ve applied either your oil or moisturizer, use the large side of your roller to gently roll from the middle of your chin, all the way to the earlobe. Try to take a few moments to become present when you’re doing this. It’s a great way to discover where you’re holding tension in your jaw, as most of us do. You might feel little knots, or asymmetries; don’t worry about these. Facial muscles do best with subtle manipulation, so don’t try to press the roller hard on that one spot. You might make it more tender and it can cause more harm than good. Instead, just focus on gently gliding the roller over the spot. Again, for those of us who tend to have a “no pain, no gain” mentality...roll it gently.

Once you’ve rolled from your chin to earlobe a few times (as many as you want, or have time for), roll from the tip of the nostril, along the cheek, and up to the temple. Repeat this as needed.

Switch to the small side of your roller. There are a few ways to do this part. Some people roll in small strokes from the edge of the orbital bone (where your undereye circles start) up to the lower lash line (rolling vertically). Others roll from the inner corner of the eye, along the orbital bone, to the temple (rolling horizontally). Try both and see what feels most comfortable to you.

Still using the small side, use small upward strokes between the brows, where your frown lines are. I recommend spending a good amount of time in the area. This spot connects to facial nerves all over the face, and massaging it can help the entire face relax. In addition, so many of us squint and phones and computers all day, and tension can accumulate in this region. 

Lastly, switch to the large side of your roller, and being especially gentle, glide the roller in upward strokes from the brows to the hairline, all across the forehead. This region can feel quite sensitive, since there’s so much less fat, so if you press too hard it’ll be uncomfortable. I’d recommend incorporating an extra nurturing energy here, and focus on lightly trying to smooth out the tension that can accumulate in this area (and cause the horizontal lines we start seeing as we age). 

Some final things to remember:

-if you have excess puffiness, try refrigerating your roller; it can help decrease inflammation

-it’s totally normal to have a bit of extra redness after rolling; it’s the increased circulation

-although there is a lifting and anti-aging benefit to rolling, it takes time, so roll regularly

-you will receive the most benefit if you can take this time to practice some mindfulness and deep breathing; this will help all of your muscle tension melt away

-make sure to regularly clean your roller; wash it with warm water and soap after every use, if possible

If you try facial rolling, let us know. We’d love to hear your experience!

The author of this blog, Layla Hanson, is a writer and project manager for Infinity Aesthetics, specializing in holistic media production. You can see her popping in and out of the office from time to time to snap photos for our Instagram and website. Feel free to say hi and offer to pose for a picture!