The skincare gadget realm is booming with innovation. Whether it's LED masks for fine lines or clarity, microcurrent devices to whip your contours into shape or manual face massage tools to elevate your daily regime.
The latter is a professional's secret tool to not only boosting radiance through encouraging blood flow, but also for quickly taking down any puffiness. Backstage at fashion week, make-up artists rely on these clever tool as an extension of their hands to help reinvigorate the tired complexion of a jet-setting model.
Massaging your face can alleviate tension in overworked muscles, (jaw-clenchers, we're talking to you), which not only feels heavenly but can also de-puff, tone and lift your complexion. Plus, some of the latest innovations simultaneously tackle different skincare concerns, be it fine lines or breakouts.
How do facial massage tools work?
By kicking your lymph system into gear, a jade roller, gua sha stone or face massager can shift toxins and blockages, meaning those long-lost cheekbones will soon reappear. Alternatively, pick a device enhanced with vibrational technology, and it'll aid absorption of all those lovingly applied serums and creams, ensuring you see optimal benefits from your products.
According to expert facialist Sarah Chapman, working frequent massage sessions into your skincare routine will deliver welcome cumulative results. 'Regular use brightens, tightens, drains toxins and reduces puffiness by boosting the supply of vital nutrients and oxygen to your skin, giving you that immediate, fresh glow,' she says.
‘There are so many benefits to facial massage,’ agrees celebrity facialist and TCM expert, Ada Ooi. ‘One of the best skincare hacks that you can do easily from home is to use a facial massaging tool to stimulate acupressure points for tension release and drain the lymphatic system to give a firmer, brighter complexion,’ she adds.
If all that hasn't got you convinced, consider the soul-soothing benefits too. Face massagers and sculpting stones are packed with stress-busting power. Try sitting down with one after an anxious day, and you'll soon see what we mean.
How to do a facial massage at home
First up, choose your facial tool of choice, whether that's a gua sha tool, facial roller or a high-tech alternative. Chanel's latest N°1 de Chanel Massaging Accessory is specially designed to work on the face holistically, promising to deliver results that include softer fine lines, improved elasticity, minimised pores and a brighter glow.
Next, you'll need to apply a product to provide 'slip' for your face massage tool. It can be a face oil for dry skin, or a nourishing creamy essence.
Then, it's time for the massage. If you're opting for Chanel's new tool (it's incredibly chic and useful), use the ridged side along the cheeks to help with skin texture. Press it gently on the area under the eyes, applying pressure around three to five times before smoothing the tool across the cheeks. For fine lines, use the tapered section of the tool. On the forehead, gently tug the skin upward and trace the tool downwards with light pressure. Then, move the tool in a zig-zag motion. Your skin might appear slightly flushed, but fret not.
'As soon as you get the microcirculation going, there will be some colour in the face,' says Marija Karin, Chanel's academy training manager. Repeat the same motion around the eye area and in between the eyebrows. A face massage is also great for the nasolabial folds. 'For most of us, this is where the fine lines first appear,' according to Karin, who recommends using face massage to delay the lines. Hold the skin around the nasolabial fold (it's the point where the end of your nose meets your mouth, or the lower bit of your cheek), and use the tool to massage upwards and in a zig-zag motion.
How to sculpt your face with a facial massage at home
'A great quick jaw-sculpting technique is to anchor the tool or hand in the middle of your chin, gently glide upwards to the front of the ear where there are acupressure points; press and wiggle, go to the back of the ear and glide downwards to the neck, ending at the collar bone,' says Ooi. 'Press and wiggle again there and repeat 3 times to stimulate the area and boost circulation while it drains stagnated elements.' Her top tip: Don't forget to take deep breaths during your facial massage, either.
Here, we've rounded up the best face massage tools, jade rollers and vibrating wands to start practising with now, along with exactly how to use them, and the results you can expect.
The best massage tools for your mid-week facial
Made from 85% biodegradable materials (including the husk of the red camellia plant; a key ingredient in the No1 de Chanel range), this curvaceous tool is designed to help smooth the appearance of pores and fine lines while encouraging radiance and elasticity. Use it either before or after the Chanel No1 de Chanel Revitalising Serum and Camellia Cream to stop fine lines in its tracks.
Best for muscle stimulation
FaceGym Facegym Pro EMS Facial Device
Famed for its facial workouts, this tool created by buzzy brand, FaceGym, does all the heavy lifting for you. It works by harnessing Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to help tone all (forty) of the muscles in your face.
Best used as a weekly or regular treatment rather than a daily staple, ensure you apply a serum first and use the low setting to allow your muscles to get used to the sensation.
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Promising clinical-grade results from the comfort of your sofa, Dr Vali's Cutis is a high-tech, at-home alternative to a professional sculpting facial.
With five different settings, including LED, it delivers sonic waves to the layers of skin to help tighten and lift.
This gua sha tool by Sisley makes light work of de-puffing and toning, thanks to its unique shape, which has been designed specifically to hug the contours of your face.
Apply your favourite Sisley oil, or the SISLEŸA L'Integral Anti-Age, on your face and neck and use the curved edge to sculpt and lift.
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Best for the jawline
Sarah Chapman Skinesis The Facialift
Sure, it looks a little scary, but this celeb-approved contraption is the holy grail for any habitual jaw-clencher.
Studded with nodules, the four massage wheels treat the jawline using a firm but comfortable kneading technique, which mimics the fingertips and knuckles, bringing blood to the surface and unravelling tight muscles.
Best for lymphatic drainage
Angela Caglia Vibrating Rose Quartz Face Sculpting Roller
Angela Caglia's rose-quartz roller is the A-list massage tool of choice (Courtney Cox loves hers so much, she's been papped using it on a dinner date).
Turns out, our favourite Friend might be onto something: the 6000 sonic vibrations it emits per minute can undo tension in the tightest of jawlines, coaxing your natural bone structure back to the fore. Think of it as super-charged lymphatic drainage.
The brand's manual non-vibrating roller is excellent, too.
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Don't buy this one for the 'anti-wrinkle' promises (it won't erase lines, nor does it need to), but invest for the way it shifts puffiness and bags while feeling really rather nice, too.
This is definitely the best value jade roller on the market, and it makes a great option for those new to face rolling. It's sturdy enough to deliver a satisfying massage, and glides perfectly over a calming face oil (like this one).
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A pocket-sized option, this mini roller is ideal for taking on weekends aways. It's two-pronged, so lifts and drains brilliantly, and can be used with any facial oil for maximum pampering appeal.
This set is a great introduction to the circulation-boosting benefits of cupping. Simply place the silicone 'cups' over your face, before gently moving them in outwards motions to kick-start that all-important lymph flow.
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Facialist Ada Ooi is famed for her transformative face-sculpting powers, and now you can reap (some of the) benefits at home with her line of gua-sha stones, face massagers and cryotherapy tools.
These chilly globes are designed to boost blood flow around the eyes without proving too cold for the delicate skin. Fresh from your fridge, they'll be just the right temperature to shift toxins and brighten dark circles. Use in tandem with the peptide-infused eye serum to help brighten tired eyes.
Best for tension relief
Odacite Mon Ami Acupressure Facial Beauty Tool
This tiny yet effective tool is brilliant for tension relief, both at home and on the go. It's specifically shaped to be pressed against the face's key acupressure zones, relieving stiffness and lymph blockages. A great one for gifting.
Roberta Schroeder
Senior Ecommerce Editor, Luxury
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
Amelia Bell
Senior Site Beauty Editor
Amelia Bell is the Senior Site Beauty Editor at ELLE UK, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and overseeing all beauty content for the site. Amelia has a particular interest in sustainable beauty practices, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women's Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.