Japanese facial massage may be one of my most cherished beauty regimen enhancements. The practice has been proven to de-puff your skin and promote microcirculation, which boosts blood flow to vessels that can build up with waste that causes dull skin and fine lines. This invigorating flow not only refreshes blood cells and removes that waste but also feels fantastic and adds just 2 minutes to your skincare ritual.

I like to incorporate facial massages into both morning and evening rituals. In the morning, I massage my face with the purify step to stimulate my mind as well as my skin. In the evening, I perform a massage as I moisturize skin in the nourish step. There are many ways to perform facial massages, but the key is to always move upward and outward, from the center of the face.

Asayake Facial Massage

Illustration: Samantha Hahn

Asayake means "morning glow" in Japanese. This type of massage calls for the palms to be chilled with cold water to tighten and awaken the skin. Repeat each step below five times.

Step One: Apply moisturizer onto your hands to allow them to glide on the skin.

Step Two: Gently massage your hands up along your neck.

Step Three: Move upward from the center of your chin along the jawbone, applying light pressure.

Step Four: Lay your fingers against your nose and move outward along the orbital bone.

Step Five: Place your fingers above your eyebrows and glide upward toward the hairline.

Yuyake Facial Massage

Illustration: Samantha Hahn

For this "evening glow" massage, which releases tension and detoxifies through lymphatic drainage, first rub your hands together to warm them. Then repeat each step below five times.

Step 1: Begin with your fingers just above the hairline and move away from the forehead in a back-and-forth motion on the scalp.

Step 2: Apply moisturizer onto your hands. Press your fingers above the inner corner of the eyebrows and slide outward along the brow, stopping in front of the ears.

Step 3: Press your forefingers and middle fingers at the base of the nose and move outward along cheekbones.

Step 4: Place your fingers behind your ears and draw down along the jaw and neck to the collarbone. This is the only downward motion you'll use, to encourage lymphatic drainage.

Reprinted from Pure Skin: Discover the Japanese Ritual of Glowing. Copyright © 2018 by Victoria Wei-Chi Tsai. Illustrations by Samantha Hahn. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.

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