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You are here: Home arrow Articles arrow Everything else arrow DIY De-stress. A basic guide to massage II (face and scalp)

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DIY De-stress. A basic guide to massage II (face and scalp)

written by Nell Merionwen

As a downsizer, I know how stressful life can be while trying to live a simple life.

Massage is a simple and effective way of reducing everyday stresses and strains. It can lower the blood pressure and create an all round feeling of calm.

Not only can it have physical benefits it is a wonderful way to feel close to a partner, friend or member of the family.

In today's modern society we forget how effective the power of touch can be in a many ways.

Here is the second of a series of articles upon basic massage. Primarily, concentrating upon the face and scalp.

For all information upon carrier oils, essential oils and massage strokes please see the previous article here.

Stress headaches are an all to common occurrence. Here is a basic face and scalp massage that will not only banish those niggling pains but leave you feeling pampered too.

Before going ahead and massaging a partner/friend/victim's scalp, do check they are ok with looking like they have been dragged through a bush when you have finished.

Face and Scalp massage

Rest both of your hands on your partner/friend/victim's forehead. Support the head with your hands. Move your hands away from the centre of the forehead up to the hairline. Lift thumbs off. Repeat this movement several times. This warms and smooths and can be done to simply relax a person.

Then

Using the heels of both of your hands rest them on the cheeks of the partner/friend/victim, a hand on each side of the nose. Slide your hands gently away from the cheek to the ears.

Then

Hold your partner/friend/victim's ears between your fingers and thumbs and stretch them slightly outwards and in a downward movement. Squeeze and massage the ears gently.

Then

Hold the tip of the chin with your thumbs and fingers and then slowly draw them out along the jawbone in a long firm strike, covering the whole length of the rim of the bone to the ears.

Then

hold the brow bone between thumb and fingers and run your hands gently but firmly around the bridge of the nose along the brow bond and smooth off to the temples. Finish this movement with slow circles over the temples.

Then

Slide your fingers to the partner/friend/victim's hair line. Rake the fingers loosely through the hair. With the fingers close to the scalp, pull the hair gently as your run it through the fingers. (You do not need to run your fingers through the entire length of the hair) Rotate your wrists to have your fingers upon the back of the scalp. Massage in gentle circular motions across the whole scalp.

Finish this movement by running your hands gently back through the hair and drawing it away from the face.

Repeat this sequence until the partner/friend/victim feels the stress slip away.

Do remember to use a very light oil upon the face and scalp.

Nell Merionwen is a member of downsizer and a professional complementary therapist. To discuss this article please feel free to do so in our friendly forum.

Alternatively feel free to PM Nell directly.