I’m using “facial massagers” as a catch-all term for a few types of tools for the sake of this article, but each one of these really warrants its own deep dive—several of these modalities come with a fascinating history of use, research to back their benefits, and more. (Again, I’ve linked out to other resources so you can learn more!)
Facial massages in general are incredibly beneficial for the skin: Studies show us that regular facial massages can truly help improve skin quality. For example, in one study patients saw feeling tighter, more lifted skin1 after regular massages.
This is likely because of the effects on circulation: one study showed that facial rolling for only five minutes a day improved blood flow to the face1. This is notable, as blood brings with it nutrients and resources to the skin—so theoretically improved circulation contributes improved skin quality.
“So often in beauty we talk about collagen, elastin, skin cell turnover, and those are all important things to talk about because they are part of the skin function and structure. But what Chinese medicine also says is that we need to talk about circulation—because circulation is what feeds all of that,” says Sandra Lanshin Chiu, L.Ac., M.S.T.C.M.. “In fact, it goes back to the very basic principle in Chinese medicine, which is that circulation is everything.”
Here, some of the best facial massage modalities to look into:
