Learn the Art of a Lymphatic Drainage Massage With the Dr David Jack Clinic

Dr David Jack is a renowned aesthetic doctor with a clinic on Harley Street, which is one of the top places in the city to book subtle tweakments. Master facialist at the clinic Izabela Pawlitka shares her tips on performing a lymphatic drainage massage facial at home properly.

Best for: Dull, lacklustre skin that needs some perking up.

Tools: Your favourite face oil or serum.

Steps:

1. Grab your oil or serum using more than you normally would. Warm the formula in between your hands, and apply to your face and neck.
2. Start With Your Neck Area: Place your right hand on the left-hand side of your neck and massage the muscles upwards, repeating with the opposite hand on the opposite side of your neck. Then, putting your hands in prayer position underneath your chin, massage the muscles along your jawline, moving your hands upwards, towards your ears.
3. Move On to Your Chin and Mouth: Hook your thumbs underneath your chin, and use your ring fingers to massage the front of your chin, releasing any tension you have in that area. Then, take your ring fingers and massage all around your mouth using small circular motions starting right at the cupid's bow and ending under the middle of your bottom lip.
4. Then Comes Your Jawline Area: Hook your fingers under your chin again, hook your index fingers around the top of your chin, and pull upwards along your jawline until you reach your ears. Then, using the same prayer position movement you did along your neck, use the palms of your hands to move the muscles along your jawline up towards your ears.
5. Finish With the Sides of Your Face: Divide the side of your face in two parts: below your cheekbones and above your cheekbones. Beginning below your cheekbones, pinch the muscle between your thumbs and index fingers, starting from the corners of your mouth and moving upwards to the bottom of your ears, concentrating on lifting and then smoothing inwards. Repeat the process above your cheekbones, paying special attention to lifting the muscle from the bottom up. Repeat the entire process on the opposite side of your face. Finish with prayer hands cupping your chin upwards with firm pressure and lifting upwards to your forehead.

Awaken Your Third Eye With Odacité

Parisian skin-care brand Odacité combines the quality of French skin care with principles from Californian green natural living. The brand's famous crystal Gua Sha Glow Facial helps firm, smooth, and boost circulation, while releasing tension and boosting lymphatic drainage.

Best for: Relieving tension, while simultaneously smoothing forehead lines.

Tools: Odacité Crystal Contour Gua Sha [7] (£40) and Odacité All-Embracing Serum [8] (£95) (however, any gua sha stone and rich hydrating serum will do).

Steps:

1. Press the serum onto your skin. You want to use more than normal as you want to make sure the stone doesn't drag or yank on your skin during the facial.
2. Use the pointed edge of the gua sha stone between your brows in circular motions to release tension.
3. Once the tension is released, place the flat edge of the stone in between your third eye, take a deep breath — inhaling and exhaling — and glide the tool to the top of your forehead to iron out any wrinkles. Use this ironing motion over your entire forehead.
4. Using circular motions, work the inside of the tool along the tops of your eyebrows until you reach the tail ends of your brows — repeat twice and replicate on the other side.

Balance Out Your Skin in 30 Minutes With Elemental Herbology

Inspired by the five-element theory of traditional Chinese medicine, Elemental Herbology aims to help you achieve a healthy and balanced complexion. Lydia, a training manager for the British skin-care brand, guides you through the steps for the ultimate pampering session.

Best for: Parched, dehydrated skin in need of a moisture boost.

Tools: A cleansing balm, creamy face scrub or chemical exfoliant, moisturising sheet mask, rose quartz or jade roller (Elemental Herbology has one [9]), hydrating serum, eye cream, and lip balm.

Steps:

1. Mix a small scoop of cleansing balm into your hands with a little water and massage into skin, then rinse off with a flannel.
2. Reach for a creamy exfoliator, and apply as a mask by patting it onto skin and leaving for a couple of minutes. Then massage it in well and rinse off with a flannel.
3. Open up a sheet mask (any moisturising sheet mask will do if you don't have the Elemental Herbology Nutrition Infusion Sheet Mask [10] (£10) at home), remove the paper backing, and apply to you face. Follow this by going over the sheet mask with a facial roller in outward strokes for five minutes, then leave on for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the mask, and massage in leftover serum with deep circular movements around your eyes and forehead to help the product absorb and relax muscle tension.
5. Apply a few drops of hydrating serum (in the video, Lydia uses the Elemental Herbology Cell Nourish Facial Serum [11] (£46)) into your hands, and massage deeply over your face.
6. Add a drop of eye cream by applying to your fingertips and pressing around the whole eye area in a circular motion.
7. Lastly, massage your moisturiser into your skin, and finish with a dab of lip balm (Nuxe Reve De Miel [12] (£11) being one of our favourites).

Smooth Away Laughter Lines With Face Gym

It was the place to go, pre-isolation, to give your skin a good workout, and now the team behind the original noninvasive facial is demonstrating how to train your face muscles at home with a variety of 1-2-1 digital sessions with a FaceGym trainer (£45) as well as free Instagram masterclasses. Here, FaceGym founder Inge Theron [13] shares her tips on how to soften laughter lines at home.

Best for: Smoothing fine lines along the forehead and around the mouth.

Tools: The brand uses the FaceGym Signature Training Serum [14] (£50), but any slippery serum or rich oil will do.

Steps:

1. Apply a generous amount of serum or oil to both hands.
2. Place both your right and left fingertips on top of the laughter lines around the middle of your face.
3. Using "caterpillar fingers," tap along your face with medium pressure up to your forehead.
4. When you arrive at your forehead, massage any creases with hard pressure going outwards to the tail end of your eyebrows.

Perk Up Screen-Tired Eyes With Sisley

Sisley's Black Rose range isn't cheap, but beauty editors swear by it, and for very good reason: it works (and feels incredibly, incredibly luxurious). Parisian facialist Marie Depoulain gives her expert advice on how to apply the latest edition to the Black Rose range, the Eye Contour Fluid, to help stimulate and perk up the eye area.

Best for: Reducing undereye puffiness, brightening up dark circles, and hydrating dry, crepey skin that can make fine lines look not so fine.

Tools: Sisley Black Rose Eye Contour Fluid [15] (£108), although any eye cream can work (one with a curved applicator head is preferred, but you can also just use your fingers).

Steps:

1. Before applying the eye cream, start by lightly pressing on your eyebrows several times using your thumb and index fingers, moving from the inner to the outer corners with just the right amount of pressure to gently stretch the muscles.
2. Move to under the eyes, performing a lymphatic drainage technique by starting in the inside corner of your eyes, lightly pressing several times to the outer corners of the eye area.
3. Place the ceramic applicator point on the outside of the eye area and squeeze out a pea-size amount of product. Then, using small strokes, smooth the cream to the inner corners. (If your eye cream doesn't have a curved applicator tip, you can also replicate this movement with your ring fingers, which apply the least amount of pressure.)
4. To finish, press on the upper part of the eye area underneath your eyebrow with the ceramic applicator point. Again, if your eye cream doesn't feature the same curved applicator as Sisley's, you can use your finger for this step, too.

Treat Breakouts With Young LDN

The Notting Hill beauty destination offers a range of classic 20-, 40-, and 60-minute facials that address any and all skin-care needs. Now, with the beauty studio closed due to COVID-19, you can book in for virtual consultations [16] for advice on any skin-care concerns (£10 for new clients), or you can head to its Instagram Live stories, where it has a few at-home beauty tutorials, including this acne facial as demonstrated by one of the salon's senior aestheticians.

Best for: Those dealing with acne and breakouts or who have oily skin.

Tools: Dermaceutic 21 Days Acne-Prone Skin Kit [17] (£56), which includes Cleansing Foam, Oil Reducing Mask, Sun Cream, Hyaluronic Acid Solution Moisturiser, and Foam Cleanser. Again, if you don't want to invest in new products, you can substitute with similar options that you already own.

Steps:

1. Apply a pound-sized amount of a foam cleanser (one that contains glycolic acid, preferably) onto fingertips, and work in circular motions into damp skin for up to two minutes.
2. Exfoliate using a gentle face scrub — we like Glo Refresh Facial Polish [18] (£40) or Tropic's new Clear Skies Cleansing Powder [19] (£19). Start by applying small amounts all over your face. Work into areas of congestion with firm pressure, and use lighter pressure around your eyes. Leave on for two to five minutes.
3. The next step requires the Dermaceutic Mask15, which contains both salicylic and glycolic acids. Apply a thin layer and leave for two minutes, working up to five minutes on subsequent uses. Remove with cold water. If you don't want to invest in the Dermaceutic kit, look out for exfoliating masks or at-home peels that ideally contain both salicylic and glycolic acids. If you don't have that, look for something with at least one of those ingredients, plus something like lactic acid or polyhydroxy acid. We recommend Medik8 Blemish Control Pads [20] (£27), Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel Pads [21] (£19), or Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging 10% AHA Exfoliant [22] (£35).
4. Finish with a rich hydrating moisturiser and a generous layer of SPF when going outdoors.

Learn How to Perform the Celebrity-Favourite Suqqu Gankin Facial

There is a reason Suqqu's signature Gankin facial massage is a favourite with a number of celebrities: it delivers the bounce back to your skin while promoting good circulation. You will find step-by-step videos of how to perform the famous massage saved under the Suqqu IGTV on Instagram. It's a little tricky to grasp (there are five videos in total), but the end result speaks for itself.

Best for: Plumping and reenergising the skin and promoting lymphatic drainage.

Tools: Suqqu Musculate Massage & Cream Kit [23] (£78) and your hands. If you don't want to purchase the kit, you'll need a good moisturising cream or leave-on face mask like Fresh's Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask [24] (£29) or ESPA Lift and Firm Mask [25] (£49). You want something with a very rich texture to prevent pulling and dragging the skin, which can cause damage and the eventual formation of fine lines.

Steps:

1. Prep by getting your hair away from your face with a headband and cleansing your face, as the massage should be done on clean skin.
2. Take your middle and ring fingers, and cross your hands across your chest, ballerina style. Place the tips of your fingers on the centre of each collarbone, and rock your head side to side six times to "activate the lymphatic system."
3. Apply a walnut-sized amount of cream to your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin, and spread it over your face like a mask.
4. Make a fist, place your knuckles on top of your eyebrows, and press upwards with medium pressure in four points to your forehead.
5. Follow the same process from the arch of your eyebrows, lifting in four points to the top of your forehead. Then work towards your temples with gentle pressure.
6. For information on performing the Gankin massage around your eyes, mouth, nose, cheeks, and jawline, click on the videos on Suqqu's IGTV [26]

Cleanse, Tone, and Moisturise With Liz Earle's Selfcare Sunday Series

Liz Earle, the natural and cruelty-free skin-care brand, recently introduced the Liz Earle Selfcare Sunday skin-care series with facialist and brand ambassador Sarah Carr. Each week, there is a focus on a different step in your skin-care routine, with Carr sharing her top tips and explaining how to make the most of your routine at home. The first episode of the series focused on the classic "cleanse, tone, moisturise" routine that is a great way to jump-start a skin-care regimen if you don't have one yet.

Best for: Skin-care beginners or those who have dull, dehydrated, and congested skin.

Tools: Carr recommends all Liz Earle products including the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser [27] (£17), the Instant Skin Boost Tonic [28] (£16), the new Botanical Drops [29] (£26), and the Skin Repair Moisturiser [30] (£23). But you probably have most of the products you need at home, and if you don't, they're easy to nab at the pharmacy or supermarket on your next supply run. You'll need an oil or balm cleanser, an alcohol-free toner, a water-based hydrating serum (make sure it's oil-free), and a gel-based face cream (also oil-free if possible). You'll also need a muslin cloth or flannel.

Steps:

1. Apply the oil or balm cleanser to dry hands. Hold your hands over your face (which is still dry at this point), and take deep breaths in. Then use medium pressure to massage into your skin. Wipe away the cleanser with a damp muslin cloth; folding the cloth into a little mitt helps with faster removal.
2. When the cleanser has been removed, go over dry and congested areas again with the muslin cloth to remove dead skin.
3. Reach for your toner, and apply a few drops onto a reusable cotton pad. Sweep over your face for an instant hit of hydration.
4. Apply two to three drops of your serum, and massage over your face.
5. Finish off with your gel-based moisturiser.

Give Facial Yoga a Go With Luminous Facial Yoga

Camilla Bankes and Philippa Mitchell, the sisters behind Luminous Facial Yoga, wanted a noninvasive way to combat life's daily stresses and the signs of ageing. A subscription-based website for £3 per month gives members access to a suite of facial yoga and facial massage tutorials and routines. Be sure to visit their Instagram Live stories, which feature quick lessons on various techniques (like how to smooth your brow area, for example), then click the link in their Instagram bio (or the link here [31]) to view a free weekly video tutorial — like this one that focuses on firming and lifting the whole cheek area.

Best for: Toning saggy cheeks and lifting and firming the whole cheek area.

Tools: Your hands.

Steps:

1. Fill one side of your cheek with as much air as possible, then transfer to the other cheek back to the other for about 30 seconds in total.
2. Tip: Press your fingers over your lips to smooth and hold the skin as you do this exercise to prevent lines around your mouth.

Double Cleanse With Sofia Schwarzkopf-Tilbury

We can all learn a thing or two from Charlotte Tilbury's [32] niece, makeup artist Sofia Schwarzkopf-Tilbury. A Rosie Huntington-Whiteley look-alike, Sofia previously suffered from severe acne, although you'd never know that from her Instagram videos, which showcase gorgeous skin that was transformed, she explains, by a vigorous skin-care routine.

Best for: Congested and dehydrated skin, or those who wear foundation and eye makeup on the daily.

Tools: The Goddess Cleansing Ritual [33] (£32.50), which includes the Ritual 1 Citrus Oil Radiance Cleanse and Ritual 2 Purifying Charcoal Cleanse. If you don't have these at home, an oil or balm cleanser, followed by a cleansing gel or charcoal-spiked wash, will suffice. You'll also need a muslin cloth or flannel.

Steps:

1. On dry skin, massage the oil cleanser onto your skin to melt away makeup with ease. Remove with hot water and the muslin cloth.
2. Next, use the gel cleanser or charcoal cleanser to wash away any grime and excess oil. Remove with hot water and muslin cloth.
3. Schwarzkopf-Tilbury also explains how her skin has transformed by adding the latest Charlotte Tilbury innovation, the Magic Serum Crystal Elixir [34] (£60), into her skin-care regimen.

One to Look Out For: Patchology's Instagram Live Classes

The brand behind the fan-favourite sheet masks and targeted skin patches launched a weekly series of IG Live videos starting on Friday, 17 April.

Join Ziad Halub, global head of training at Patchology, for Instagram Live classes focusing not only on skin concerns like hand care, ingredient explainers, and morning and daytime skin routines but also on topics like Zoom call prep, fitness advice, and tips to help your overall well-being during this time period.

One to Look Out For: ESHO Clinic's Star-Studded IG Lives

ESHO is the award-winning, nonsurgical skin-care clinic located in the centre of Harley Street in London. Every Monday at 6 p.m., the clinic will go live with celebrity clients including pop stars, reality stars, and presenters, who share their skin concerns and journeys, along with live Q&As.