You might have one or two beauty products that you use occasionally, or a shelf full of a vast array of creams and potions. You’ve tried some and not been too impressed and others you could not live without

All of these will have cost you money, weather that be £5 or £50. Wouldn’t it be great to have an ultimate anti-aging product that really does deliver results, that’s easy to use, none irritating, cost effective and an absolute pleasure to use? Plus it can be used as often as you wished? Oh if only…

Well there is! It’s not a ground breaking revolutionary ingredient that’s going to cost the earth, but it’s literally there in the palm of your hands, or more specifically your finger tips. It’s been around for thousands of years and has proven skin healing benefits – the power of massage.

Now there is massage, and there is massage. In the hands of a facialist, the effects can be dramatic and long lasting. Different techniques can have differing effects and benefits. We canstimulate cell renewal, lift and tone facial contours, iron out fine lines, drain fluids and toxins, calm an irritated skin, boost your immune system, as well as help transport active ingredients of skincare products further into the skin to increase their healing ability.

It’s also good for mind, body and emotions, it can soothe and relax or revive and awaken.

There are a few myths about massaging your skin. Don’t panic about only going upwards, your face is not going to droop if you massage down wards. This would actually help with drainage. For lifting and toning you can be quite firm, so don’t worry about over stretching the skin. To access the muscles a firm touch is helpful.

With a few easy steps you can continue this good work at home. Just follow the instructions below.

Allow yourself 10 – 15 minutes, you can use some of these movements in your cleansing routine. They can easily be adapted, quick , pick me up movements first thing in the morning or before you are going out in the evening. Slow it down for a more calming effect in the evening during a bath or before you go to bed.

I would not recommend this for people with aggressive acne, or rosacea, please leave that to the professionals. Make sure your skin is clean and I would tie your hair back.

Step by step massage

1. Place a small amount of oil to the palms of your hands and warm by rubbing your hands together. Apply this to the face, covering the forehead, cheeks, chin and neck. Gently work in.

2. Taking your left hand to the opposite side of your neck, massage in large upward circles. Take to the large muscles at the side of the neck, right up to behind the ear. Repeat with your right hand on the opposite side.

3. Lift your chin so the skin on your neck is taught. Using both hands next to each about three inches under your chin, push fingers upwards until you get to the chin.

4. Continue both hands up over the chin and outwards across the lower cheeks, glide off at the ears.

5. Using alternate hands on one cheek, glide upwards from jaw to temples six times. Repeat on the other cheek.

6.Place all fingers on the jaw starting at the chin with your thumb under the jaw, make gliding pressures all the way our to the ears, repeat three times then repeat across the cheeks.

7. Using you’re middle and ring finger, starting at the sides of the nose, just under the cheek bone, glide out to the temples following the line of the cheek bone.

8. Close your eyes, place all fingers just below your brow bone so your hands are covering your eyes, press up, firmly and hold, repeat.

9. Glide your fingers across the brow and out to the temples.

10. Place your middle and ring finger by the side of the nose and gently drain out under the eye in an outwards movement. Circle at the temples.

11. Using all fingers place on the forehead and massage in a circular upward and outward movements across the forehead.

12. Place fingers close together in the middle of the forehead so your hand are facing each other, using a firm pressure glide out to the hair line.

13. Using flat fingers together, glide down and out across the forehead, cheeks, jaw and neck, smoothing down.