Sebum is the oily substance secreted by your sebaceous glands, which are microscopic glands found in your hair follicles. The right amount of sebum can improve your skin’s texture, tone, and condition. 

There are different ways you can stimulate the skin to produce enough sebum. One way is with facial massage. Regardless of your skin type, regularly massaging your face can have a huge impact on the condition of your skin. I can personally vouch for the efficacy of facial massage because I’ve witnessed how it has transformed my own skin. 

If you’re interested in improving the condition of your skin and achieving a natural, healthy glow using minimal products, I’m glad you’re here.

I’m dedicating this post to discussing whether or not facial massage has an effect on sebum production. 

Does Facial Massage Have an Effect on Sebum?

Yes, facial massage does affect sebum. 

Gentle facial massage stimulates the sebaceous glands, causing an increase in sebum production. Like I briefly mentioned earlier, increased sebum can improve the texture, tone, and condition of your skin. It can also increase circulation and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

The good news is, the benefits of facial massage go far beyond increased sebum production!

Benefits Of Facial Massage

• Increased sebum production
• Glowing, clearer skin (reduced acne)
• Stimulate blood flow
• Improve circulation
• Reduced puffiness
• Decreased inflammation
• TMJ relief (here are more ways to naturally relieve TMJ pain)
• Sinus relief
• Improved relaxation
• Tension and stress relief
• Collagen production
• Facial rejuvenation
• Scar tissue management

Facial Massage Tips

How To Prepare For A Facial Massage

Prepping your skin is an often overlooked, yet crucial part of effective facial massage. 

To prep for an at-home facial massage, quickly and gently tap all over your face with the tips of your fingers. This will help relax your facial muscles and prep them for your massage.

Choose A Type Of Facial Massage

There are two main facial massage techniques: Effleurage and Petrissage. These two facial massage techniques include kneading, cupping, folding, vibrations, tapping, and Jacquet pinching.

With Effleurage, your hands never leave your face. Each stroke is intended to improve circulation in the blood vessels close to the surface of your skin. 

Meanwhile, Petrissage uses compression to knead, squeeze, and pinch your skin. This kind of face massage targets the deeper facial muscles, encouraging blood to flow to the surface of your skin. 

There are also different types of facial massage services available, including:

• Lymphatic drainage
• Reflexology
• Shiatsu
• Gua sha (Here’s some great info about the benefits of gua sha massage!)
• Swedish
• Remedial
• Sinus
• Acupressure

Massage Tools For Effective Facial Massage At Home

Facial massages can easily become a part of your at-home skincare routine. For an effective and enjoyable facial massage at home, it’s important to use circular motions and follow the natural shape and bone structure of your face. 

You can also use different massage tools to enhance your experience and improve results. You can use face rollers (like this popular jade roller from Primally Pure), stones (this Facial Gua Sha Stone is my favorite), microcurrent devices, vibrating face massagers, and more. 

How To Give Yourself A Facial Massage

I recommend doing a facial massage as part of your skincare routine. Start with clean fingers and a clean massage tool. Apply gentle pressure to your face. Ideally, you want to use circular motions, starting at the center of your face and moving outward. A massage oil can help with smooth movements without clogging your pores. 

You can give yourself a facial massage in as little as five minutes, or you can dedicate a full hour or more–it’s entirely up to you! The key is to repeat each stroke 3-5 times or massage a specific area for about 30 seconds. Remember to be gentle but apply firm pressure for optimal results. 

Techniques For Creating an At-Home Facial Massage Routine

• Gently but firmly rub your fingers into your temples in a circular motion.
• Massage the sides of your face with your palms and fingertips, beginning at your chin and working toward your forehead.
• Gently press your fingers into your brow bone, working outward from the inner corner of your brow, then repeat underneath your eyes to massage your entire eye area.
• Use your thumb and index finger to gently pinch your eyebrows, beginning at the outer corner and working inward. 
• Gently apply pressure to the center of each brow, then slide your fingers upward, toward your hairline, then glide your fingers to your temples.
• For several seconds, firmly apply pressure to the area between your eyebrows. Keep applying pressure as you move clockwise and counterclockwise.
• With the tips of your fingers, gently apply pressure to the area under your cheekbones, beginning at the center of your face and moving outward to your temples. 
• Gently pinch your chin, then continue pinching your skin as you work outward toward your ears. 
• Using the palms of your hands, firmly press into your jawbone, working from the outside of your jaw inward, toward your chin. 
• Massage the area under your earlobes in a circular motion using your fingertips.

Facial massage is an effective way to give yourself a natural, radiant glow. 

I’m a big proponent of facial massage because I’ve seen how much of a difference it has made on my own skin. In addition to the natural production of sebum, facial massage has a long list of benefits that can dramatically improve your skin. 

For more valuable info on how you can shine radiantly from the inside out, check out my blog. Then, I encourage you to sign up for The Beauty Collective, an all-inclusive skincare program that teaches skincare from the inside out. When you become a member, you’ll learn authentic and results-driven practices as well as a sustainable and graceful approach to aging using minimal products. It’s a less-is-more approach to skincare and I can’t wait to see you there!