#chemicalfreefacial – The Fascial Effect

Keep Your Skin Supple

After Menopause (sometimes called ‘the change’) one of the visible changes is often a more noticeable reduction in the plumpness of the skin, referred to as ‘volume’.  Collagen gives your face that smooth, youthful resilience and, as its production drops off, the result is more wrinkles, fine lines and sagging.  Not what you want when your confidence is probably not at an all-time high.

For those that can afford it, this is when they go to an aesthetician to get Botox or fillers – but this is a radical approach and not for everyone.

Alternatively, you may reach for the skin care products containing the latest ingredient that promises to be the answer to your problem. Hyaluronic acid, quite rightly, has recently received a lot of attention.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is undoubtedly one of the most popular ingredients in the anti-ageing skincare industry today. Its main task is to absorb and retain water so that the skin looks and feels plump and supple.

HA (also known as hyaluronan or hyaluronate) is an important component for fascia – the membrane that encloses all our organs. HA is produced naturally by our bodies, and its primary task is to retain water to keep our fascia well lubricated. This in turn helps the skin feel more hydrated and appear more youthful.

Like a thirsty sponge, HA is like a magnet for moisture and can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. These hydrating properties are the reason it is so popular in moisturisers and serums.

As part of the research for my dissertation I developed a facial massage routine using myo-fascial techniques. The results were impressive! This product-free facial is anti-ageing because it encourages the skin to retain moisture, plumps out fine lines and wrinkles and improves firmness. It does this by stimulating the fascia beneath the skin to ‘wake up’ and start moving blood, lymph and energy and start synthesising what it needs to keep the skin healthy.

It’s a real alternative to chemical interventions and I’ve developed these techniques into a 90 minute online training session so you can learn a simple massage that you can do for yourself to combat the effects of menopause on your skin.

To book a Zoom Facial Workshop Click here

Ageing

Nearly as good as a facelift…. without the surgery

There are very few of us who don’t want to look the very best we can. However, it does feel like the quest for a youthful appearance has given rise to some very invasive procedures which claim to give instant results.

An increasingly popular yet worrying trend is to turn to cosmetic surgery, in particular facelifts, to achieve the desired look. According to the NHS website, a facelift can cost up to £10,000 and involves multiple incisions in your face and neck. It can take 2 – 4 weeks to recover from the surgery, and after that results can take up to 9 months to be visible.

So, what if there was another option that gave you a more youthful look without the need to go through all the above?

Before you sign up for expensive and painful cosmetic treatments, why not explore a natural option that improves the appearance of the skin and can be nearly as good as a facelift?

The Fascial Effect® face massage is an alternative facial because it targets the area of connective tissue beneath the skin called fascia. Gentle but focused fascia releasing techniques have been adapted for the anti-ageing benefits in the face.

Here’s how it works:

Blood circulation is stimulated supplying more nutrients, impurities drain away unrestricted and dead skin cells are brushed away naturally to reveal the glowing complexion beneath.
At a cellular level, fascia responds to touch and specific techniques stimulate the production of its own hyaluronic acid and collagen.
Areas of tension in the face are soothed so that muscles can relax. This allows energy channels to open, giving a feeling of complete relaxation not just in the face and head, but in the rest of the body too.

An additional benefit to this technique is that it is fully sustainable.

It can all be done without the use of skin care products, and is therefore suitable for those who are keen on environmentally sustainable treatments but who would still like to enjoy a facial which gives results.

Talking about sustainability, why not keep your carbon footprint to a minimum by enjoying the Fascial Effect® face massage from the comfort of your own home? I offer an online face massage workshop where I reach you a few simple techniques that you can apply yourself and achieve anti-ageing results whenever you would like.

Click here for full details and to book your place on the next workshop.

Ageing

Post-menopausal problem solving

Menopause is an important milestone in a woman’s life, but for many who struggle with their symptoms and identity, it doesn’t feel like something to celebrate. Falling levels of oestrogen are not the only trigger of menopausal symptoms; other lifestyle habits play a part.

A diet lacking essential nutrients, unhealthy levels of physical and mental stress and exposure to toxins eventually take their toll. The symptoms of menopause are likely to be more severe while the body is in a weaker nutritional and physiological state. Although menopause is anatural part of getting older, it may also speed up the aging process.

Throughout my career I’ve seen the impact of ageing on women, both the skin texture changes as hormones alter and also physically as their bodies are more subject to stiffness and reduced mobility due to aches and pains. While there isn’t a magic wand there are many things that you can do to reduce the post-menopausal symptoms.

Keep your skin supple

After ‘the change’ one of the visible changes is often a more noticeable lack of what is referred to as ‘volume’. This is what give your face that smooth, youthful ‘plumpness’ and as your collagen production drops off, the result is more wrinkles, lines and sagging. Not what you want when your confidence is probably not at an all-time high.

For those that can afford it, this is when they go off to an aesthetician to get Botox or fillers – but this is a radical approach and not for everyone.

As part of my research for my dissertation I developed a product-free facial massage, using myo-fascial techniques, that noticeably improved the skin tone and reduced the appearance of those ageing wrinkles.

That’s now been further developed into a 90 minute online training session so you can learn a simple massage that you can do for yourself. To book a Zoom Facial Workshop Click here

Look after your body

As you get older aches and pains seem to appear out of nowhere. The problem is not just the reduction in movement, but pain tends to reflect in your face – and that encourages more of those frown lines!

If you’ve over-stretched or strained something or are stiff or in pain when moving, get help sooner rather than later. More often than not it’s a situation that can be made better by myo-fascial release. This works with the soft tissues restoring flexibility and pliability.

Nutrition counts

In a perfect world we would all eat a perfect diet and be a perfect size with perfect fitness. But life isn’t perfect (and wouldn’t it be boring if it was?)

Of course, I’d advise eating a sensible diet with plenty of nutritional value – but who can resist the occasional takeaway or comfort food? A nutritional deficit often results in tiredness, lethargy or a general feeling of being ‘under par’. I know this because I’ve been there!

I’m always a little hesitant to recommend specific products, but when I discovered the Rain International range, I tried them and noticed a significant difference. Since then I’ve recommended them to friends and clients and the feedback has been hugely positive. They’re a natural cold pressed seed-oil based supplement and have literally transformed some people’s lives.

Whether you go the do-it-yourself route or find a supplement that gives your body what it needs – remember what you put in is the fuel that keeps your body running. Better to give it premium fuel, than low quality stuff.

To shop for healthy seed oil supplements Click here or if you have any questions on any of these issues – please drop me an email at jas@thefascialeffect.co.uk.

Ageing

A facial that pushes back the years

Myo-Fascial Release (MFR) has long been used to treat muscular-skeletal conditions with positive results creating free movement and releasing painful areas. It works on the transparent layer – the fascia – that wraps around all our organs, muscles and soft tissue, releasing it where it has got stuck and restoring flexibility. But what happens if the specialised techniques used on the body are adapted for the face?

It could be called a facial, but, unlike the facials we indulge in when visiting a beauty salon or a retreat, there a several notable differences:

There are no rough exfoliators as the gentle hands-on techniques will slough away the dead skin cells
There’s no need for a cleansing mask as invigorated fascia allows the skin to breathe and detox
There are no stimulating skin renewal products (e.g. fruit acids) as the energy released naturally stimulates the generation of new skin cells
You won’t need hydrating products as Hyaluronic acid exists in Fascia and the release of tension and tightness in the face makes room for water to flow for your cells to absorb moisture
In fact, the only product that may be used is a small amount of organic oil.

The big plus is that an MFR facial will restore your facial health, giving your muscles a boost, improving hydration and toning everything up, giving you a more youthful appearance. And there are also plenty of other benefits. The MFR facial relieves modern day stresses and bad posture caused by leaning over computers, texting and sedentary lifestyles of long working hours.

An MFR facial:

Releases tension in your jaw and so reduces the pain that can be caused be clenching or grinding your teeth
Reduction of puffiness around your eyes
Eases tension in your neck and addresses the causes of some tension headaches
Can improve mental clarity; often described as calming, de-stressing and intensely relaxing. Combatting the effects of a busy lifestyle resulting in you feeling tense, exhausted and, at times, unable to focus on what’s important
Relaxing, but also energising as pressure points in meridians passing through the face and head are stimulated and energy is released
A course of treatments usually reduces the need for heavy moisturisers because the structures under the surface of the skin are given the right environment to function better and hydrate naturally.

If you want to regain that youthful appearance, without the need for artificial aid, a course of MFR facials could be exactly what you need.

To book an online Face Massage Workshop click here or if you would like to talk to me, just call 07775 633798.