Want to take your night time beauty routine to the next level? Skincare expert Nichola Joss shares her essential 10-step plan with us
The night time ritual the skincare experts swear by, a daily dose of facial massage could be the secret weapon in your anti-ageing artillery for duking it out with the elements this winter.
A skill that Nichola Joss, Celebrity Facialist & Sanctuary Spa Skincare Expert has employed since her teens, she’s seen how effective it can be first-hand: “I was 18 when I first started learning the techniques and since then, I’ve developed and perfected my own steps,” she tells us. “I’m lucky I did, because now my skin is bouncy, pores are refined, there is lots of moisture in the upper layers and I have improved contours - and it’s exactly the same with clients! After my facials, clients always see immediate results of lifted, radiant, bouncy skin.” (We can definitely vouch for that).
“It’s probably one of the most important roles within a skincare regime. It builds circulation, meaning more oxygenated blood feeding, nourishing of skin cells and encouraging of the renewal process,” she adds. “It also helps to reduce facial muscle tension as well as calming and relaxing the mind.”
And the additional beauty of it? It can be done from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a good facial oil...
Why use a facial oil?
“All skin types suffer in the winter from the cold temperatures outdoors and heating indoors leading to dry, uneven, dull looking skin,” Nichola says. “Oils are the best treatment for dull, parched winter skin as they penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin to nourish, hydrate and add radiance. Always apply a facial oil using massage movements, as facial massage relaxes and tones the muscles to help sculpt facial contours, remove stress and tension in the face, boost blood flow, awaken the senses and push the nourishing ingredients deep into the skin.”
The best facial oils
Sanctuary Spa Therapist’s Secret Facial Oil: Nichola’s go-to oil. This hard-working choice works wonderfully for dry to combination skin types in particular to reveal a dewy, plump, radiant complexion.
£17.50. Buy online .
De Mamiel Autumn Facial Oil: a blend of nourishing anti-oxidant-rich aromatic oils and flower essences expertly mixed up by aromatherapist extraordinaire Annee de Mamiel. Not only does it smell like, oh, bliss in a bottle, it also leaves both skin and spirit suitably revitalised and restored.
£70. Buy online .
Sanctuary Spa Wonder Oil Serum: A dual phase hybrid perfectly suited for combination and oily skin types. It successfully straddles the serum/oil line to provide nourishment and anti-ageing benefits in one product.
£19.50. Buy online .
Elemis Superfood Facial Oil: an easy yet effective way to boost your daily superfood quota. Soothing and radiance-enhancing, it gives skin a boost from within to feed it from the inside out.
£45. Buy online .
Bamford Life Elixir: enriched with organic argan oil and strawberry seed oil to deeply hydrate. A richer textured buy certain to quench even the most parched of skin types.
£60. Buy online .
Sanctuary Spa Overnight Miracle Oil: A super hydrating golden elixir for tired, dry skin to help super-boost your beauty sleep (on nights when it’s looking sparse...)
£19.50. Buy online .
Your 10-step DIY facial massage routine
Got your oil? Here’s Nichola’s guide to mastering the techniques...
Step 1: Pop 3-4 drops of Therapist's Secret Facial Oil into your palms and rub together to warm the oil.
Step 2: Close your eyes and press your hands up to your face, taking a few deep breaths in to enjoy the aroma of the oil.
Step 3: Gently apply the palms of your hands to your face and move your hands outwards in smooth sweeping movements, working from the centre of the face outwards.
Step 4: Massage the oil into your skin for 1 minute using your fingertips and starting from the centre of the face, working outwards and upwards in small circular motions.
Step 5: To firm and tone the jawline, bend your index and middle fingers on both hands and place your chin between your knuckles. Glide along your jawline to under your ears in a sweeping motion. Repeat 6 times.
Step 6: To improve facial contours, place the pads of your thumbs under your cheekbones with your palms facing outwards and gently push up. Work from the centre of the face outwards. Repeat 6 times.
Step 7: To improve fine lines and wrinkles across the brow area, place your fingertips on the centre of your brow and with firm pressure sweep upwards and outwards, moving towards the hairline and finishing at the temples. Repeat 6 times.
Step 8: Improve the firmness of the skin on the neck by gently using your palms to sweep the oil up the neck area.
Step 9: Then sweep your palms across your chest from left shoulder to right shoulder, sweeping across the décolletage with the palm of the hand. Repeat both sides 3 times.
Step 10: Finally, sweep residual oil onto the back of your hands to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on hands.
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