BLOG 42: 4 EAR MASSAGE MOVES TO BRIGHTEN A TIRED FACE

We’re living in a fast-paced world. Our to-do lists are long, and our responsibilities can sometimes feel a burden and technology can be a blessing and a curse all in one!

With so many burdens carried on our shoulders, our stress levels keep spiking up with less and less rest in between.

As a result, exhaustion threateningly looms over. The body is a piece of complex machinery that will bluntly and subtly let us know when it has had enough. Our faces — most of the time the second quickly noticeable feature after our posture — show the wear and tear of tiredness: hanging eyelids, pale skin, puffy eyes, wrinkles, etc.

One of the ways to minimise and even eliminate the effects of fatigue is facial yoga. Facial yoga exercises have been around for centuries. They’ve been used in Ayurveda (one of the oldest healing sciences) and traditional Chinese medicine. I fuse these age old techniques with new science and knowledge in the Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method. 

Some benefits include:

• Natural and non surgical facial lift
• Endorphins release
• Facial blood circulation improvement
• Headache and migraine relief
• Stress relief

In this post, we’ll be focusing on ear massage exercises. All these moves are fairly simple. You can do them with your eyes open or closed. I  recommend doing them with the eyes closed for a more intense sensation and relaxation. Follow the instructions down below and enjoy pampering yourself. 

Note: Remember these aren’t a substitute for medical guidance so firstly seek medical advice for any illnesses or ailments.

EAR MASSAGE EXERCISE NUMBER 1

With both indexes and thumbs, gently tug on your earlobes downwards. You’ll be activating and working an acupressure point in the earlobe, which is suggested to relieve tinnitus (buzzing/ringing in the ear), headaches, and earaches.

A few seconds into this exercise, you should feel a warmth spreading down your cheeks and going all the way across your nose.

Repeat the same motion on the outer parts of the ear, then on the upper parts.

EAR MASSAGE EXERCISE NUMBER 2

Using the indexes and thumbs, grab onto your earlobes and start going in circular motions. Make sure to apply a bit of pressure but not to the point where it feels like you’re pinching your earlobes.

Do it for around 20 seconds then move up a tad bit and repeat the exercise until you reach the top of your ears.

EAR MASSAGE EXERCISE NUMBER 3

Instead of using the indexes and the thumbs, switch to your indexes and middle fingers linked together. Ever so tenderly, smooth around the outline of your ears. Keep the movement going for around 20 to 30 seconds, then rest your fingers on the acupuncture point at the indentation where the jawbone meets the ear (behind your earlobe, an area called the wind screen). Keep your breath deep and steady and allow yourself to mellow out.

When you’re done, gently release your fingers and open your eyes.

EAR MASSAGE EXERCISE NUMBER 4

This massage is going to focus on the inside portion of your ears. Again, roll your index and middle fingers in a circular motion on the inside of your ear (also called the ear gate).

Keep it going for about 30 seconds, then press into the muscle and hold for a few seconds.

This massage is suggested to help with ear infections and tension headaches.

Once you’re done, try to feel the difference. Your face should feel warmer with better circulation, and your muscles should feel relaxed.

You can watch the full routine on this Youtube video

You can train to become a certified Face Yoga teacher here