Facial care

ON A ROLL

Facial rollers are the latest must-have skincare device — but do they live up to the hype?

WORDS SHARON HUNT

Roll through the ages

While face rollers appear to have sprung from nowhere, they actually date back to the 17th century Qing dynasty when crystals and stones were incorporated into beauty tools for their healing and soothing properties.

So, how exactly can a crystal improve your skin? Admittedly, there’s little clinical evidence to support facial rollers’ ability to improve the skin long term.

However, beauty therapist Poppy Jeff ery from Sydney’s Wonder clinic explains that facial rollers — like all massage forms — “increase circulation and blood fl ow”.

Senior dermal skin therapist Christie Cameron from Gold Coast clinic SSKIN agrees.

“The facial roller increases circulation to the face, which can create a more glowing complexion,” Christie says.

“It also stimulates lymphatic drainage. This helps to move stagnant lymph and toxin release, which can decrease the appearance of skin puffi ness.”

Christie adds that massaging the skin with a cold stone kickstarts a host of benefi ts. “The coolness of the facial roller increases blood circulation, reducing redness and puffi ness on the face,” she says.

Romancing the stone

The type of stone selected makes minimal diff erence, according to the experts.

“Rose quartz stays cool, whereas jade is adaptive with skin contact. But jade is a soft stone and can easily encounter wear and tear, whereas rose quartz tends to last longer,” Christie says.

Stainless steel rollers tend to be the most durable, Poppy adds.

Ready, set, go

A roller should be reserved “as the last step of your facial routine”, according to Poppy, and ideally after a skincare routine comprised of a cleanser, oils, serums and moisturiser. “This will lubricate the skin and stop any tugging or discomfort,” she says.

Remember: the overall goal is to massage the skin with light pressure to increase circulation and release trapped fl uid to promote lymphatic drainage.

“Always roll upwards, never back and forth,” Poppy advises, and aim for about fi ve minutes, a few times a week.

Clean machine

“After each use, wipe away any excess product on the stone with a damp cloth or soft towel. For a deeper clean, use a gentle cleanser to wipe away build-up and kill bacteria.” — Poppy Jeffery

Chris e’s rou ne

STEP 1 Cheeks & jaw

Place the roller alongside the chin and jawline. Using gentle pressure, roll up towards the ear and cheekbone. Once at the ear, lift the tool back to the starting position and repeat the upward rolling motion 5-6 times. Then, repeat the whole process on the opposite side.

STEP 2 Forehead

Starting with the roller on the forehead, roll towards the hairline in upward motions. Then, lift the tool back to the forehead alongside the previous starting position and again roll up towards the hair line. Repeat this motion 5-6 times until the entire forehead area has been covered.

STEP 3 Eyes

Using a smaller stone, place your roller under the eyes at the inner corner and smooth to the outer eye corner with a gentle lifting motion. Repeat this 10-15 times before switching to the other side.

FOR AN ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FACIAL ROLLING SCAN HERE