TALKING BEAUTY Hannah Gay navigates the Australian professional beauty industry, one burgeoning trend at a time.
78
|
In good hands
WHAT’S IN a facial? We know they’re designed to elicit a response in the upper dermal layers of the face; to kick cells into gear with the aim of revitalising the skin, repairing surface-level damage and slowing the aging process. But it’s the incorporation of massage that takes this rewiring process to the next level. While traditionally, a facial massage is considered an exciting add-on to a deep clean, some aestheticians are opting to hero the humble massage in consideration of its very own skin-enhancing benefits. Leading Melbourne-based facialist, April Brodie has focused a sizable portion of her 40-year career on the exercise and has built a business synonymous with her incredibly effective Buccal Fusion Facial. The facial, which involves several components, focuses on relieving muscular tension and draining built-up fluid which in turn, can have a significant impact on the look of the facial features. Massage is performed along the face, neck, shoulders and jawline, as well as inside the mouth in order to access hard-to-reach areas. “When muscles are tight, they are shorter and contracted,” April explains. “When released, they are longer, and appear to have a slimmer, smoother appearance, not to mention are much less tight and painful!” I met with April at Sydney’s Intercontinental where she was hosting treatments for the media. On hearing April’s story, it’s obvious from the get-go how far she’s come, recounting in detail the hurdles she’d jumped in order to master the treatment that would become her specialty; so much so, she barely paused to take a breath. After discovering the unique treatment being demoed in a London department store, April set her sights on bringing the experience to her own clients. It wasn’t until a Russian trainer took her on as a student that she was able to commence her education. Language barriers slowed her progress, and so she enlisted the support of American Cecily Braden who trained April in the art of gua sha. “Combining the techniques and theories
WWW.PROFESSIONALBEAUTY.COM.AU
I had gathered to date provided me with the missing pieces I had been searching for,” April reflects, “and I finally felt that I had elevated my treatment to the level I was happy with – and the one I deliver today.” While she received extensive, internationally accredited training, April believes the few Australian facialists who perform the treatment do so with their own unique spin. “When I first started to master Buccal Facial Massage, I realised that it was much more than just a facial – it was a complete holistic experience. There is a deep connection formed when massaging inside someone’s mouth, and my clients get off the treatment bed feeling completely transformed. This is when I realised the innate power of touch that you can wield when you truly understand how the body works and connects.” Experiencing April’s Buccal was like nothing else: not only did I look more awake and my complexion more even, but my jawline was noticeably more sculpted as though any excess weight I’d been carrying around under my chin had been removed along with any niggling mental anxieties – a result unsurprising to April. “Relaxed, lifted, and with a luminous complexion,” April concludes. April is not alone in her ethos that a facial experience is more than a moment to treat the skin, but one to heal the mind, body and soul through the power of touch; to reflect an internal state of calm on the face. Kimberley Conboy, Educator and Skin Specialist at endota believes the range of benefits from undergoing massage treatments are “huge.” “Mentally you experience relaxation, stress relief, emotional detox, and a boost of endorphins. Physically there is relaxation of the muscles, stimulated circulation, superficial lymphatic drainage, hydration and pain relief; a regular massage really does improve one’s mental and physical health!”
