One of my more recent wellness obsessions is facial cupping. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve felt that my lymph is more stagnant and a lymphatic drainage practice is part of my weekly routine.
The facial cupping benefits are endless—from lymphatic drainage to stimulating collagen and encouraging blood circulation, it results in clearer, brighter and tighter skin when you do this just twice a week—yes, that’s it! Such an easy addition to any weekly skin care routine you already have.
I’m sharing more of the amazing benefits of this simple practice and exactly how you can do this effectively at home.
I also do facial massage to stretch and relax connective tissues in my face and I find that facial cupping is a perfect complement to this practice.
What is Facial Cupping?
Facial cupping is actually an ancient practice that has been adapted from body cupping. While body cupping focuses on relieving muscle tension, facial cupping is an alternative therapy that’s specifically designed to rejuvenate the skin and restore your youthful glow.
You can do facial cupping treatments at home or in an office.
During your facial cupping session, small, gentle suction cups are moved in a specific pattern across the face. The gentle suction stimulates blood and lymph circulation, separating tissue layers and triggering a healing response in the skin. It helps remove stagnant lymph fluid that can cause puffiness.
This process helps to increase oxygen-rich blood circulation, revitalize the skin, and provide a boost of youthful nutrients to strengthen underlying tissues, resulting in a fresh and rejuvenated appearance.
Facial Cupping Benefits
If you’re anything like me and looking for holistic and natural ways to improve the health and appearance of your skin, facial cupping is a simple and effective practice that works for different skin types, even those with sensitive skin because it’s so gentle.
It has tons of benefits from promoting a glowing complexion and a more youthful appearance to relaxation and stress relief. Here are some of the main benefits include:
Increased Blood Circulation
The gentle suction and movement of the cups across the face stimulate blood flow, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the skin. This increased circulation can result in a more radiant and glowing complexion.
Lymphatic Drainage
This was the main reason I started doing facial cupping! In recent years, I just felt like my face was puffy all the time. Facial cupping helps to promote lymphatic drainage, which can reduce puffiness and swelling in the face.
By encouraging the removal of toxins and waste from the lymphatic system, facial cupping can help to detoxify the skin and improve its overall health. It’s also incredibly relaxing—such a great, simple way to practice self-care.
Stimulated Collagen Production
Facial cupping can trigger the production of collagen, a protein that helps to keep the skin firm and youthful. By boosting collagen production, facial cupping can help to improve the skin’s elasticity and firmness, give you brighter skin, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. I’ve even heard that it can help with discoloration and dark spots as well.
Over time, I’ve found that I have smoother skin and my skin health is much better—far less breakouts and clogged pores.
Reduced TMJ Symptoms
This is me! I’ve been clenching and grinding my teeth at night for as long as I remember. When I learned that this can be especially beneficial for individuals who carry a lot of tension in their jaw or suffer from TMJ (temporomandibular joint) issues, I was sold! I’m willing to try anything before resorting to botox injections in my jaw muscles.
Improved Product Absorption
One of the lesser-known benefits of facial cupping is its ability to enhance the absorption of skincare products. The increased blood circulation and lymphatic drainage can help products penetrate deeper into the skin, maximizing their effectiveness. This means that your serums, moisturizers, and other skincare products have a better chance of delivering their benefits to the skin.
I’ve learned that it’s recommended to apply your skincare BEFORE you do your facial cupping for maximum absorption.
Natural Face Lift
Regular facial cupping can help tone and lift the skin, giving you a natural face lift effect. The gentle suction increases blood flow and stimulates the production of collagen, which can improve skin elasticity and firmness, resulting in a more lifted and sculpted appearance and youthful skin. Who doesn’t love that?
Reduced Sinus Congestion
If you suffer from sinus congestion, especially during allergy season or when you have a cold, facial cupping can be a great natural remedy. The gentle suction can help to clear the sinuses and relieve congestion, providing relief from symptoms like stuffy nose and pressure in the face.
Improved Overall Skin Health
Facial cupping can contribute to overall skin health. The increased blood circulation and lymphatic drainage can help remove toxins and impurities from the skin, promoting a clearer complexion, healthy skin and preventing breakouts. It can also improve the skin’s texture, leaving it softer, smoother, and more supple.
Relaxation and Stress Relief
In addition to its physical benefits, facial cupping can also provide emotional and mental relaxation. The gentle suction and movement of the cups can help to release tension in the facial muscles, promoting a sense of relaxation and reducing stress levels. I often do this practice at night while we’re watching a show, or while I’m sitting in bed prepping for sleep.
How to Do Facial Cupping at Home
Apply Facial Oil
For your facial cupping session at home, first apply a facial oil to your clean skin. This will allow the cups to glide smoothly and not pull your skin too hard. You don’t want to do face cupping on dry skin as the cups won’t slide.
I love this prickly pear seed oil because it has a comedogenic rating of 0, meaning it is not likely to clog your pores. For anyone worried about breakouts, his one would be great. That being said, you can use any facial oil you and your skin like.
Open your Lymphatic System
Before you start working on your face, you’ll want to open your lymph nodes so they can drain more effectively.
Grab your set of cups, I recommend this set of facial cups as they’re affordable and effective. Start with the bigger one and gently press and squeeze on your neck, under your jaw bone.
Once you get suction, squeeze to release and remove off your skin, do not drag. Do this several times up and down one side of your neck and then move to the other.
Start Facial Cupping
Start by placing your larger cup under your chin, squeeze to create suction and gently move under your jawline to your ear and then down your neck. Repeat 5 times per side.
If you ever find that your cup isn’t gliding well, just add a little more facial oil, a few drops will do.
Then move to your face along your jawline and repeat from your chin across your jawline to your ear.
Next, place the smaller cup on the corner of your mouth and gently move it in an upward motion towards your ear. You can use this smaller cup around the edges of your lips as well and on top above your lip.
Swap to the larger cup again and move to your cheeks by starting at the center of your face and moving outwards towards your ears.
For the forehead, start in the center and move in an outward and upward motion towards the hairline.
Finally, move to the area under your eyes and use your smaller cup. This one is more gentle and we want to be extremely gentle with the skin around our eyes. For under your eyes, do not glide your cup, you’ll do the squeeze and release to stimulate blood flow and circulation without pulling on the skin. Then sing those smaller cups, start at the outer corner of the eye and and moving outwards towards the temples. Remember to be gentle with the cups to avoid bruising and broken capillaries.
Drain Lymphatic System
When you’re done with your cups, set them aside and take your index and middle finger and move them up and down on either side of your ear to help remove any lymph, then gently take the side of your hand and move it down your neck, you need less pressure than you think. Lastly, gently pump the skin on top of your collarbone and that’s it!
When I’m done, I can usually feel the fluid moving in my body and my face feels fresher, tighter and more vibrant!
Clean Up
Lastly, you’ll want to wash your cups with a gentle cleanser and set out on a clean towel or paper towel to dry. I typically wash my face using the oil cleanser method after this as well to really get that deep clean. Go ahead and apply skincare after that and you’re done!
RELATED: 6 Essentials for Skincare Every Woman Needs
Facial Cupping FAQs
Does Facial Cupping Actually Work?
Yes, facial cupping can work effectively to stimulate collagen production, improve skin tone, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and provide various other benefits for the skin. At the very least, it will leave you feeling relaxed !
Results can typically be seen after a few sessions, with improvements in skin tone, texture, and overall appearance.
How Often Should you Do Facial Cupping?
I would recommend doing this twice a week at night. I would suggest no more than three times a week to avoid overdoing it and potentially damaging the skin.
You want to give your skin time for cell repair and healing in between sessions.
What Time of Day Should I Do Facial Cupping?
While you can do it at any time, I learned that it’s best to do it at night before bed because your skin regenerates and heals overnight.
How do I get started?
All you need is your favorite facial oil and a set of facial cups! Then follow the above instructions. Always start with clean skin.
Will it leave bruises?
Facial cupping, unlike body cupping, uses a milder suction that does not break blood vessels or cause bruising. However, some mild redness may occur immediately after treatment, which typically subsides within a few hours. I’ve never had any issues with bruising and if you do, you may be using too much suction.
What NOT to Do After Face Cupping
After facial cupping, it is important to avoid drinking alcohol, consuming caffeine, and eating salty foods to allow the body to fully benefit from the treatment and maintain the results.
I recommend doing facial cupping at night, so drink a glass of water and then go to bed!
This wellness practice is a simple one that doesn’t take much time or effort and only needs to be done twice a week to see lasting results. It stimulates blood flow, reduces the appearance of puffiness, improves circulation, relaxes facial tissue, supports lymphatic drainage and leaves you feeling relaxed and stress free. I hope this helps you understand the true facial cupping benefits and inspires you to give this a try!
BTW, my honest NuDerma high frequency wand review, and how to make a custom DIY face serum at home.
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