MASSAGE

"The love of beauty is one of the most firmly implanted qualities

of the human mind, and only those who are mentally deficient fail

to appreciate it. From the human standpoint there is no edifice so

beautiful as that earthly temple which enshrines the soul."--_Dr.

Cyrus Edson._

Massage is as old as the hills. Most really good things are, I've

found. The Grecian and Roman women preserved their wondrous, wholesome

beauty by reveling in luxuriant baths and then undergoing vigorous

massage by their stout-armed slaves. Massage is a natural alleviator

and comfort-giver. The first thing a baby does when he bumps his

precious head is to rub the injured spot with his little fist. Relief

seems to come with friction. If one's temples hurt, the hands seem to

itch and tingle to get to rubbing and smoothing out the aches there.

And the reason for it is that friction makes active the nerves and

blood vessels and exercises the tired or fretting muscles. Massage is

exercise. If we were to cease using our arms the muscles would shrink

and soon become incapable of movement. The skin outside would, of

course, be affected by the general warpings of the tissues, and the

result would be everything that is dreadful to the mind

feminine--crow's feet, wrinkles, sallowness and lack of the tints and

colors of health. You who have enjoyed the pleasures of a Turkish bath

must know how new and robust and fresh you feel after the invigorating

cleansing and pummeling by a strong and experienced masseuse.

We all know about the system of decay and renewing which the skin

constantly undergoes. It is much the same way with the muscles. The

very tiny cells of which the muscles are composed are continually being

repaired. As the wornout particles are rejected the new fiber is

created. Does it not stand to reason that massage will facilitate this

process, make the flesh firmer, restore vigor to the muscles and give

new life to the entire system?

The muscles of the face, more than those of any other part of the body,

are lazy and torpid. As the troubles of life descend, the wear and tear

of bothersome existence begins to show. The circulation becomes

defective, and this brings flabby tissues and a wrinkled, sallow skin.

Then, oh, woe! woe! One feels as if one might just as well be dead and

gone as to be trailing through life so afflicted.

Massage means "I knead." While the professional masseuse should be well

informed concerning the muscles of the face and neck, the location of

the veins and arteries, and the general formation of the skin, the

little home body who wishes to rub away a few wrinkles or turkey tracks

can easily dispense with the acquiring of so much knowledge. With

knowing what "not to do," she will get along very well, although it has

always been my opinion that the simplest and most satisfactory way to

learn to massage one's own cheeks and brow is to go to a first-class

professional for one or two treatments. If you keep your eyes open you

will easily learn the simplest and most effective movements.

The first thing to remember is that massage will both create and reduce

flesh, according to the treatment given and the time devoted to it.

Severe rubbing and rolling of the flesh between the fingers will

gradually dissolve the fatty tissues. The flesh will then become soft

and flabby, and the skin will be likely to fall into tiny lines unless

an astringent wash, like weak alum water (used hot), is applied to

tighten and harden it slightly, and so make the flesh firm. If the

massage is continued, the flabby flesh will also be reduced, especially

when the astringent wash is applied to help the hardening process. When

the face is to be plumpened or wrinkles removed, then rub the skin very

gently with a rotary motion, which is not a mere rubbing but a kneading

as well, and follow with light tapping movements. Never roll the flesh

between the fingers unless reduction is the object. Also, never massage

oftener than once every twenty-four hours, and then only for fifteen or

twenty minutes.

So much for the don'ts. Before beginning the massage have the face

perfectly clean. Wash with tepid water and pure castile soap. Otherwise

the dust and powder are kneaded into the pores and the result is

frequently extremely irritating.

The reasons for massage are many. It facilitates and stimulates the

skin in its continual effort to throw off the tiny flakes of dried,

dead cuticle. It is exercise for the muscles, and at the same time it

inspires a livelier circulation of the blood. It is easy to understand

then why massage is so beneficial for the face, and why it makes a

rosy, healthy complexion. Massage alone will remedy many a complexion

ill, for when the muscles are sluggish and torpid, the tissues weak and

flabby, the circulation as slow as the messenger boys in the funny

papers, and the skin sallow and wrinkled, all in the world that is

needed is a little gentle patting and coddling and rubbing into a less

lifeless state.

Great care must be taken lest the skin become bruised and irritated.

For this reason a cream or skin food is used. Let me suggest that this

emollient be of the good, pure, home-made kind, not the cheap cosmetic

which has mutton tallow or lard as a principal foundation. The orange

flower skin food (formula appears in the chapter on the complexion) is

the best formula for this purpose, as it will, by absorption, fatten

and build up the impoverished tissues, and at the same time strengthen,

whiten and soften the skin. Mineral oils must never be used. Glycerin

not only makes the complexion darker and rather yellow, but it dries

the secretions of the skin very rapidly, and a dry, harsh surface is

the sure result. Vaseline--as we should know from its reputation as a

hair tonic--will not prove a happiness to one.

The skin food should be rubbed in all over the face and far down upon

the neck with a firm, circular movement. When the cream is partially

absorbed begin the manipulations, starting at the forehead. Place the

thumbs on the temples and in that way hold the skin firm and taut. With

the tips of the first and second fingers of both hands rub the lines

transversely. If there be wrinkles across the forehead, rub up and

down, holding the skin tight at the top of the forehead with the first

fingers and manipulating with the second and third.

Another movement which is excellent for wrinkles is to place the first

finger of each hand crosswise of the wrinkles about half an inch apart.

Then push up a little fold. As the left hand finger pushes its way

along the wrinkle, let the right hand one rub up and down, always

keeping the line up into a little hill.

In massaging the lines about the eyes the movement should begin by

rubbing the eyelid from the nose outward half an inch beyond the end of

the eye, then returning below the eye toward the nose. This will make

the massage sweep back crosswise of the crow's feet. Another movement

is to hold the skin taut and then knead the lines firmly with the first

and second fingers of the right hand.

If the chin is fleshy and you wish to massage it down to smaller

proportions, you must dissolve the fatty tissues by picking up the

flesh between the thumb and forefinger and rolling and rubbing as much

as you possibly can without injuring or breaking the skin. Then, in

order to keep the flesh from getting flabby the rotund little chin must

be bathed in cold water, in which is a small pinch of alum, a piece the

size of a bean being plenty for a pint of water. This alum bath,

remember, is only to be applied when you are reducing the carbon or

fat.

The "kneading" movement is very beneficial. This is done very gently

with the thumb and forefinger only--precisely the motion used in

kneading bread. The smoothing manipulation for the wrinkles is probably

better explained as an "ironing out" motion. All lines can stand these

two movements. Whenever the skin seems particularly dull of color and

generally lifeless, then the patting comes in excellent play. This is

merely a gentle tattoo over the entire face. Electricity is an

excellent accessory to massage--but that is another story.

After the massage, wet a wash cloth in water slightly chilled, and lay

over the face. This will close the pores nicely. Dry and apply powder.

I trust that my beauty students will easily understand the

foregoing--it is certainly a difficult topic to explain lucidly. As I

said before, it is a wise plan to go to some one who thoroughly

understands the art and let her teach you. While massage can be given

at home, it is more satisfactory if done by a professional whose

knowledge of anatomy will assist her toward the best results.