I first heard about buccal face massage from, of all people, actor Kristen Bell. Aside from being on the show Nobody Wants This on Netflix and the voice of Anna in Disney’s Frozen movies, the girl’s got flawless porcelain skin.
In a TV interview, Bell casually mentioned a treatment called a buccal facial, in which her esthetician puts on a pair of latex gloves, then reaches her fingers into her mouth and works the interior muscles of her cheeks and jaw to help release facial tension, increase circulation, and improve elasticity. It’s like a deep tissue massage for the inside of the face.
As someone who holds most of their tension in their jaw, although the idea of someone sticking their hand in my mouth seemed pretty weird, I was definitely intrigued. But while finding a spa or esthetician that offers buccal facial massage in Los Angeles or New York isn't much of a challenge, it's been slow to catch on here in the Bay Area. Lately, though, more places are beginning to offer the treatment. I have had a buccal facial massage twice now at two different locations and I’m happy to say that it was worth it.
A buccal facial massage at Pro Beauty(Courtesy of @beauty.probeauty)
The esthetician usually starts with typical external facial treatments like cleansing and treating the skin to help you relax. Once the gloves go on, they work on the interior walls of your cheeks and lower half of your face with repetitive strokes. It really is like getting a massage from the inside out.
You might feel a tinge of discomfort because of the knots that are being worked out. In some cases, I even started tearing up because of the tension being released, but I was never in pain. The treatment left my face feeling warm, relaxed, and lighter overall, even in my jaw and neck. Repeated visits on a regular basis can improve the skin tone and firmness—some estheticians I spoke to said it was a viable non-invasive alternative to getting Botox or other facial injections if done regularly.
If you’re still squeamish, consider whether you tend to prefer gentler massages or deep tissue massages that use firmer pressure. Overall, buccal facial massage can be a bit less relaxing than the usual facial, but the release in tension and increase in circulation afterwards is what you’re after. Be aware that you might feel some soreness, sensitivity, mild redness, or slight bruising in the areas that have more tension.
If you’re game to give buccal facial massage a try, check out these five Bay Area spas and estheticians. Granted, the treatment is not exactly affordable, but I think it pays to have someone who knows what they’re doing when it comes to something as specific as this. As always, consult them directly if you have any questions or preexisting medical conditions.
(Courtesy of @krasa.bayarea)
Krasa Studio
Krasa Studio was my first experience with a buccal massage and the staff was friendly and walked me through the entire process. My esthetician used smooth, easy strokes and not too much pressure, making it perfect for first-timers. You can choose from a 75-minute ($160) or 60-minute ($130) session. Check their website for occasional specials. // 510 South Mathilda Ave., Suite 10 (Sunnyvale), krasastudio.com
Pro Beauty
Pro Beauty provided expert service in a more clinical (but still relaxed) environment at their Palo Alto location. Their estheticians were very confident with their techniques and the use of varying pressure, paying as much attention to the facial beforehand as they did to the buccal massage. The myofascial face massage with optional buccal massage is $160, and their sport lifting and buccal face massage is $170. // 2431 Park Blvd. (Palo Alto), pro-beauty.us
Colette Sugar Studio
Colette Sugar Studio offers a 75-minute organic buccal restore and lift facial for $280. The full experience includes manual lymphatic drainage, buccal massage, gua sha (a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that uses a flat stone across the skin to relax stiff muscles), upper body massage, and a facial mask. // 2118 El Camino Real, Studio 29 (Santa Clara), colettesugar.com
No Filter Brazilian Med Spa
No Filter Brazilian Med Spa has two services to choose from that include buccal massage: facial reposturing for $170 and a lymphatic reposturing treatment for $190. // 800 South B St., Suite 200 (San Mateo), nofilterbrazilianmedspa.com
Total Glow
Total Glow offers a customized Eastern facial massage that can incorporate gua sha, a Kansa wand that targets energy points, and buccal massage techniques. Call for pricing. // 1906 El Camino Real, Suite 201 (Menlo Park), totalglow.com
