My Puffy Face
We have all been there- ate chips and guac, tacos…had a few too many margaritas, and finished it off with a cheesecake dripping in blueberry sauce. I don’t know about you but last taco Tuesday, I woke up looking like the puffer fish in finding Nemo - not a cute look. Even after washing my face and applying my skincare, I did not look anything like myself. Bloated and puffy, my dark under eyes broadcasted the story of the night before. I have so many tools and skincare that promise to make me look chiseled like Angelina Jolie… and I have been down the rabbit hole quite a few times. Instagram even targets ads at me specifically for bloating, that’s when you know you really have a problem! So I have a routine to restore me to sanity.
The Lymphatic System
So, what is this bloat and excess fluid? The lymphatic system is so yummy and fascinating. It’s a system I believe to be a key player in the longevity and health of our skin, our beloved largest organ. Basically the pipes in our bodies that filter out fluid and other liquidous substances. Our lymph system is best friends with our immune system and is stimulated by blood flow. Blood and toxins flow to the lymph nodes, or bean-sized filters, located on our neck, armpits, and chest. Then this fluid is discarded as waste or reabsorbed back into the bloodstream. Just like our heart pumps our blood, our lifestyle is the pump that helps us rid of excess fluid and water weight. Things like working out, walking, and massage all stimulate blood flow and thereby stimulate the lymphatic system.
The reality is that longevity and glowing beautiful skin is not dependent on the once-a-month facial or quarterly peel that burns your face off. Skin fitness is just that - an everyday practice that we can incorporate into our lives. Taking care of our lymphatic system is one of those everyday rituals to tend to. And when we have a night of say, drinking 18 margaritas and eating processed food, this system gets overloaded…BUT there are ways that we can help the lymphatic system do its job! So waking up after a long night, just remember: you’re not fat, you just need lymphatic drainage!
The Jade Roller
My favorite tool is the jade roller. Anything that promises to slide me up the scale from puffer fish to Angelina Jolie, I am in. Jade rollers belong in the family of gua sha, facial massage/manipulation and face yoga. They trace back to Korean skincare, and if it is good enough for Korean skincare, it is good enough for me! Korean skincare optimizes the lymphatic system and is well known for gua sha and face shaping. These are all ways that move the fluid in our face to our lymph nodes to be filtered back into the body where it belongs. The jade roller helps drain toxins from the face. Not only that, but it also improves blood circulation which increases collagen production and results in younger looking and more plump skin. Jade is cool to the touch and just as a bonus, the jade crystal is known for its healing properties and ability to promote joyfulness and love!
My Daily Ritual
So here’s my ritual. By the way, I do this ritual every day that ends in a Y because my face is where fluid tends to build up. I keep my jade roller in the freezer. We could get into this, but just know that it feels so GOOD. I grab my jade roller and I put a pillow on the floor next to an empty wall. I put on “All Too Well -Taylor’s 10-minute version” by Taylor Swift and put my legs up on the wall, feet to the ceiling so my body looks like an L. Putting your legs up defies gravity and drains the blood out of your legs, assisting the lymphatic system by pumping and recycling clean blood back into the body. By the way, this tip and many more came from the anti-bloat queen herself, Lauryn Evarts of the Skinny Confidential. (An excellent resource if you deal with bloating too!) I close my eyes and start rolling from the center of my face and outward towards the lymph nodes on my neck and up by the ears. Always in an upward and outward motion! We have to go against gravity at all costs. And it feels incredible, especially at the end of a long day. Just a warning, you can sometimes feel the fluid drain into the back of your throat but that’s when you know that it is working. When the song is over, I get up and enjoy the feeling of relaxation and blood rushing and pumping back into my legs. Afterwards, I chug a half-liter of water with lemon which will help to detox the kidneys. And bam!
Instead of foregoing taco Tuesday, I indulge. I eat the popcorn with extra salty butter on top. And the next day I just roll, roll, roll my face. Like magic, I am depuffed.
At Humble Bee, we love to celebrate our members. This month’s free gift is a jade roller. Book your appointment here to get yours today!