Talking “Touch Therapy” With Facial Massage Expert Beata Aleksandrowicz
Spas have long engaged the power of our senses - with touch being among the most popular and important! In our everyday lives the power of touch is truly endless. It nurtures, comforts, decreases stress, and helps with your skincare routine. In India it is common to massage newborns for improved growth and sleep. Even Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine,” treated injuries with massages. He believed in a well-balanced lifestyle for good health. This included massage, exercise, fresh air, music therapy and a proper diet. Needless to say, the old practice of massage is essential and healing for both the body and the spirit.
When between facial appointments, many skincare enthusiasts look for ways to use massage techniques at home, and no one is more qualified to help them than Beata Aleksandrowicz. Known as the “face whisperer”, the massage expert shows us how we can approach skincare with mindful routines that help promote a healthy and younger-looking complexion. In fact, it was Beata’s instructional face massage videos that helped us get through the pandemic. Her approach to wellbeing teaches us to advocate for ourself and take matters into our own hands.
The soothing and intimate practice of facial massage continues to grow in popularity, and for a good reason. The effective ritual can be done in a professional setting or at home, resulting in many benefits. When done correctly, a facial massage stimulates circulation and collagen, countours the face, promotes lymphatic drainage, relieves stress and tightness in the jaw, and results in a more supple and glowing complexion.
Learn why the power of touch is essential with “the face whisperer,” Beata Aleksandrowicz.
The Soak Club: Your talent is the power of touch. Can you explain why this became your main focus?
BA: The power of touch has been well-researched, and it has been confirmed that touch is first sense developed in embryo, even before the development of the face. It is truly the mother of all senses. We know now beyond any doubt that positive, intentional touch supports children’s cognitive and emotional development. Touch helps us to relate to our own body and to our physicality at large. It is an incredible tool for communicating with others and the fundamental of any wellness treatment. It heals, it reassures, it brings comfort and connection.
The Soak Club: What are the first lessons you teach a massage novice?
BA: The core of a great massage treatment is the ability to be in the present moment. This allows therapists to be fully engaged and effectively use their skills and techniques. ‘Absent’ therapists won’t be able to address client’s concerns or responds to their needs. Therapist’s lack of presence has a devastating effect on clients emotionally, mentally and physically. Presence is the core, the base from which a therapist can further develop their skills, techniques, posture awareness and so on.
Of course the ability to stay in the present moment is most challenging for all of us. We have a tendency to focus on the past or future, which makes us unsettled, as the past cannot be changed while the future cannot be controlled.
I use different teaching methods to help therapists to connect with themselves, to develop peace within themselves and as a result to have the ability to stay in the moment before during and after treatment.
The Soak Club: Our hands are one of the best (and free) tools we can use for massage, but what are your thoughts on using technology and the large range of tools on the market?
BA: I can observe a huge temptation to bring technology to the spas. It has been promoted as being more effective business wise, as it can reduce the number of therapists working in spas. My personal opinion is that there should be no fight between technology and touch – all technology still requires team members to create the journey. So that the diagnostics, analysis and therapies are given a human touch. Imagine what would be possible for the client if very high level of technical equipment could be elevated by the human experience that only touch can offer?
The Soak Club: What is the connection between massage and our psyche/mental wellness?
BA: Massage positively impacts every system in our body because it relaxes us. It helps our nervous system to maintain its balance, which means that all other systems can work better. Stress literally tenses our muscles limiting free movement and impacts on our posture. It reduces the oxygen supply to the body, hence less energy. Sluggishness occurs and our endocrine system doesn’t respond to our needs as it should. This leads to changes in our mood, as well as a lack of ability to process information in a strong and effective way. It makes us feel tired, unmotivated and often leads to depression.
Even 30 minutes massage can significantly increase the level of serotonin making us to feel harmonious, content and light. It has a direct and immediate effect on the quality of our life. I have been observing this almost immediate transformation over my whole career which spans more than 26 years.
To see such a profound change resulting from intentional, well-structured and wise massage techniques continues to inspire me and makes me to want to do my work and to develop my method.
The Soak Club: Can you provide any quick massage techniques on how to calm the mind on-the-go?
BA: Muscles can only work well when they are relaxed. That is why self-massage becomes an essential especially for people who have been working from home. This technique is useful for soothing the muscles and calming the mind as it helps you to be present in the moment when massaging the body.
1. Because neck and shoulder pain is a huge problem, I recommend that people concentrate on these two areas. Sit comfortably with a straight back, hands on the lap and feet touching the floor. Close your eyes and take five deep breaths, directing the breath towards the tension. On the out breath relax the tension. Then place the palms of hands on both sides of shoulders, needing and squeezing the muscles between the fingers and the palm. Breathe regularly.
2. Next you can use three fingers, (index, middle and ring finger) and place directly on the knot in the muscle or the spot that is the most painful. Breathe in and out, on the out breath begin to press into the knot using very slow circular movements. You can use a similar technique for the neck.
3. Starting at the base of the neck where it connects with the shoulders use three fingers to massage the muscles in circular movements (on the out breath). Moving up the neck until you reach the groove between your skull and neck. You can continue this ritual along and under the bone at the base of the skull outwards to the ear.
The Soak Club: How do you as a professional unwind after an especially hard day?
BA: I dance. I have practiced 5 Rhythms Dance for many years and it always help me to shake off the tension that I accumulate over the long day. Even if this is just 5 minutes to let go of any restrictions in the body caused by a long and demanding day. Afterwards I would breathe, meditate and take a warm shower. I would massage my feet or my hands. There are so many nerve points there and it can have fantastic effect on the whole body!
The Soak Club: In your opinion, where is the spa industry heading?
BA: I am not sure to be honest. There are more and more spas opening every year which creates stronger competition between them. Owners and investors feel that they need to build something unique to stay at the forefront of the industry, so the costs of building, infrastructure, equipment and services are skyrocketing. It not only sends the message that wellness is a luxury reserved for few but also leaves therapists lacking advanced training as there is basically nothing left in the budget to support their growth. As a result, the chances that client will receive a true human experience are slim and the fundamental role of the spa industry, which is serving the community and support people in healing and developing the ability to connect with themselves and others - seems to be not of the main concern.
I personally believe in local, no nonsense wellness centers that can educate people in their health and happiness and be an important part of the local community life. Where with every visit people will build their health, self-awareness, ability to recognise and respond to their needs and joy of connecting with others.
