The anti-ageing trick you can do with your fingers

For someone who grew up in a mud hut and didn’t watch television until she was 14, Su-man Hsu has come a long way.

The 51-year-old (she looks 25) celebrity facialist and skincare guru now counts Anne Hathaway, Juliette Binoche, Frida Pinto and Kylie Minogue as clients.

Her facials have been described as a “facelift in an hour” and a “natural alternative to Botox”. So naturally we were keen to be taught by the master. Since we can’t get to the W Hotel in Bali where she’s currently in residence, we’re bringing you the next best thing; her 3 minute anti-ageing facial technique.

These exercises are easier to do sitting down, and Su-man recommends you rub the ears with the palm of both hands to generate heat in the face before beginning. And as always, start with clean hands.

Exercise 1

With the elbows rested on a table. Massage the face with moisturizer starting from the chin with the heels of both palms round up to the base of the ear line 36 times.

Exercise 2

Take the heels of both your hands from the edge of your nostrils and press along in one continuous line underneath the cheekbones up to the edge of your ears. Again, 36 times. Always, in one direction. Never press downwards. You want to lift the face muscles up – not down!

Exercise 3

Take the middle fingers of both hands and press the area between your eyes and your nose. (at the very top of your nose). You stroke gently but firmly downwards following the nose line to the side of your nostrils. It is like drawing two lines in a downward direction. You do this 36 times. This also clears the sinuses and helps to improve your breathing.

Exercise 4

You make two small claws with your four fingers of each hand. Put them together on the middle of your forehead and press quite firmly (without pulling the skin) in an outward direction, smoothly, until the temples. 36 times. Again, only in one direction.

Exercise 5

Tap around the eye sockets with our fingertips with the natural weight of the fingers. Do not tap too hard. Six times above the eye socket and six times below. This stimulates the bones of the eye socket. Do not tap the eyelids!! They are too delicate and can damage the eyes.

This exercise brightens the eyes and reduces any puffiness or swelling above or below the eyes. Once a day is enough. To finish off this exercise you continue tapping all over the face. But you only need to do this a few times.

Exercise 6

Finally, after finishing all the above five exercises you take the fingertips of the two hands, and tap everywhere on the scalp and cranium quiet strongly (using the natural weight of your fingers) to wake up the energy, the blood circulation, and to strengthen the bones. Please note it is not good to touch your face after this exercise as you can transfer dust and dirt from your hair.

If all that was lost on you, take a look at Su-Man’s video explainer below.

Image: YouTube.com