BLOG 24: 3 WAYS TO USE A KANSA WAND TO NATURALLY LIFT THE FACE

Facial massage is such a beautiful way to increase the circulation to your skin, lift the muscles, and release tension. There’s a lot you can do just with your hands, but I also like to use some facial massage tools to enhance the benefits and add variation to my routine. And one tool that I love to use is a kansa wand. So today, I’m going to tell you more about this traditional massage tool and how you can use it to give yourself a natural face lift.

WHAT IS A KANSA WAND?

If you’ve not heard of this tool before, you might be wondering what a kansa wand is. This traditional facial massage tool has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years. It has a wooden handle and a dome-shape tip made from kansa metal, which is a mix of copper, tin, and sometimes zinc. 

I love this beautiful one from Mauli Rituals – it has been ethically handcrafted from natural materials and feels wonderful on your skin. And you can get free shipping at the moment if you use my code DANIELLE at the checkout. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING A KANSA WAND?

In the Ayurvedic tradition, there is a big focus on Marma points – these roughly correspond to acupressure points and are usually positioned over our lymph nodes. Massaging these points is an important aspect of Ayurvedic healing and is believed to release energy that has become stuck or stagnant. So, in Ayurveda the kansa wand has a healing purpose because it can be used to activate the Marma points.

You don’t have to be a follower of Ayurvedic traditions to get the benefits of a kansa wand though. This soothing massage tool has plenty of uses to lift our faces and leave us with naturally glowing skin. Here are three ways that using a kansa wand can help:

1. AIDS LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

One of the major uses of a kansa wand is in encouraging the good drainage of our lymphatic system. This is our bodies’ natural filtration system, which collects waste fluid from our cells and removes the toxins from it. But this detoxing system can easily become clogged, so using a facial massage tool like the kansa wand can help to release fluid that has built up, reducing puffiness and dark circles, and making our skin more radiant. Massaging with a kansa wand also increases our circulation and helps to oxygenate our skin.

2. RELEASES TENSION

Massaging your face with a kansa tool is a very soothing activity. I like to combine it with yogic breathing to turn it into a form of meditation. Not only is this calming for your mind, but it also helps to release the tension held in your facial muscles. Many of us carry a lot of tension in our faces, which can lead to headaches and wrinkles. Using a kansa wand will help to relieve the muscles and keep our skin smoother.

3. RESTORE GOOD PH

The third way that using a kansa wand helps to give us a natural face lift is by restoring the pH of our skin. When the pH of our skin becomes unbalanced – either too acidic or too alkaline – it can lead to issues like acne, oiliness, and signs of premature aging. The metal dome of the kansa wand is a natural way to rebalance the pH of our skin when it becomes too acidic, as it is made with copper, which is an alkaline material. 

The pH balancing abilities of the kansa wand are part of the reason you might see a grey tinge appearing on your face when you use it. This is a sign that your skin has become overly acidic and the wand is doing its job in drawing that extra acidity out. You can simply wipe your face over with a tissue when you are finished with the massage to clean it away.

HOW DO YOU USE A KANSA WAND?

Before you start your massage, make sure your face and hands are both clean. You are more likely to see that grey tinge appear if you haven’t properly cleaned your face before you begin.

You will also want to use a serum to help the kansa wand glide over your skin without pulling. I recommend the Fusion by Danielle Collins Serum – it has the perfect balance of plant-based oils to allow the kansa wand to move smoothly over your skin without clogging your pores. Plus, it is made with natural, vegan, and organic ingredients that nourish your skin and leave it feeling beautifully hydrated. Using the serum with a kansa wand will help it to penetrate deeper into your skin, making sure you get the best results.

Start with the Marma point located in the centre of your forehead, just above the bridge of your nose. Use a firm, but not hard, pressure and massage in a circular motion.

Circle across to the Marma point at your temple, where you can feel a slight indent. Continue with the same circular motion to massage first one temple and then move over to the other.

Once we’ve done both temples, we are going to move onto the eye area. Using a figure of eight motion, move the kansa wand around both eyes. Do this in one direction a few times and then reverse the movement to do it in the other direction.

After you have finished with your eye area, it is time to concentrate on the Marma points to the side of your nostrils. Massaging this area is an excellent way to relieve any sinus issues and brighten the skin in your cheek area. Use a circular movement and then repeat it on the other side.

Next, take the kansa wand under your cheekbones and follow the line of the cheekbone a few times, moving from your nose towards your ear. This helps to firm and lift your cheekbones. Repeat the same motion on the other side.

From your cheekbones, move down to follow the nasolabial fold (those lines that bracket your mouth and lead to your nose). Follow the line upwards from your jaw to your nose. Once you have done this a few times on both sides, take the kansa wand to your jawline, following it from your chin up towards your ear. This can really help if you have any marionette lines in this area – those lines that come down from the corners of your mouth to your jawline.

There are Marma points at the corners of your mouth that you can also massage with your kansa wand. Use the same circular movement that we used for previous Marma points and make sure you do both sides.

Finally, finish with encouraging lymphatic drainage by working your kansa wand down the sides of your neck, taking any toxins away from your face. You can use a lighter touch in this area.

And we are done. Take a few deep breaths to finish your facial massage off.

I have this full routine available as a video on my YouTube channel – it only takes 7 minutes but it is such a beautiful way to take care of your face and leaves you feeling calm, grounded, and with naturally glowing skin. 

If you love Face Yoga and would like to join our Face Yoga family by becoming a certified facial yoga instructor you can find out more here.