Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24
MASSAGE MOVEMENTS
stroking, Kneading, Rubbing and
Striking Form the Best.


stroking, Kneading, Rubbing and
Striking Form the Best.
The frequent and quite natural queries
about massaging that crowd my mail ev-
cry day make me think it worth while to
explain. II possible, how it can do such APP
parently contradictory things. For example
one woman writes to ask how can 1t help
to reduce her flesh If massage also Is fat
tending? Another reverses the question. The
confusion is therefore natural because only
those who have studied the matter, or OBJ
served IT. realize that the different results
are accomplished by entirely different
methods.
to be well done, and with knowledge. At
tempting such things on the cheap, as q
rule, spells failure, and those who are
their own faces should be duly instructed
by those who do it well as to right meth
DDS. or the chances are they will be doing
. very great deal more harm than good,
and when you do harm in massaging you
most probably do lot of it. To make
the flesh and muscles habby Is not at all
what you desire, yet this Is what you are
likely to effect If You do not follow the
right course of the muscles, rubbing up
wards across the lines, and altogether do
the work properly.
There are four movements which the
beauty culturists, as we'll as the health
promoters, in massaging have to execute
stroking, kneading, rubbing and striking.
This striking is not unlike slapping. but is
decidedly stimulating. The. strokes are
given rapidly with the side of the hand or
the entire hand, and sometimes on the
face with the tips Of the fingers. Strap
ping massage has been the means of re-
storing the outline to the chin, and REIN
stating the sagging cheek in its proper
condition. Stroking Is done quite slowly,
with the palm of the hand, and when ap
piled to the body should be directed toward
Its center. 1t stimulates the blood in our
veins, and helps to produce that delicious
sense of nerve, soothing, an inclination to
rest without any due sense of fatigue, and
a desire to sleep. Judicious massage is in
valuable to those who are anaemic, for 1t
increases the red corpuscles in the blood.
Exercise is as essential to our health
as is proper food. and massage in a great
measure takes the place of exercise. Even
the filling in, of hollcws in the neck and
throat, is accomplished by exercise, for
the massage that does it works the mus
cles and builds the tissues. For this one
kneads with the knuckles. firm but not
violent touch is needed. But kneading
also means more than this. The sxillful
ma nipulator requires some time to entirely
master this movement, perhaps the most
difficult of the necessary ones. The It's
sues are to be treated and grasped. tight
enfng and loosening the hold in way that
has to be learned and very carefully fol-
lowed.
Rubbing in massage is on a somewhat diff
ferent principle to ordinary rubbing, finger
tips and thumbs. or the entire hand, being
employed in small circles.
Massage greatly improves the texture Of
the skin, and woman who regularly cares
for her face in this manner has fresher
complexion and much better COLOR This Is
because the blood vessels and tissues are
constantly being stimulated and strength
ened. and her blood cireulates there as it
does over the body after brisk walk 1t
VIII eliminate traces Of fatigue more quick
ly than anything else, always remembering
that good cold cream, skin food should
be used with it.
For medical purposes massage is most
beneficial in the morning. and as means
OF beauty culture it is better to carry it out
at night, but there is little hope of it doing
real good unless it is done regularly and
with perseverance This is particularly so
where the removal or .obliterating of wrin-
kles Is the thing desired. Worry, i'll health
and neglect are potent foes to beauty, and
they should be met by constant care and
skillful manipulation by the masseuse.
The object to be effected Is the strength
en1ng of the muscles and the stimulation of
the blood. Few women have the slightest
idea of the structure of the face how the
muscles are attached to the fundamental
bone, the fatty and connecting tissues fill
ing up the vacuum under the skin. We
have to leave the bones as they are, but the
muscles and the tissues may be most sue
cessfully manipulated. much of the
beauty OF the lace depending on the fatty
fiper OVERLAPPING the muscles. Any shrink
age brings wrinkles and fabbiness, and
with careful massage we can increase the
fat and improve the hue of the complexion
also. 1t is the capillaries or blood vessels,
which are most minute, that help to pro-
duce healthy conditions. When these ves-
sells do not act satisfactorily, then pimples
and blotches come, flushings and much we
are anxious to avoid. Where the health is
weak, massage, combined with rest, brings
about wonderful results. A week in bed,
or a month, especially in cases of anemia,
is simply invaluable, and in young women
on the threshold of life it will
often bring about good state of health.
But the rest must be accompanied by fresh
air and sunshine. the room must be fresh
and cool, and the surroundings cheerful.
Massage will promote appetite and all the
benefits of active exercise
There are certain donts to be observed
in massage, but they are so few and re-
mote as not to be dangerous. The skin
must not be stretched by it, nor the mus
cles oyerexerted. If there is superficial
soreness the exercise should be abandoned
for few days. Some skins. being thicker
than others, require more forceful treat
ment. but this each must learn for herself.