5 Holistic Alternatives to Botox

By Mandy Rhodes, Holistic Licensed Esthetician at The Wellness Hub and author of Pretty Simple Beauti

Holistic Skincare and Alternatives to Botox at our Organic Spa in Jacksonville, Florida

1. Body Brushing
What in the world is dry body & face brushing? Also known as dry skin brushing, body & face brushing involves lightly brushing your skin with a dry brush, made from natural hair bristles, to help remove dead skin cells, improve skin tone, and target cellulite.
The technique has been used for hundreds of years and is also thought to help stimulate circulation and kick-start the metabolism.
There are many health benefits associated with body brushing including glowing skin, reduction in water weight, detoxifying your body, and diminishing cellulite. Your skin is your largest organ and plays an important role in helping to remove toxins from the body.
For this reason, it is important that the upper layer of the skin (the epidermis) is regularly cleared of dead skin cells which block pores and cause the skin to become congested.
By brushing the body & face lightly with a dry brush daily you can help your skin to:

• removes dead skin cells and unclogs the surface layer 
• encourages new cells to grow 
• stimulates blood and lymphatic circulation within the skin
• controls cellulite by bringing nutrients and oxygen to the upper skin layer

 
2. Cupping
This may sound strange and scary to some, but the results can make a huge difference. Face cupping is an ancient technique that uses suction cups to stimulate your skin and muscles. It can be done on your face or body. Note if you have ever had body cupping, face cupping is much gentler and should not leave marks.
The suction promotes increased blood circulation, which may help relieve muscle tension, promote cell repair, and aid in other regeneration.
The suction effect pulls blood into the area of skin underneath the cup. This saturates the surrounding tissue with fresh blood and promotes new blood vessel formation.
Facial cupping has been shown to:

• increase oxygen-rich blood circulation
• strengthen skin and connective tissues
• stimulate cells responsible for collagen production
• relax muscle tension
• brighten skin
• minimize the appearance of scars, fine lines, and wrinkles
• tone chin, jawline, neck, and décolletage
• decrease puffiness
• regulate oil production
• improve nutrient delivery and product absorption
• detoxify

 
3. Gua Sha
Gua Sha for the face and neck is called the Eastern Botox for a reason. This ancient Chinese therapy uses a tool to rub or scrape the skin’s surface in long strokes. Traditional medicine practitioners have used this method for centuries to boost circulation, increase blood flow, break up scar tissue, help chronic pain and generally improve the health of the entire body. Not to mention it is completely relaxing and feels like a massage for the face.
A few of the benefits you can have from using Gua Sha are:

• firming of your facial muscles
• smoothening of the skin
• reduction of the appearance of wrinkles on your face
• improves dark circles and puffiness under the eyes
• lightens age spots and other skin discoloration
• brightens the complexion
• it can help clear up acne, rosacea, and other skin diseases on your face
• its relaxing

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If you're interested in having Gua Sha incorporated into your facial service, we offer that at The Wellness Hub in Jacksonville, FL - it's called our Natural Sculpting & Resurfacing Facial.

Gua Sha tones the facial muscles and tightens the skin

4. Face Yoga
Let’s start with what face yoga is. To put it plainly, face yoga is exercises for your face. Just like exercising keeps your body in shape, face yoga is a series of facial exercises intended to tone the muscles in the face which after time can reduce the signs of aging and improve skin elasticity. You can even slim up your jawline and define your cheekbones.
Facial exercises increase blood circulation in the face, creating a healthier, more vibrant complexion. Face yoga also strengthens the muscles in the face, which can weaken as we age.  
 
5. Hydration
This is a no-brainer, but one that we all seem to forget about. The importance of water for our bodies and our skin to stay hydrated.
That beautiful skin you’re in is made up of about 64% water. And without enough fluids in your system, your skin can lose its elasticity. So, all those expensive creams your slathering on every night would be a waste of time and money. 
The more elasticity your skin has, the less likely it is to form fine lines and wrinkles. That said, staying hydrated will help keep your skin plump and prevent signs of aging. And of course, drinking a lot of water helps flush toxins from your body which improve your appearance as well.
Staying hydrated will help plump up your skin so that it looks and feels smoother. This is because the outermost layer of the skin has the moisture it needs to flush away toxins and carry nutrients to the skin’s cells. Skin that is well-hydrated also is less sensitive to irritants and germs that can slip through the lipid barrier when the skin lacks moisture.
Skin that is lacking the hydration it needs often becomes itchy, flaky, red, or even inflamed. Dry skin can even exaggerate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles due to shrinkage of skin cells. An easy remedy to all of this is to drink water.

Dry brushing can improve the elasticity and is a natural alternative to Botox