Even if you don’t book in massage appointments that often, knowing how to perform a deep tissue shoulder massage will help boost your facial clients’ satisfaction levels.
#1 Prepare the shoulders
Before you use deep techniques prepare the shoulders with lighter strokes to the shoulder area using massage oil or the lotions used in your facial. This will prepare the shoulder tissues for deeper strokes and also get your client relaxed and accustomed to your touch.
#2 Work the scapular
Placing the shoulder in one of your hands, work your hands under the scapular. For an even deeper massage, bend your clients elbow and place their hand upwards on their back. Place one hand under their shoulder, taking the weight of their shoulder and arm, then with the other hand use deep strokes to work underneath the raised scapular. If you have a facial client and they are face up, lift the shoulder and work your fingers under the scapular, working in deep, upwards strokes.
#3 Use double hands
Use both hands, one on top of the other, to create more strength, then work your fingers across the top of the trapezius (one of the major muscles of the back, which runs along the ridge of the shoulders and down the spine).
#4 Use your core
Instead of pressing with your fingers, gain your strength from your core muscles and pull your hands. Enlisting the hand-over-hand technique mentioned above will help give you added strength.
#5 Petrissage
Petrissage is the massage techniques of squeezing and kneeding the muscles. Using this kneeding motion, go over the whole shoulder area (work on one shoulder, then the other). The repetitive movement really relaxes your client and gets the blood flowing in the area.
Have your say: Do you have any shoulder massage tips that your clients love?