You know that feeling when you come home from a long vacation and you look in the mirror and just think to yourself, "Wow, I look... puffy." Well, you're not alone. Maybe the puffiness is due to a lack of regular movement or exercise on your trip. Or perhaps, it could be due to the salty foods you ate in abundance over the break. Or maybe you just weren't drinking enough water because you didn't want to have to use the bathroom every hour. Regardless of the cause, feeling puffy and weighed down in your own body is not a fun feeling.
But the good news is, you can do something to help get your face and body back to normal (And maybe even better than before). Lymphatic drainage is used to reduce swelling and water retention while increasing circulation and lessening the inflammation in the body.
And you don't even have to go to a salon to get the benefits of lymphatic drainage. There are many practices you can implement at home and in your own daily life that will give you results. L'OFFICIEL breaks down six lymphatic drainage hacks below.
Dry Brushing.
Want to exfoliate your skin while reducing puffiness and increasing circulation in the process? Try dry brushing. Just as it sounds, dry brushing is the process of running a thick-bristled brush over your skin when dry. The process itself is also fairly simple: brush your skin using long, upward strokes, starting at your feet, while slowly moving upward toward your heart. Glowing skin, here you come.
A Lymphatic Drainage Paddle.
If you have sensitive skin and think dry brushing might be too harsh a treatment, opt for a lymphatic drainage paddle instead. While it essentially has all the same benefits—increases circulation, reduces puffiness and water retention, and aids in digestion, a paddle is much lighter on the skin. Instead of rubbing the tool directly on your skin, you should slather your body in oil or cream first (try Gente's Lymphatic Drainage Effect—a cream specifically designed to facilitate the lymphatic drainage process), making it easy for the paddle to glide along your body. Also similar to a dry brush, the lymphatic paddle process works in almost the same way. Start at the bottom of your body, gliding the tool in upward strokes toward your heart.
Legs Up the Wall Pose.
The legs up the wall pose is by far the easiest lymphatic drainage hack—all you have to do is lie down against a wall and elevate your legs at an angle. If positioning your body at a 90-degree angle feels like too much, you can move backward as much as you like, as long as your legs remain elevated above your heart. And how exactly does this help? According to Healthline, "Elevating your legs can help improve circulation by reducing pressure in the leg veins and redirecting blood flow back toward your heart. This can also help with lymphatic drainage and fluid buildup to help reduce leg swelling." Stay in the position for anywhere from five to 20 minutes, and you'll instantly feel lighter and less inflamed. Plus, you can do it anywhere. Oh, and it's free.
Gua Sha & Facial Rollers.
While dry brushing and a lymphatic paddle might work for your body, these methods are too harsh for the face. The solution? Facial rollers and gua sha. Not only will these tools help sculpt the cheekbones, giving you a jawline from the gods, but they will also help reduce puffiness and water retention, giving you an overall more snatched look.
Infrared Sauna Blankets.
Why get a gym or spa membership to use an infrared sauna when you can just have the next best thing at home? An infrared sauna blanket. While you might feel like an alien wrapped up in tin foil, these at-home devices have amazing benefits. Notably, the heat from the device causes a deep sweat, pushing out toxins and improving circulation in the process.
Lots of Water.
You've probably heard this health hack hundreds of times throughout the course of your life: drink more water. And while it really might sound counterintuitive, drinking more water will actually help reduce water retention in the body, per Healthline. But what if water is just too boring and not tasty enough? Try throwing in fruit, like some lemons or berries, and add an herb, like mint or basil, for a refreshing and hydrating summer drink.
