Face · Sweep
Lymphatic drainage under the eyes
In the app: Under the eyes
The flat pad of your ring finger, on the bone under your eye, moves the skin towards your temple with almost no weight. It is the most delicate move in the face routine.
- Reps and rhythm
- 10 times (between 5 and 15), in 4-second cycles.
- In the routines
- 45 s
- Pressure
- Minimal: move the skin, not the muscle
How to do it
Position. The flat pad of your ring finger on the bone under your eye, next to your nose.
Direction. Move the skin along the edge of the bone, from the inside outwards, towards your temple and the front of your ear. Almost no weight.
Reps and rhythm. 10 times (between 5 and 15), in 4-second cycles.
Your flat fingers glide slowly and very lightly over the skin in the direction of drainage. At the end they lift off gently and return through the air to the start. They never glide back the other way.
Puffy eyes and dark circles are not the same
Puffiness is fluid: it shows more in the morning and after a salty meal, and with allergies too.2 That is what this move helps with.
Dark circles are something else: thinner skin that lets the blood vessels show, more pigment from the sun, genes or tiredness.3 Drainage does not change the colour of your skin. Dark circles are usually nothing to worry about.3
Why the ring finger, and why on the bone
Your ring finger is the weakest: with it, pressing too hard is difficult. The NHS leaflet works up towards the eyes with the same move as on the cheeks, but asks you not to press hard around the eye.1 That is why your finger always stays on the edge of the bone, never on the eyelid, and moves the skin from the inside outwards, towards your temple and the front of your ear.
Common mistakes
- Touching the eyelid or pushing on the eye. Your finger stays on the bone.
- Pulling the skin. It is very thin here: the move is almost just contact.
- Doing it with eye cream on. Your finger slips. Cream goes on afterwards.
- Rubbing your eyes. Rubbing can make the area swell and break small blood vessels.3
Questions
Does it get rid of dark circles?
Dark ones, no: they are thin skin, blood vessels or pigment, not fluid.3 What may show less for a while is morning puffiness.
Does the cold spoon trick work?
A cool compress over the eyes improves how they look for a while.2 The effect is the cold: you can use it after the move.
How many times?
Ten, between 5 and 15 depending on the routine, each lasting about 4 seconds. It is a short move: no more is needed.
The cues, step by step
They are the ones shown on screen in the Rinpa guided version, in time with the move.
“Rest your ring finger on the bone under your eye, next to your nose.”
“Move the skin slowly towards your temple.”
“Almost no weight.”
“Eyes closed or relaxed.”
In these routines
Fresh face
5:00- 01 Belly breathing 0:40
- 02 Open the collarbone 0:45
- 03 Sides of the neck 0:25
- 04 Lips to ears 0:25
- 05 Nose to ears 0:45
- 06 Under the eyes 0:45
- 07 Down the neck 0:25
- 08 Belly breathing 0:50
Sources