How To Do Facial Cupping At Home (Win!)

Want to feel calm, radiant and relaxed at home, with glowing skin to boot? A facial cupping kit could be the answer! Toronto-based and female-owned wellness brand bloom balance, dedicated to helping people find a moment to indulge in self-care while relieving their aches and pains from home, has launched a Facial Cupping Kit ($58)—an Eastern medicine technique that brightens skin, stimulates collagen production, releases facial tension and does wonders for the cheekbones, jawline and neck, instantly, by stimulating the free flow of Qi (energy) in the face and the body. We chatted with co-founder Dr. Aliya to learn more. —Noa Nichol

Hi Dr. Aliya! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

When I was 5 years old and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would always say I wanted to be a superhero—saving people from burning buildings and bad guys. And although the “official superhero” thing didn’t work out (that Catwoman costume is pretty cool), I still consider my job a pretty amazing and important one. As a chiropractor and acupuncturist, and the co-founder of bloom balance, I’d say I do a little bit of “saving” daily. My career has always focused on women’s health and creating our clinic and our bloom balance brand has been a true dream powered by the passionate need to help people feel their very best and find balance and healing—whether at home or in the clinic.

When and why did you launch bloom balance? What niche were/are you aiming to fill?

My sister and BFF Sarina, and I created bloom balance as a way to help people find balance in their busy lives by creating and curating products that allow individuals a moment of mindfulness and an opportunity to take care of themselves while feeling grounded and calm. Sarina and I are both busy moms and entrepreneurs trying to juggle a million things, so bloom balance came out of a need to take a breath and find some calm in the chaos of life. We wanted to find some easy, accessible and enjoyable solutions for incorporating wellness into our everyday routines. bloom balance grew out of my background as an acupuncturist and Sarina’s savvy business mind at a period in time when the world really needed to take a breath and focus inwards and managing stress (i.e., the pandemic). We combined our obsession with wellness with the powerful healing of Eastern Medicine and bloom balance flourished into a company that supports the ritualistic experience of health and healing and empowers moments of mindfulness, anywhere, anytime.

When it comes to indulging in self-care and relieving our aches and pains from home, what’s the connection?

The goal of each product in our bloom balance collection is to cultivate mindfulness, empower individuals to care for themselves and to help create a time and space in people’s lives to feel grounded, to heal and to find balance. With this balance comes a powerful connection to our body and the ability to release tension, stress and pain. The healing ways in which that goal is achieved varies across our products. Our healing Ear Seeds use the power of acupressure to stimulate a nervous system response that eases stress, anxiety, pain and other symptoms. Our Gua Sha Stone helps to stimulate blood and moves Qi through the body to relieve tension, swelling and pain. Finally, our Moxibustion Stick is a type of heat therapy made from the ancient Eastern Medicine herb mugwort. Using this incense-type stick over points and meridians over the body stimulates the release of Qi and blood flow—helping to boost and strengthen the immune system and heal tissues, ease stress and anxiety and replenish energy.

Congrats on the launch of your Facial Cupping Kit, a.k.a., the natural glow getter! What does the kit include, who’s it for and what does it do?

Thank you! It’s been an amazing launch! The bloom balance Facial Cupping kit draws from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to brighten skin, stimulate collagen production, release facial tension and sculpt the cheekbones, jawline and neck. Using a series of gentle and effective cupping relief rituals, it will leave you feeling calm, radiant and relaxed without any of the side effects of regular cupping (i.e., bruising/red marks)—just flawless, glowing skin! The kit is ideal for any skin type and comes with two different size cups: a large cup for bigger areas like the cheekbones, jawline and neck and a smaller size up for around the eyes, lips and forehead. The kit also comes with our relief rituals guidebook filled with everything you need to know about cupping, from how to clean the cups to how to prep your skin before and after.

What are the (historical) origins of cupping?

Cupping is one of the oldest and most widely used Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy that is applied over acupuncture points. Using a suction or vacuum technique, the glass cups draw fresh blood and nutrients to the surface of the skin. This helps to ease muscle tension, stimulate lymphatic blood, reduce swelling and encourage detoxification. Cupping spread through Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries and was a popular treatment for gout and arthritis.

Can you walk us, step by step, through at-home facial cupping? Any pro tips?

Using our facial cupping kit is as easy as SQUEEZE, GLIDE and GLOW! First, you will need your two sizes of bloom balance cups and your fave serum or oil. Prior to use, ensure the facial cups are clean and dry. Use a mild soap to clean prior to first use and after each use. Cleanse your skin and apply your favourite face oil or serum. This helps to keep the cup gliding smoothly over skin and will prevent bruising, which occurs when the cupping stays in one place for too long. Pro tip: to avoid “cupping hickies” keep your cups moving all the time. Get that glide! Next, gently squeeze the silicone bulb to help the glass tube suction to skin. Then, glide your facial cup along your skin (upwards and outwards always), ensuring that the cups are always moving. Avoid leaving the cup suctioned to skin for longer than 2-3 seconds. Release the cup suction at the end of the stroke by gently squeezing the bulb and gently pulling it away from the skin. Repeat each stroke 5-10 times, sculpting each area before moving to the next. Another pro tip: use your free hand to anchor the skin behind the cup for a smoother glide and to prevent pulling. Finally, splash your face with cold water and apply your favourite moisturizer to calm skin and soothe any redness that may arise. Bask in that radiant, post-treatment glow. Cleaning your cupping kit is easy! Wash with gentle liquid soap and pat dry. You may also wipe down the glass tube with rubbing alcohol or witch hazel.

Why does everyone need to add facial cupping to their skincare toolkit?

The trend toward skinimalism, also known as “the less is more” approach, is hitting hard right now. Using our facial cupping kit is a low-key way to get your glow on without the invasive procedures or expensive treatments available. By detoxifying the skin and promoting the movement of Qi and energy in the face and body; our kit creates that inside-out glow. We know that using our Facial Cupping Kit daily will lead to significant changes in your skin as well as create a calming environment for both body and mind.

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Win! A Bloom Balance Prize Pack!

Congrats Hannah J. of Cambridge, ON, who will receive a prize pack including one facial cupping set and a healing ear seed starter kit from bloom balance! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadaily.ca. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.