The Ritual Your Face Didn’t Know It Needed

Let’s talk about the intra-oral face massage that everyone is raving about. 

The truth is, buccal massage might sound like a buzzy ‘it-girl’ trend, but the idea of working inside the mouth isn’t new at all. Long before it became the sculpting, red carpet-approved ritual it is today, healers and bodyworkers were already exploring the mouth as a gateway to wellness. Early osteopaths in the 1900s used intra-oral techniques to help with jaw pain and headaches, and even further back, traditional medicine saw the face — lips, gums, cheeks — as connected to the whole body. What we know now as buccal massage really took shape in the 1980s in Europe, blending old-world wisdom with a new vision of beauty and rejuvenation.

I fell in love with this technique when I was finishing Beauty school, I came across a beloved well known New York based Esthetician’s Instagram called ‘Noy skincare’, she sparked my love for this ritual instantly, then I went down the rabbit hole to learn more about the healing art of massage.

Buccal massage is completely non-invasive and honestly, it can be done on just about anyone. What blows my mind is how much tension we carry in our faces without even realizing it. I’ll have guests book a buccal ‘just because,’ and when I ask in the consultation if they feel tension in their face, they say no. That’s when I give myself a little smile, because the truth is — if you’ve never had a buccal massage before, trust me… you do have tension.

One thing about me, I live for a good face massage. And when I’m giving one, I always make sure my guests get exactly what I crave when I’m on the table. I start slow — exterior work first, opening up the lymph nodes, warming up the muscles, letting the face know something good is coming. That’s the first 30 minutes. Then comes the part everyone secretly wonders about~ the inside.

Yes, it can feel intimidating at first — someone’s gloved hands sculpting from inside your mouth — but here’s the secret, if you just breathe and remind yourself you’re safe, something magical happens. You let go. I work on those tiny little muscles that never, ever get touched, and that’s exactly why it can feel a little intense. It’s like the first time you work out after a long break — you’re sore, but you know something’s waking up. Think of Pilates — it’s not just about abs, it’s about awakening all those hidden muscles you forgot existed. Buccal massage is the same, only it’s your face we’re talking about. No crunches, no planks, just gentle sculpting from the inside out.

When I’m inside the mouth, I can feel just how tightly the muscles are holding on. They cling together, almost bracing — until, after a few minutes of intentional work, something shifts. The tension melts, the jaw softens, and suddenly the whole mouth feels more open. I’ve had clients come in after masseter Botox or wearing night guards for clenching, and after my buccal technique, they walk out with relief that lasts for weeks. It’s a little bit magic, really.

If you’re curious about this treatment, I always say it’s for everyone. Think of it as yogalates for the face — we work out our bodies religiously, but what about the tiny muscles that carry our expressions, our stress, our stories? Buccal massage wakes them up. The fascia becomes hydrated, the muscles alive again, and the face finally remembers how to breathe. It’s more than a treatment — it’s a ritual of release

xx Juju