Lifestyle

We tried it for you... The intra-oral treatment: a “well-aging” massage that relieves tension

Everything shows on your face: laughter, joy, sorrow, but above all, stress… And just as our facial features bear the brunt of tension, our jaw also stiffens under the weight of a busy daily routine. To target these deep muscles, smooth and contour your features, and restore your face’s radiance, intraoral massage may just be the solution. Let’s shine a light on this moment of respite that sets your smile, body, and mind free.

What is intraoral massage?

What if we told you that you were unconsciously storing stress in your jaw? A difficult day, a stressful meeting, or a busy schedule… Our jaw tenses up and locks in an instant. Do you clench your teeth while sleeping? Do you grimace when you’re concentrating? Do you feel a slight stiffness in the morning? That’s stress building up in that area. And here’s the problem: over time, this chronic tension can cause your jaw to stiffen, your chin to tense up, fine lines around your mouth to deepen, or even freeze your facial expression. That’s why intraoral massage targets the very source of the problem: the deep muscles of your jaw where all this tension accumulates.

Intraoral massage is a massage technique that has its origins in cranial osteopathy. It involves directly accessing the deep muscles of the jaw—the ones that contract under stress and accumulate tension—through the inside of the mouth. Why access them from the inside? Quite simply because these muscles (masseter, pterygoids, tongue, and floor of the mouth) can only be effectively accessed from inside the mouth. In fact, from the outside, the jaw, cheeks, and surrounding tissues block direct access to these muscles. A massage on your cheek would only address the tip of the iceberg, without really addressing the deep-seated tension. From the inside, a therapist can gently release them.

How does it work?

Rest assured, it’s much less invasive (and completely painless) than it looks, and facialist Carole Mangard explains,“We apply pressure from inside the mouth to get a better grip and massage this part of the face more effectively—which is actually quite soft. Because the area under the cheek is actually quite supple. And since the muscles in this part of the face overlap, it allows for a sort of 3D massage.”This involves gently inserting a finger (protected by a sterile glove) between your cheek and your teeth, then massaging the muscles hidden there: first the masseter —the one you feel when you clench your teeth—and then the pterygoid muscles, which are even deeper and control the subtle movements of your jaw. The therapist can also work under the tongue, on the muscles of the oral floor,whichare often overlooked but just as tense. She explains:“I work on this area for 15 to 20 minutes gently but precisely, applying a little pressure without causing pain (...) the goal isn’t to apply very strong pressure points like an osteopath would.”

What are the benefits?

Intraoral massage is part of a holistic approach to well-being. And the results are almost immediate: your jaw loosens up, your face relaxes, and that chronic tension subsides. As a result, tension lines and that frozen expression fade away, and your skin regains its plumpness.

As Carole Mangard explains, massage works in three main ways:

Muscle relaxation by helping to relieve tension and pain in the masticatory muscles:“It’s ideal for people who suffer from bruxism or who clench their teeth and experience tension in the jaw, or even those who spend too much time on their phones with their heads constantly down—this causes the masseter muscles to contract.” She adds:“Incorporating this step after massaging the décolletage, shoulders, and neck really helps to relax and release tension throughout the entire upper body.”
Lymphatic drainage and water retention:“We use techniques that target the area below the jawline, smoothing the jaw to release the fluid that accumulates in that area.”
Signs of aging, wrinkles, fine lines, and loss of firmness:“We can really target the nasolabial folds, the facial contour itself, the lip line, the fine lines around the lips, and loss of firmness… There’s also a real ‘lift’ effect since we’re working on the entire area that supports the face as it sags.”

Carole Mangard, the facialist who relieves tension

If Carole is one of those places we’d like to keep a secret, it’s because the power of her touch is as unique as her gentleness and kindness. After a career in fashion, Carole eventually followed her calling toward wellness and caring for others, training in a wide range of massage techniques. Today, the facialist works from her cozy sanctuary in the 19th arrondissement, where she offers lymphatic drainage, deep facial cleansing, and her signature treatment,“Relax and Glow”—a facial massage that combines kobido techniques, face sculpting and lifting, acupressure, drainage, intraoral techniques, and scalp massages.

Her Relax & Glow Treatment

A true invitation to let go, the Relax & Glow treatment developed by Carole Mangard combines slow, enveloping movements with more invigorating techniques, all accompanied by a selection of clean skincare products from Patyka,Tata Harper, Talm, and Rudolph Care! It aims to release accumulated tension from the arms all the way to the crown of the head and reveal the face’s natural radiance by redefining its contours and deeply hydrating the skin. The treatment begins with a double cleansing, followed by an exfoliation and then a facial mask. Carole then massages the décolletage, neck, and shoulders before proceeding to the facial massage.

Expert drainage techniques, combined with sculpting and lifting movements and tools (gua sha, brush, etc.), stimulate lymphatic circulation, decongest the tissues, and relax the facial features. The treatment continues with a personalized intraoral massage that deeply works the muscles of the lower face. It then concludes with a scalp massage, combining deep relaxation with gua sha drainage, to prolong the treatment’s benefits.

What People Thought of This Beauty Interlude

“This is without a doubt one of the best facial massages I’ve ever had the chance to experience. Carole massages every area of the face with gentleness, precision, and just the right amount of pressure. Under her hands—which seem to dance across your skin—your body relaxes, tension melts away, and your mind slips into a state of deep relaxation… I felt as if I were floating. And while the upper-body massage is divine, when she turns her attention to the face, it’s pure bliss. Every centimeter of skin seems to be lifted, smoothed, plumped, or firmed. Then, Carole puts on her gloves and the massage continues with the utmost delicacy. Even though I’m not really prone to clenched teeth or jaw stiffness, I could definitely feel the difference: my face relaxed completely. It was as if my skin had been numbed by Carole’s touch. The highlight of the experience? The scalp massage that wraps up this 1.5-hour interlude of pure relaxation, which defines this truly spectacular treatment. Once it’s over, there’s no doubt about it—it truly lives up to its name: here I am, relaxed, lifted, detoxified, and radiant once again… A true rejuvenation treatment.” — Elsa, Editorial Manager.

Relax & Glow Treatment by Carole Mangard

The 1.5-hour treatment costs €140.

Book via her Instagram account @carolemangard, via direct message.

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