The illustrious Coco Chanel once said, "The best things in life are free, the second best are very, very expensive."

And arguably, in the quest for radiant skin, no truer words have ever been spoken. While we are more than happy to relinquish our hard-earned money to indulge in the finest serums and the crème de la crème (literally) of anti-ageing face creams, it is perhaps unsurprising that one of the best things we can do for our visages costs nothing at all. Enter: facial massage.

Although the technique has only recently begun gaining popularity in skincare circles today, the art and science of facial massage actually dates back around 3,000 years with roots in traditional Chinese medicine. And these days, women are shunning botox in favour of the tradtitional technique.

In order to understand the ins and outs of this ancient practice, we consulted leading facialist Fumi Yamamoto of Zen Facial to understand exactly why facial massage might be the key to your best skin ever.

According to Yamamoto, whose holistic approach to beauty has attracted the likes of Jessica Gomes and Kerr as clients, facial massage is a brilliant tool for addressing a number of skin, and even health, concerns.

"The treatment starts from an oriental diagnostic process to ascertain the underlying cause of concerning conditions as the face can reflect the history of your physical, mental and emotional state," Yamamoto explained.

"It can release unwanted expression lines, release puffiness, and result in a more contoured, slimmer face and cheekbones. If you wish, it can [even] release grinding, clenching, and unwanted sagginess around the neck, [as well as] address sinus issues."

As a result, the treatment can also produce brighter, plumper skin thanks its ability to enable lymphatic drainage (a technique that is supposed to stimulate the circulation of lymph fluid around the body to help remove toxins and waste), Yamamoto added. And the benefits don't end there.

"It [also] improves the sense of well-being, helps you walk out with a sense of calm, more sustainable energy, clarity and is generally uplifting," Yamamoto told BAZAAR.

In traditional Chinese medicine, facial massage involves the use of a Gua sha tool, which is an angled stone, usually made out of crystal, bone or horn. The shape and texture of the tool work to scrape the skin of the face to re-invigorate blood flow and re-direct energy, which is supposed to help result in a 'natural facelift'.

While the myriad of miracle claims coming out of the beauty world every other day tends to leave us somewhat skeptical, there are actually studies to support the results of Gua sha as an effective form of facial massage.

According to some of the findings, the tool actually helps to increase micro-circulation to the treated portion of the face, which in turn, may aid in reducing local and distal muscular pain, with some suggesting an increase of up to 400% in blood flow to the face.