Easy-to-use massage tools to release jaw and neck tension / Set of 2 stones in carrying case

Cecily Braden’s Facial Mushroom Tension Tamers are among our favorite tools because a) so many of us have jaw and neck tension, and b) if you tend to worry that you’re doing facial massage the wrong way, these are probably the simplest, most “can’t-mess-it-up” tools you could choose.

Designed to help relieve stress where it tends to show up the most — shoulders, neck, jaw, and around the eyes — they can be used for easy, intuitive massage along with breathwork to ease tension, encourage circulation, and set you up for better lymphatic flow. Our founder, Dara, uses them every time she takes a bath and swears by them for a back-from-vacation glow.

Speaking of vacation, this set of two beautiful stones comes in a handy and surprisingly sturdy felt carrying case, making it a must for travel in addition to daily use. You can choose either tiger eye, a gemstone often used to encourage self-confidence and trust in one’s intuition, or bloodstone, a slightly more expensive gemstone often used to calm and stabilize emotions while invigorating and breaking up stagnation.

To use these tools, heat them up by running them under warm water after you prep your skin with a mist/serum and an oil. We love the combination of Dara Kennedy Sea Serum & Marie Veronique Dara’s Oil, or do it at the same time as your Sea Soak and use the gel you squeeze out of your seaweed.

Before you start, do a few cyclic sighs to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging greater relaxation. Then, follow this three-step routine:

1. Glide the mushrooms up and down the back of the neck, from the trapezius to the ridge below the base of the skull

2. Glide them up and down the side of the neck from the collarbone to behind the ear, pausing below the ridge of the skull and applying gentle pressure with circular rotations

3. Glide along the jawline to the ear with slow, upward strokes, then sweep behind the ear and finish at the neck

At any point during steps 1-3, pause where it feels particularly good and apply gentle pressure with circular rotations. 

See? Easy, simple. You’ve got to get these!

For more instruction, check out the video we took at Cecily’s Ayla masterclass below or on our YouTube channel.

If you’d like to take the equivalent of an honors course in the mushrooms, Cecily is very kindly providing those of you who purchase this Tension Tamer set from us with free access to this full-length tutorial on her educational website, which is well worth the time. Use the code Ayla100 at checkout. 

(And if you’re a bather, bring your Tension Tamers to the bath with you, set up your device nearby, and follow the long tutorial from the comfort of your tub. Throw a Sea Soak into the mix, and you’ll probably have your best night of sleep in a very, very long time.)