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Carlene Higgins
The following podcast is a dear media production.
Jill Dunn
Welcome to Breaking Beauty the podcast.
Carlene Higgins
All about the breakthrough people, products and moments in beauty.
Jill Dunn
We're your hosts Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins.
Carlene Higgins
Hello and welcome back to Breaking Beauty Podcast. The day is Wednesday, February 12th and we are your host, Carlene Higgins. That's me. And my fabulous co host is here, Jill Dunn. Hello, Jill.
Jill Dunn
Hey Carlene. So of course our longtime listeners will know that we are two beauty editors turned to beauty podcasters. And I feel like Carlene right now what's getting me through the doldrums of winter is like award season. When I watched the Grammys the other night, I had like it on full blast and then like just the red carpet moments that we're getting like, you know, Taylor Swift had that like excellent Vivian Westwood dress with like the sexy body jewelry and I was just living for it. I was like this is, this is getting me out of my doom scrolling and I'm, I'm here for it all.
Carlene Higgins
Yes, of course. I feel like the whole body oddy Audi was on display on the red carpet. And for anyone who's not doing Ozempic.
Jill Dunn
In Hollywood, or maybe they are, or who knows?
Carlene Higgins
Or maybe they are, who knows. There's a whole other method. In fact there is a guru that everybody goes to and she is guest today. So exciting. Her name is Rebecca Faria. She's the founder of the Detox by Rebecca spa and the creator of her signature Detox by Rebecca technique. She has over 13 years of experience and a master's degree in body aesthetics. And Rebecca is just the person that all the Hollywood elite are going to for lymphatic drainage.
Jill Dunn
Yes. So she's got the first Brazilian lymphatic drainage spa in Los Angeles and it's led legendary at this point. Sophia Richie Grange goes there. Rosie Huntington Whiteley, Addison Rae, like I would imagine this is my own opinion. I don't know anything. But I imagine before Addison Rae did that Rolling Stone cover where she's like wearing a two piece, she probably went to see Rebecca. You know what I mean?
Carlene Higgins
That, that's right. I even saw Brooklyn Beckham was there on Rebecca's Instagram I saw recently. So yes, Rebecca launched what's considered the first Brazilian lymphatic drainage spa in la, hearkening back to her roots in Brazil. And her TEC techniques really combine various methods into one, you know, comprehensive treatment. It's designed to detoxify the body, boost the immune system, combat cellulite, sculpt that silhouette by eliminating toxins and excess Water weight. I tell you, I could have used this when I was in Arizona recently. I cannot tell you how bloated I felt. I don't know if it had to do with the altitude or what it was, but it's like, I get it. These people are traveling back and forth and it's like they, they want to look svelte. You know, no matter what your size, we love to look just like tight and tucked in and healthy.
Jill Dunn
Yeah. It's just like, if I could think of one thing that she should just have. Have hanging over her door, it should be like, be that blow. Like, honestly. Because that is what I think you. You're getting a lot of the times, even though if you don't want to lose a single pound, if you don't, if you have zero cellulite, it's just like that snatch kind of feeling and stimulation of getting rid of inflammation.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah. Now you went and had it done.
Jill Dunn
I did.
Carlene Higgins
When you were in la. So what was it actually like?
Jill Dunn
It is one of the best body treatments I have ever had. Highly recommend.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Jill Dunn
And it is just incredible. Especially after a long flight like I had just gotten off of. And I was like, I get it. I understand why all of the girlies are going here.
Carlene Higgins
Now tell me, does it feel like a regular massage or is it wet? Like, what is the. What is it actually like?
Jill Dunn
So it's a 90 minute treatment. You go in. She has six therapists there. And I had Renata definitely recommend her. She was incredible. And they're all individually trained by. By Rebecca herself. And they're just like her technique was. It doesn't hurt at all, but it feels a lot more intentional than rubbing the body with the full hand. It's more of a. Using your palm, using your pressure of your fingertips. You felt like she was really moving stuff around. And they're moving everything toward the lymphatic drains in the body. Right. So by your hips, underneath your arms. Like, everything is extremely intentional. And my. I think one of the more, more distinctive parts of the treatment is like she starts with your legs and she's using a cream. It's not an oil. And.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Jill Dunn
She did my left leg first and then she said it's kind of like in that biologic research facial where they give you a mirror and you can look at one side of your face.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah.
Jill Dunn
And then look at the other that hasn't been touched yet. Well, they do that with your legs and you can like, they get you to like hold your legs up and you can see how Much could you see visually? Definitely on the top of my leg especially. I was like, that is definitely looking more snatched.
Carlene Higgins
Oh, my God. I would love to do this on my cankles, I'm telling you. And then I would. I'd be so curious to see if I could, like, lose half an inch.
Jill Dunn
Oh, my gosh. I think you just love how this treatment feels. And then she. Renata, she also massaged my belly, which I am telling you, I never let any massage therapist do that. But there was something about how comfortable she made me feel and how she's just such a professional, almost like a nurse. She's, like, massaging my belly. She's like, if you fart, it's okay. You know, like, let it out.
Rebecca Faria
Oh, wow.
Jill Dunn
So I was like, I am one space. I am one with you, Renata. I am here. I am in your hands. I trust you. And she's like, if you need to go to the bathroom, we can get up. Like, you know, because I think that happens to a lot of people. Stuff gets moving.
Carlene Higgins
That's right.
Jill Dunn
She gets ahead of it. She's like, you got to go use the bathroom. Don't even worry. We'll go. You know, like, that level of comfort.
Carlene Higgins
Oh, I love that. Women supporting women in the realest way possible, 100%.
Jill Dunn
And she.
Carlene Higgins
No, but honestly, there's so much. So many of us are dealing with constipation, and we may not even know it.
Jill Dunn
Yes.
Carlene Higgins
And so I think it's, like, actually really smart to allow people to massage your belly. I'm so curious about that.
Jill Dunn
Yeah. Thankfully, I'm happy to report there were. There was no incidences. Like, it's. It was okay. And then it's. She kind of moves along, and then she does cupping on my back. And I had never really had that done, and I hadn't had that done in a very long time. And it was interesting that she was, like, pointing out there was eight cups, I believe, on my back. And she was like, this area targets this and that. It's kind of like back mapping, if you will.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah.
Jill Dunn
And I had been carrying a really heavy suitcase. And she's like, wow. Like, this part is really, really, you know, reacting more. And I was like, oh, yeah. Because I was dragging, and she. She was saying that that was kind of indicative of your arm being, like, overworked or whatever.
Carlene Higgins
Right.
Jill Dunn
So all in all. And then she finishes with kind of like a little bit of head and neck. Neck work. And then the last 20 minutes, you're in this cocoon pod that's infrared. It's 180 degrees of infrared heat. Very tolerable. Kind of looks like a tanning bed. And it also vibrates. I was like, I'm never getting out of here. This is amazing.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah, I love that. I feel like this is the kind of thing that I really would. It would be worth the money to, like, get it into a routine where you're going semi regularly. And I love that this is cropping up more. I know in Toronto, I went to Trove. That's a relatively new spot. And I wore the compression pants, you know, the ones Jennifer Aniston made, like.
Jill Dunn
Higher dose or whatever those are called.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah. And they also have one of those red light. It looks like a tanning bed thing. So I love that this is becoming more popular. We're going to be dropping these into our directory as we test them and give our BBP seal of approval. So it sounds like Detox by Rebecca definitely has that.
Jill Dunn
I wanted to just shout out quickly because people are probably going, how much does this cost? It's 350us. But kind of on the heels of what you were just saying, why I think Rebecca is so smart in her business strategy is she is training therapists all over the world. And in fact, you go to her website right now, Anyone who's listening on detoxbyrebecca.com you can find a therapist. And she has people that she's trained everywhere from Switzerland to Australia, Toronto, Manitoba, Calgary, all over the US and so I am gonna definitely check out one of her experts in a different city as well. And they may not have the exact cocoon pod and all of that, but yeah, regardless, they've been trained. She's been trained Brazilian method. And so teach Amanda Fish. You know, like, I love that she's spreading this out there.
Carlene Higgins
Absolutely. So we will link to that on our website @breaking beauty podcast.com and just ahead, Rebecca is going to talk to us about even how lymphatic massages go beyond just the esthetic. Right. So she's going to explain what her technique feels like from her point of view, as well as simple movements and practices that you can do at home to get the aesthetic and health benefits from lymphatic drainage on your own.
Jill Dunn
And even simple things like tongue scraping that she incorporates into her routine and teas that she recommends. She had a lot of tips that we can do at home, but some of them don't cost any money. So I really appreciated that.
Carlene Higgins
And this whole episode is published on our YouTube as well. We're really trying to grow our presence there. So please check it out on YouTube and subscribe to our newsletter as well. Here she is. Rebecca Faria.
Jill Dunn
First Aid Beauty is supporting our show this week. You all know that I love exfoliation. I actually like it even more in winter because it just gives your skin that glow. And I want to turn you on to one of my holy grails for daily exfoliation and that's First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance pads. They are so easy to use because they are pre soaked individual use pads. They have glycolic acid and lactic acid. You simply swipe them all over your face. I usually do it as like a toning step and I just find over time my pores look less noticeable. Any acne marks that I have have faded and they're gentle enough even for the most sensitive skin type so you can use them every single day. Plus your makeup goes on like a dream. Trust me and you can see the difference. First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance pads make for your complexion. We know that you'll love them as much as do here at Breaking Beauty. And right now we have a special offer just for our listeners. Get 20 off when you visit our exclusive URL first aid beauty.com beauty and use our promo code beauty that's first aid beauty.com beauty don't wait. Get 20 off with promo code beauty@first aid beauty.com beauty once again get 20% off with our promo code beauty@firstaidbeauty.com beauty we will link to this offer in our show notes and on our website. Now back to the show with our.
Carlene Higgins
Social media feeds being inundated with skincare, cosmetics, beauty and wellness opinions, I'm here to lay down the facts. I'm Dr. Sheila Farhank. Welcome to the Derma approved podcast where.
Rebecca Faria
I'll be providing you with valuable science.
Carlene Higgins
Fact information that you can trust.
Rebecca Faria
My goal is to make you feel.
Carlene Higgins
More knowledgeable and empowered as you navigate and make decisions about what's right for you and your skin and health journey. Make sure to tune in every Thursday and follow as I go from educating my patients in the exam room directly to you. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Rebecca Faria
Sa.
Carlene Higgins
Rebecca welcome to Breaking Beauty Podcast. This is our first time really diving into the topic of the lymphatic system and lymphatic drainage. So we have come straight to the source. That's you, the expert, the leading authority. So can you explain to us your understanding of how the lymphatic system works I honestly don't remember learning about this in anatomy class ever.
Rebecca Faria
The lymphatic system is almost like the garbage of the body. So imagine that your body is a house. The garbage of the house needs to be cleaned often. Otherwise you're going to have too much trash in it. If you don't take care of your lymphatic system, if you don't support your lymphatic system, your body will hold on. Too many toxins, viruses, bacteria, and then you're going to get sick. Very often you feel inflamed. You feel like you cannot sleep well. You are gaining too much weight. So by taking care of your lymphatic system, you are helping your body to get rid of toxins and any kind, any type of diseases and conditions that you might have.
Jill Dunn
Okay, so what are some signs that maybe your lymphatic system is, like, out of whack?
Rebecca Faria
You usually feel, like, sluggish, tired. You're not able to think clear because your body is holding on too many toxins and things that shouldn't be inside of you. But because the garbage is too full, your body's not able to process all these toxins out of you. You also feel headache. You cannot sleep well. You feel like your metabolism is not working. You feel not yourself. You know those moments when you feel after maybe eating too much and you feel like your body's not able to clear things out. That's how you feel when your lymphatic system is sluggish.
Carlene Higgins
Anything on the face that you might see or on visually when you look in the mirror.
Rebecca Faria
Yeah. Or your body, you feel like the weight gain. Your skin doesn't look clear. You might have pimples. If you press your skin, you feel like a redness. You know, when maybe you drink alcohol the next day. You also feel this way because you have too many toxins inside of you. But the main thing for me is not being able to process my thoughts clearly because I feel like I'm not myself when my lymphatic system is sluggish.
Jill Dunn
Okay, so what is lymphatic drainage? Drainage then, because we've heard about that for so many years. But maybe people aren't really sure what.
Carlene Higgins
It is, you know, that's being drained and where does it go?
Rebecca Faria
Our lymphatic system works by itself. We throw it down, massages. But because of the lifestyle we live nowadays, we are not sleeping properly, we're not eating properly. The lymphatic system can get kind of clogged. And when it happens, the body is not able to flush out all these toxins by itself. And that's how we. That's when we use a lymphatic massage to help the body to push these toxins towards the drains of the body, which we call lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are like the drains that will send all this water with Asian, with the waste towards your bladder, and you're going to pee it out. If you think about the blood system, we have our heart and it's always pumping. It doesn't matter what you do, your blood is always moving. The lymphatic system doesn't have a heart. What makes the lymphatic system work is your lifestyle. If you don't have a good lifestyle, if you're not moving your body enough, if your muscles are not moving enough, the lymphatic system will slow down. But when we come with the massage, we use our hands to be almost like the heart of the lymphatic system. The hands will push this fluid towards the drain so your body can flush it out through your pee. Okay, Makes sense.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah. It's like a pump in a way.
Rebecca Faria
It's a little hard to explain because it's way deeper than what I'm saying. But to make it understandable, I'm trying to, you know.
Carlene Higgins
Right.
Jill Dunn
It needs like, you're basically becoming like the catalyst to get it going, to get it moving if it is sluggish, versus, like the heart, which is involuntary, which is what you're saying. Yeah. And you know, we often hear the word detox, especially after the holidays, and people are usually trying to sell us something. But what's your opinion on like a detox tea or a detox supplement? Do. Do we need that or is our body going to get rid of the stuff anyway?
Carlene Higgins
Yeah, because you often will hear online from doctors, they'll weigh in and say, well, we have a liver and that. That's the liver's function, is to detox. So you don't really need to do a detox. So what's your take on that?
Rebecca Faria
I'm not a fan of products, even though I have my own products and I could be here trying to sell them. I think that your body will detox if you do a combination of habits that will support your body to detox. The liver is one of them. Like when we sleep, the liver detox by itself. So by waking up in the morning, you should always scrape your tongue because the tongue will have bacterias that your liver have detoxed through the night. Then you should Go for a walk. So you are moving your blood, you're moving your metabolism, your muscles. You should drink enough water, you're hydrating yourself. You should get lymphatic massages and drink teas and do, like, this whole combination of habits that will support your body. So I do not believe that one single product or one single action, like getting a massage, will detox your body. But you have to do, like, a combination of things daily and be consistent so your body has enough strength to be to detox by itself.
Carlene Higgins
Right? Okay, got it.
Jill Dunn
And I understand that lymphatic massage has come very naturally to you and because you're actually Brazilian. So tell us about the culture around lymphatic drainage. Where your home is. Is it just something you've been doing all your life?
Rebecca Faria
Yeah, like in Brazil, where I'm from, lymphatics are part of the culture. So people get it done since they are young. They see their moms, their grandma doing on themselves. And it's a part of myself. It's a part of my culture. After finishing high school, I went to school for lymphatic. Then I did my master degree. So I was able to learn deeper about it instead of just learning how to massage my friends, which is what everybody there learns in Brazil. Lymphatic massage is so big that it's even hard for me to explain. It's almost like doing your nails here. You find different types of nails, and some people like longer nails or shorter nails, and you find a nail place in every corner. That's how lymphatic is in Brazil. It's really big. Some people are more specialized in models, other people in after surgeries or in pregnancy. But when I came here, I was the first person bringing lymphatic to la. So I was like, how I'm going to bring something so huge to a place like LA if I am the only one here?
Carlene Higgins
Right.
Rebecca Faria
So I try to put it all in one methodology, which is the methodology that I use. Basically a combination of everything. But in Brazil, which person is specialized in one area? Like doctors here, you know, you have doctors for older people, for younger people, for kids, for babies, or you're recovering.
Jill Dunn
From a surgery or something like that. Oh, that's so interesting. Like, to me, lymphatic drainage, my first experience was definitely like through French beauty and French girl beauty. I feel like that's very big in France as well, lymphatic drainage. But they're always talking about getting rid of cellulite. That's the MO there usually. So you're doing it a little bit differently. And you even just. You study traditional Chinese medicine as well.
Rebecca Faria
Yeah.
Jill Dunn
So how does that factor in, I.
Rebecca Faria
Believe, so much in Chinese medicine because they understand how emotions can affect your body. And as you said about the French way to see lymphatic drainage, it's much easier to sell lymphatic drainage as something that will make you skinnier and get rid of cellulite, which actually helps, because cellulites, inflammation. If you get rid of inflammation, you're getting rid of cellulite. But it's so much bigger than that. Like, you have to be aware of your emotions, of your cortisol levels, of how you sleep. Sometimes you have toxic relationships with your partners or with family members, and that can affect your lymphatic system. And in Chinese medicine, we learn a lot about that. And that's why, like, I love Chinese medicine.
Jill Dunn
Very cool. Do you do acupuncture in your treatments as well, or.
Rebecca Faria
No? I do cupping, which is a part of acupuncture. I wish I had time to do it all, but I don't. But I love coping. I learned in Australia, and in Australia, we have a big influence of Chinese medicine, so I went there to learn it.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah. Yeah. I feel like Chinese medicine just understands something different about this topic than we do in the Western world about how it's about energy and that. But I wanted to ask you about your technique. You talked about cupping. So can you just walk us through what is the lymphatic massage method that you've created?
Rebecca Faria
Okay. As I said, I try to do a combination. Since I was only one person when I came here and I wanted to see as many people as possible, and I know that each person has a different problem. So I do a combination of hands and machines. When I see a client, I try to identify where they have the main problem. Is it from your relationships? Is it from lack of water intake or lack of exercise? Like, what's going on with you? We are all different people, you know? And then by talking to them, I kind of see where they have more problems. So let's say if you have more problems on your legs, I'm going to spend more time on your legs. I will use my hands and then I will use machines to work on your legs. If you have problems with relationships, emotions, I will work more on your gut. Because our dopamine, which is our happiness hormone, is mainly produced in our gut. So if you have stressful relationships, you're going to feel bloated on your stomach and Then I'm going to use machines on your stomach and work more on that. On. On that area. If you have, I don't know, if you work on your computer and then you have too much stress on your neck, that can stop your lymphatic system from working the way it should because you have too many knots. So I'm going to do some copying on your neck, on your back, work more on that area. I. I work on the whole body for everybody, but I will spend more time where I need or where I feel like the client needs the most.
Carlene Higgins
This episode is brought to you in part by Denday, the clean, clinical skincare brand powered by biotech to support skin health and longevity. I don't know how many of you checked out our episode with the CEO and one of the chemists behind Denday. His name is Joshua Britton. And he really gave us insight into the concept of inflammaging. That's really going to be a buzzy term in skin care for all of 2025. The idea that inflammation in your skin, which we know as BE editors, is the root cause of everything from acne to a formation of a wrinkle. So if you're targeting that inflammation, it's going to help to reduce premature and excessive aging. I think it makes so much sense. I'm invested in it personally, and Denday is really all about that in their entire line of skin care. And it has this patented powerhouse polyphenol. It's called Naringenan, and it's clinically proven to reduce inflammation markers by 96%. That's huge. That ingredient is said to be 15 times more effective than niacinamide. So that's really saying something. I really like their latest release. It's called the Line Smoothing Eye cream. It's only $46. I love how lightweight it is, so I can use it during the day. Usually I would only use eye creams at night. I find that it doesn't make my mascara transfer. So it's really easy to kind of slide right into my skincare routine. Has ceramides, hyaluronic acid gives that plumping in addition to hexapeptide and that patented Naringenan. So that's an incredible combo of powerhouse ingredients. And if you want to try it for yourself, Denday is offering 15 off to Breaking Beauty listeners@denday.com that's D E I N D E.com from using code BEAUTY. We'll link to this offer on our website and in our show notes.
Jill Dunn
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Rebecca Faria
So when we give someone a lymphatic massage, we have to follow the lymphatic path. Imagine that you are a sink. The pipes of the sink would be the lymphatic system. The drain of the sink would be your lymph nodes. So you have to follow a direction in order to push the water inside of the pipes. The end of the pipes would be close to your heart. Now imagine that the lymphatic system is best friends with your blood system. They always walk together. So the end of the lymphatic cycle will be close to your heart. We are going to massage the whole body and finish close to your breath.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Jill Dunn
And do you do dry brushing as part of yours?
Rebecca Faria
I'm not a fan of dry brushing.
Jill Dunn
Tell me why.
Rebecca Faria
As I said, I believe much more in Routines and habits. And it's not that dry brushing is bad for you, but it's not going to do that much. It's going to help you to move the blood. But if you walk or if you jump or if you do any type of exercise, you're also moving your blood. Blood. And as I said, the blood's best friends with your lymphatic system. The more blood flow means better lymphatic flow. By dry brushing, you are stimulating your blood flow and your lymphatic flow.
Jill Dunn
Okay.
Rebecca Faria
But also by doing other things, you are doing the same.
Carlene Higgins
Got it.
Rebecca Faria
So I don't feel like we should be dry brushing instead of like walk.
Jill Dunn
When you said you use machines as well, what does that mean?
Rebecca Faria
I have different machines for different purposes. Like I have a suction machine which I use for legs and butt and cellulites and blood flow. I have radio frequency machines that I use for postpartum for skin, for stomach issues. It also helps to relax the muscles from our gut. So as I said, if someone is having relationship problems, I like to use that to release the muscles in our stomach area. Helps with the dopamine. I also like to use the cupping for emotions. I use the suction machine also on the back. If someone is too stressed out, that will improve the blood in that area. Helps with the oxygenation of the muscles, so it releases the pain.
Carlene Higgins
What is cupping? Because I've also heard you can do it on the face. And so is it just, just bringing about the circulation or what is it?
Rebecca Faria
Yeah, it's basically a tool that helps you to bring the blood up to the surface of the skin. Not surface of the skin, but close to the skin.
Carlene Higgins
Right, right. And sometimes they leave marks, right?
Rebecca Faria
Yeah, they leave marks when there is a stagnation.
Carlene Higgins
Oh, I see.
Rebecca Faria
In certain points you won't have a great blood flow because you're having problems. So you have more toxins in those areas. You have more blood stagnation. By placing the cup in there, you are pulling the blood all the way up, releasing that area. And when you do copy on the face, for example, you're just moving the blood on your face. You're bringing the blood up, bringing oxygens, bringing anti inflammatory properties, bringing nutrients, even treatments that we have for face, like for skin, Some of them use your own blood because our own blood is so powerful. And that's what cupping does, it brings the blood to you.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Jill Dunn
I was talking to my friend not long ago and she, she said she had a lymphatic drainage and it was actually super painful. So does. Is that a red flag or is that maybe she's just never had one before and she didn't know what to expect? Or sometimes it hurts at the beginning. What's your take?
Rebecca Faria
It is a red flag. It's not supposed to be painful. Sometimes it won't be as comfortable because it's not a relaxing massage. It's not a deep tissue massage. You have to follow the lymphatic flow, the lymphatic path. And if you are inflamed in certain areas, you might feel uncomfortable. But it's not supposed to hurt.
Jill Dunn
Okay.
Rebecca Faria
If it's hurting, it's hurting your tissues. Some people think that they have to do it super strong in order to work. I like, like good pressure, I like strong massages, but it's not supposed to hurt your tissues.
Jill Dunn
Okay. So if you're like bruised or something, that's a bad sign.
Rebecca Faria
Bad.
Jill Dunn
Got. Got it. Okay. Apparently other people said that they. They're nauseous, they can be feverish. So have you heard of this phenomenon? I'm sure it never happens with you because you're the best of the best, but have you heard of this? Like, it's almost like a lymphatic drainage flu, they call it.
Rebecca Faria
Yes, yes, it can happen because the body's trying to flush out all those toxins. Same time. For example, if you drink alcohol your whole life and then out of the blue you stop drinking it.
Jill Dunn
Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
You're going to feel those symptoms. Those are detoxing symptoms.
Jill Dunn
Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
The same happens when you get a lymphatic massage. If you have too many toxins, your body will try to flush all of them out at once. And that can cause headache, nausea. Yeah, insomnia, all symptoms.
Carlene Higgins
So you mentioned this earlier, but tell us about the aesthetic benefits of lymphatic massage. So, you know, body sculpting, that kind of thing. Do you ever get out a measuring tape and show a before and after? Or like, how much benefits can you see in a session? What can you expect?
Rebecca Faria
To be honest with you, I don't love taking before and after pictures. I don't love posting them because I try to make people understand the real benefits of a lymphatic massage. But imagine that your body is full of inflammation. You're going to get swollen. The same happens if you get a surgery. You're going to get swollen because it means inflammation. When you get a lymphatic massage and we are able to flush out that inflammation, the body gets less swollen. That's in. That's like, right away, as soon as you get a massage, you feel lighter. In the long term, though, your metabolism will speed up because you have less toxins blocking it from working. Your digestive system will work better. We have so many lymph nodes around our gut in our digestive system. So by opening those pipes, we will improve the metabolism, especially in that area. So in the long term, people really lose weight. They do lose weight. And in the short term, right after the massage, we're going to get rid of the water. We. So you feel smaller and you look small. Smaller, like, right away.
Carlene Higgins
So that only will last a certain period of time, the water loss. Right. Like, how long will that last?
Rebecca Faria
Your body will keep draining by itself for up to 48 hours after the massage. So if you have an event or photo shoot, you should always get the massage the day before because your body will keep draining. And the next day in the morning, is when you feel your best.
Carlene Higgins
Got it.
Rebecca Faria
But like, a week after, the water wetation will come back. That's why you have to keep supporting your lymphatic system in different ways, not only by getting the massage right. The massage is one great tool. It really helps. But if you're not doing daily habits to support your lymphatic system, the water will come back and you feel like, oh, I lost my money. Why was that? For?
Carlene Higgins
So, your most faithful clientele, how often do they come in to see you?
Rebecca Faria
The perfect timing, in my opinion, is once a week. So in the perfect world, if you could choose, you should do once a week. Or like, if you cannot do once a week, you can do once a month or once every two weeks. Most of my clients come once a week, though.
Carlene Higgins
Okay. Wow, that's amazing.
Rebecca Faria
However, they keep supporting the lymphatic system at home, which is the most important.
Jill Dunn
Yeah, they probably have a personal trainer and all of those things too, you know, that helps. Or just working out.
Carlene Higgins
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Rebecca Faria
Yeah.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah. And I think therabody sells those now for about a thousand dollars.
Jill Dunn
Higher dose as well. Yeah.
Carlene Higgins
So what do you think of those? Is that worthwhile or not? Not.
Rebecca Faria
I love them. I have them too. Yeah.
Carlene Higgins
Okay, which ones do you have?
Rebecca Faria
Same ones that she has.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
So it basically compresses and let go. Compresses and let go. And as I said, we try to do the same with our hands. We push the water towards the drains of the body and any type of compression and let go will do the same work. Even if you go on a jacuzzi and then you go on a cold plunge punch, your muscles will contract and then expand, contract and expand. And that's a type of lymphatic stimulation.
Carlene Higgins
Right.
Rebecca Faria
If you go for a walk or any type of exercise, we'll do the same with your muscles. Contract and let go. That's a type of lymphatic stimulation. Okay, so the pants is just.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah, it's really like a pump.
Rebecca Faria
Yeah.
Carlene Higgins
So, Jill, instead of your hot girl walks, you're going on your lymphatic walks.
Jill Dunn
Oh, yeah, I guess.
Carlene Higgins
Okay, tell me what I can do at home of it about this. Like, that's a lot being stored, am I right? What can I do? Do I need nerves showing her knee down my cankles? I'll just say it. Do I need those pants or those boots or what?
Rebecca Faria
Those pants would help you for sure. But you can also do other things at home to support your lymphatic system. My favorite one is scraping your tong in the morning.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Rebecca Faria
That's how you're going to get rid of all the bacterial bodies detoxing through the night. And you should get rid of that before eating or drinking anything. Otherwise you're going to push all those toxins back to your digestive system. Doing this every single day will just basically make your body unable to detox because your body's trying to flush it out, you're pushing it back. So scrape your tongue first thing in the morning.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Rebecca Faria
After that, you should drink a big glass of water. That will help your metabolism, will help your digestive system to work. So you probably go to the bathroom after the water and your body, your body will be hydrated. So you should get a tea. I have my own tea which supports the lymphatic system. But you can have any tea that you like because I want, I want your body to have a contact with herbs before having contact with food.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Rebecca Faria
After having your tea, you can have your breakfast and do whatever you like your coffee, no problem.
Carlene Higgins
Does it matter what kind of tea? And we're going to link to your tea because I've heard it's delicious. Our producer said that it's delicious. What about black tea? Is that okay?
Rebecca Faria
Yeah, any type of tea. I just want your body to be in touch with something from nature before being in touch with processed food or anything you can have for breakfast.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Jill Dunn
What's. What do you find is the most effective herb? Like I've heard milk thistle, for instance, for like liver detoxing. What's. What is your secret sauce?
Rebecca Faria
I like ginger. I like guarana, which is a Brazilian fruit. I have that on my tea. It's very hard to find it here in the US but we use it a lot in Brazil.
Jill Dunn
Okay.
Rebecca Faria
It's from the Amazon rainforest. I also like peppermint I like green tea, all of those herbs, they are amazing for us. I like to have teas every day. I think it's good for the body to be in touch with the nature, you know.
Carlene Higgins
So you talked to us about, you know, what you want to do when you first wake up. We talked about our hot lymphatic walk. What about movements? Is there anything like should we be doing some kind of, maybe not the dry brushing but any kind of like self massage on our face or on our body in between appointments or if we can't get in, tell us what that is and what, what the essential tools are for that.
Rebecca Faria
The essential tool is only one, your hands. You can definitely do self massages. I always post videos on my Instagram teaching easy ways to do it. Because you basically have to push the water towards the drain, which are your lymph nodes. And by doing that and supporting your lymphatic system by doing the morning routine, I just talked about going for walks, moving your body, you are fine. You don't need anything like expensive like vitamins, crazy treatments, crazy vitamins. You just have to do the basic.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah, yeah. Can you show us what you would do for the face? Because we can take a clip and we do get asked a lot about, you know, like under eye bags, know if that's something you could help with. Like what could you do with a movement on your face that could help with that?
Rebecca Faria
Yeah, lymphatic should help but you take a while. It's not like you will do one time and it's going to disappear. I wish. But basically in our face, the lymph nodes are around here.
Carlene Higgins
Okay. So just so everybody knows, around the perimeter of the face. The whole entire perimeter?
Jill Dunn
Yes.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
So you have to push the water from the middle of the face towards the sides.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Rebecca Faria
That's a very simple explanation but every time you do your skincare or you use creams or anything like that, you should go from the middle towards the sides like this.
Carlene Higgins
Okay.
Jill Dunn
Yeah, yeah. Isn't there the drain? Quote unquote. The lymph node is right behind the ear. Right?
Rebecca Faria
We have many actually.
Jill Dunn
Well, yeah. Okay. For the face.
Rebecca Faria
Most of them are around the face. So by pushing like this, you were pushing the water towards the drain.
Carlene Higgins
Okay. Okay.
Jill Dunn
And pushing up everybody. Yeah, not pushing down.
Rebecca Faria
You can also do like this for your jawline. If you have sinus infection, you go around your nose and you push towards the drain. You're pushing the infection towards the drain.
Carlene Higgins
Right.
Rebecca Faria
You can go around your eyes like this.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah. And do you have any oils or creams that you like to use on your face at home? We're a beauty podcast, after all. So tell us what you would use to do that with.
Rebecca Faria
I have my own cream that I like to use.
Carlene Higgins
And you use it on your face, too?
Rebecca Faria
Yeah, I use on my body, on my face. It's a very neutral cream. It has basically nothing. I like to use it everywhere.
Carlene Higgins
Dermatologist approved.
Rebecca Faria
Yeah.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
And that's the only thing I use, to be honest.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah. Okay, great.
Jill Dunn
And so you personally, you've. You're, like, so well versed in all of this. Now, what diet habits do you find to be the healthiest for you, you personally, to just, like, maintain your feeling your best and feeling like you're doing the best by your lymphatic system?
Rebecca Faria
That's a great question. A lot of people ask me that, and I think you are the best person to answer that question to yourself because we react different to different types of food. So some people don't do well with milk, Some people do well, some people don't do well with carbs, Some people do well. So I would try different types of food, different. Different groups of food, and pay attention on what you can digest well or not. That's the best way to go. That's the best answer for you.
Jill Dunn
I have a question because you see a lot of, like, a listers who are, you know, really taking care of themselves. Have you ever noticed a big before and after where they come in one time and maybe they're just trying to get everything right, and then they come back in to see you the next time, you're like, whoa, what did you do? Like, you. You feel healthier or you look better, or is there something that is some kind of, like, secret that you could reveal to us?
Rebecca Faria
Usually when they start coming to me, they are also working out more. They are taking care of their diet. So the whole combination definitely makes a big change. And the more they come, the more I see the change. Because the lymphatic massage will speed up your results.
Jill Dunn
I see. Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
And it's very amazing for me to see. I have one client, she's open about it, so I don't. I don't see any problems talking about it here. Year Rebel Wilson.
Jill Dunn
Yes.
Rebecca Faria
She has lost so much weight, and I was with her throughout the process. She was coming once a week. It was amazing for me to see the big change in her life, you know, how she was able to change her diet and how she got motivated by seeing the results I think that was the best experience for me that I've ever had with any client.
Carlene Higgins
Right. Yeah.
Jill Dunn
Very cool.
Carlene Higgins
I'm curious because you probably have a lot of of dedicated clients who you see for many years. What have you noticed can be the biggest thing that impacts the lymphatic system for them? Is it. Is it a life change? Is it sometimes they like, maybe they got Covid and it changed, you know, or ozempic. Like, is there anything that you've noticed that's really had an impact on. On people that they might not realize, we might not realize?
Rebecca Faria
In my opinion, the main thing will always be processed food. You can pay attention on what you eat and you might digest things in different ways, but processed food will be bad for every single person because it's not real food. So how your body is going to metabolize something that is not real?
Carlene Higgins
Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
Instead your lymphatic system will get all those toxins and that will be dub over time and your lymphatic system will get overloaded.
Carlene Higgins
Right. Are there any other, you know, habits that you do that we should know about? Whether it's in the shower, like temperature or any exotic contraptions you own or like take us through a day in Rebecca's life, like being, you know, lymphatic queen.
Rebecca Faria
So I like to wake up early because we have a. Our cortisol is spiking in the morning and that's when you have more energy. If you wake up after like 9, 10am you wake up tired because your cortisol levels are the highest around 7, 8am Okay. I like to wake up early, do my morning routine. Then I like to go for a walk or go to the gym, move my body because that's the moment when I have more energy because of the cortisol.
Carlene Higgins
Right.
Rebecca Faria
At night, I also like to do a quick nighttime routine. I have red bulbs in my room so my room can get red. And I like that because that won't block my melatonin production. The bright light, the blue light or light from TV cell phones can block your melatonin production.
Carlene Higgins
Right.
Rebecca Faria
Imagine that your brain doesn't know the difference between a TV or the sound sun. So when you have that bright light, your brain might be confused and feel like it's daytime.
Carlene Higgins
Yeah.
Rebecca Faria
So that will block the melatonin production.
Carlene Higgins
That's why I always sleep with my sleep mask.
Rebecca Faria
Yeah, yeah.
Jill Dunn
No, it's.
Rebecca Faria
So I like to turn on the red lights before going to bed, pull my legs up, do a self lymphatic and that's it. No secrets.
Jill Dunn
The simple habits again, the simple things. It really is. Well, thank you so much.
Rebecca Faria
Of course.
Jill Dunn
So many great tips.
Carlene Higgins
Thanks for listening. You can find details on every product mentioned in today's episode, along with our exclusive promo codes on our blog @breaking beauty podcast.com While you're there, be sure.
Jill Dunn
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Carlene Higgins
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Jill Dunn
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Carlene Higgins
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Jill Dunn
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Carlene Higgins
See you next Wednesday.
Jill Dunn
Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.
Breaking Beauty Podcast: Episode Summary
Episode Title: Jessica Alba’s Body Sculptor Shares Her Lymphatic Drainage Secrets For Reducing Inflammation, Beating Sluggishness and Boosting Immunity the Brazilian Way
Release Date: February 12, 2025
Hosts: Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins
Guest: Rebecca Faria, Founder of Detox by Rebecca Spa
In this episode of the Breaking Beauty Podcast, hosts Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins welcome Rebecca Faria, the renowned founder of Detox by Rebecca Spa. Rebecca brings over 13 years of expertise in body aesthetics and is celebrated for creating the first Brazilian lymphatic drainage spa in Los Angeles. Her signature Detox by Rebecca Technique has garnered a celebrity clientele, including names like Sophia Richie, Rosie Huntington Whiteley, Addison Rae, and Brooklyn Beckham.
Jill Dunn opens with enthusiasm about Rebecca's influence on Hollywood elites:
“Sophia Richie Grange goes there. Rosie Huntington Whiteley, Addison Rae...before Addison Rae did that Rolling Stone cover...she probably went to see Rebecca.”
(01:09)
Carlene Higgins emphasizes Rebecca's pioneering role:
“Rebecca launched what's considered the first Brazilian lymphatic drainage spa in LA, hearkening back to her roots in Brazil.”
(02:17)
Rebecca Faria demystifies the lymphatic system, likening it to the body's garbage disposal:
“The lymphatic system is almost like the garbage of the body. If you don't support it, your body holds on to toxins, viruses, bacteria, and then you're going to get sick.”
(12:36)
She explains that a well-functioning lymphatic system helps in detoxifying the body, boosting immunity, and maintaining overall health. Signs of a sluggish lymphatic system include:
(13:42 - 14:30)
Rebecca's technique is a comprehensive approach combining manual massage with advanced machinery to enhance lymphatic flow.
Key Components of the Technique:
Manual Massage: Using hands, palms, and fingertips to intentionally move lymph towards key drainage points.
“It's more intentional than rubbing the body with the full hand. It's about using your palm, using the pressure of your fingertips...”
(04:09)
Cupping Therapy: Incorporates cupping to stimulate blood flow and release stagnation areas.
“Cupping helps bring the blood up to the surface, releasing that area.”
(30:20)
Infrared Cocoon Pod: A 20-minute session in an infrared pod that provides heat and vibration to further aid detoxification.
“You're in this cocoon pod that's infrared. It looks like a tanning bed and it vibrates. I was like, I'm never getting out of here.”
(07:44)
Personal Experience:
Jill Dunn shares her firsthand experience:
“It is one of the best body treatments I have ever had. Highly recommend.”
(03:38 - 03:50)
She describes the treatment as comfortable and professional, noting the effectiveness in reducing bloating and promoting a "snatched" feeling.
Rebecca emphasizes that supporting the lymphatic system extends beyond professional treatments. She outlines a daily routine to maintain lymphatic health:
Morning Routine:
Tongue Scraping: Removes bacteria detoxed by the liver overnight.
“Scrape your tongue first thing in the morning...otherwise, you're going to push all those toxins back to your digestive system.”
(40:30)
Hydration: Drinking a big glass of water kickstarts metabolism and hydration.
Tea Consumption: Prefers herbal teas like ginger, guarana, peppermint, and green tea for their detoxifying properties.
“I like to have teas every day. It’s good for the body to be in touch with nature.”
(41:40)
Physical Activity:
Walking or Exercising: Promotes blood and lymph flow.
Self-Massage Techniques: Using hands to push lymph towards drainage points on the face and body.
“The essential tool is only one, your hands. You can definitely do self massages.”
(42:33)
Evening Routine:
Red Light Therapy: Uses red bulbs to avoid disrupting melatonin production.
“I have red bulbs in my room so my room can get red. That won’t block my melatonin production.”
(48:37)
Rebecca shares insights from her clients, highlighting significant transformations achieved through consistent lymphatic treatments combined with healthy lifestyle choices.
Notable Success:
Rebel Wilson: One of her clients who experienced substantial weight loss and improved well-being through weekly sessions.
“She has lost so much weight, and I was with her throughout the process... it was amazing to see the big change in her life.”
(46:54)
Rebecca stresses that the combination of regular massages, proper diet, and exercise accelerates and sustains health improvements.
Pain During Massage:
Rebecca clarifies that lymphatic massages should not be painful. If a client experiences pain, it indicates improper technique or excessive pressure.
“If it's hurting, it's hurting your tissues. Some people think that they have to do it super strong in order to work. It’s not supposed to hurt.”
(31:39 - 32:12)
Post-Massage Symptoms:
Occasionally, clients may experience detox-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, or insomnia as the body flushes out toxins.
“If you have too many toxins, your body will try to flush all of them out at once. That can cause headache, nausea, insomnia.”
(32:33 - 32:51)
Rebecca Faria concludes by reiterating the importance of holistic and consistent approaches to support the lymphatic system. She advocates for simple, daily habits over expensive products, emphasizing the body's innate ability to detox when properly supported.
Final Advice:
Carlene Higgins wraps up the episode by highlighting how these techniques not only enhance aesthetic appeal but also significantly improve overall health and immunity.
Jill Dunn on Award Season Brightening Winter Doldrums:
“Award season...Taylor Swift had that excellent Vivian Westwood dress with the sexy body jewelry...this is getting me out of my doom scrolling.”
(00:33 - 01:09)
Rebecca Faria on Lymphatic System’s Importance:
“The lymphatic system is almost like the garbage of the body...if you don't take care of your lymphatic system, your body will hold on too many toxins.”
(12:36 - 12:36)
Rebecca Faria on Lymphatic Massage Technique:
“We use our hands to be almost like the heart of the lymphatic system. The hands will push this fluid towards the drain so your body can flush it out through your pee.”
(16:33 - 16:44)
Jill Dunn on Personal Experience:
“It is one of the best body treatments I have ever had. Highly recommend.”
(03:38 - 03:50)
Rebecca Faria on Client Success:
“She has lost so much weight...It was amazing for me to see the big change in her life.”
(46:54 - 47:17)
This episode of the Breaking Beauty Podcast offers invaluable insights into the significance of the lymphatic system and practical methods to enhance its function. Rebecca Faria's expertise provides listeners with both professional techniques and actionable at-home practices, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking to improve their health and beauty from within.