Olivia Johnson has spent the morning with several celebrity clients, performing her signature Brazilian lymphatic drainage massage for them ahead of the Baftas. The goal is to help them look and feel their best on the red carpet – cheekbones and waistlines sharper, limbs free of any puffiness. Although I have no such pressing engagements to attend, later the same day, I’m on her massage table, enjoying the same treatment, hoping to reap some of the benefits I’ve seen claimed for it all over social media.
Although the practice of lymphatic drainage is not new, having first been developed by Danish physicians in the 1930s, it has undergone a renaissance in popularity recently, driven by celebrity enthusiasm and social media shout-outs for a newer iteration known as Brazilian lymphatic drainage massage. Jennifer Aniston, Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa are among the high-profile fans of this treatment.
Advocates say it aids everything from slimming and reducing swelling and cellulite to helping rid the body of “toxins”, and the hype for Brazilian lymphatic massage is so significant that certain practitioners – including Olivia and other big names in the field – have months-long waitlists for appointments.
