Looking Tired? Try Kobido, The Natural Japanese Face-Lift

It’s the best-kept beauty secret of the most sophisticated ladies from all around the world. More than just a facial massage, with pressure, vibration, percussion, and tapping, Kobido is both a Japanese skin care system and a lineage of finest techniques and treatments dated back to 1472. An all-natural pro-age facial lift that aims to awaken the tone of the muscles, the oxygenation of the epidermis while activating the production of collagen and elastin.

And now a finely illustrated book by Alice Faucheur, “Kobido: Le lifting Naturel Japonais” (French Edition only) reveals all of its wonders. According to her, owner of the luxury beauty-institute, Faucher Paris, former dancer and pioneer in France of the ancient method:

Kobido is a naturally lifting, authentic and effective facial massage which tends to restore freshness to the face. It is a soft and natural alternative to other invasive methods which consists of waking up and plumping up the face starting from the naturalness of it. It is a facial massage that is practised with great rigour and during which each square centimetre of the face, from the jaws to the forehead, is solicited according to very precise gestures.

The Ancient way of beauty

The origin of Kobido, better known as “the ancient way of beauty”, dates back to the fifteenth century, and the legend says it was a treatment reserved exclusively for the Imperial family and the noblest and wealthy families in Japan. Initially considered as a beauty ritual for Empress and Geishas, it becomes a traditional art, just like Ikebana (the art of the bouquet) or the Tea ceremony.

It is the oldest and most advanced form of facial available in Japan but it is also the name of the Japanese company and lineage that has offered it for over 540 years. This natural face-lift embraces a philosophy that considers beauty as a perfect balance of physical, emotional, spiritual health and treatments. It includes no fewer than 48 techniques, focus on special percussion-based treatment created by two of Japan’s most skilled Anma masters (Anma was a form of massage practised long before Shiatsu and western massages developed) and passed on from master to disciple throughout the generations.

The power of natural ingredients

Most of the effectiveness of Kobido facial is due to special techniques but also to the organic formulas used during treatments which include hand-picked and selected ingredients sourced in Japan. Amongst them; the Imperial Green Tea (an extremely rich source of antioxidants), Rei Shi Mushroom (immune tonic), Red Kirin Ginseng (known to balance skin condition by decreasing stress and regulating hormone levels), Japanese Plum (clinically proven to tighten facial tissue with its very high levels of alkaline minerals) and Japanese Knotweed (which contains Resveratrol, an antioxidant that blocks inflammation of skin cells).

Kobido signature techniques

Kobido signature techniques are not easy to master. It takes a great deal of time and effort, but like any traditional art, the results of long training and practice are what set it aside from everything else. The authentic Kobido massage is actually practised by very few facialists (check kobido.com to find those ones fully licensed) today, one of the most respected therapists is Doctor Shogo Mochizuki, the successor to the 26th Master of the Kobido art form.

In general, the technique consists of kneading, tingling, rubbing and gently stroking the skin of the face. Kobido signature’s massage kicks off with stimulating the energetic points of your face, and it finishes off with lymphatic draining to get rid of toxins. This technique lies in a mix of fast and slow hands’ movements to improve the deep circulation of the face, neck and upper chest part.

It takes approximately 60 minutes and promises to smooth and plump the skin of the face but it is also ideal for those ladies who suffer from migraines. By practising regularly, one session every two to three weeks for at least ten sessions, then occasionally (once a month), Kobido massage might help us to improve the radiance of our skin, our overall wellbeing and also getting rid of those unpleasant (and so common in midlife) puffy eyes.

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