Women's Health April 18, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret Japanese Massage That Transforms Your Face Like a Champ—Sculpted, Lifted, Unstoppable!

Is it just me, or does everyone—and I mean literally everyone—seem obsessed with that perfectly sculpted, firm face look these days? Whether it’s scrolling through socials or overhearing chatter, the deep plane face lift is a buzzword you can’t escape. And guess what? The numbers don’t lie: facial procedures are set to surge by nearly 20% in 2025. But here’s the kicker—not everyone’s down for going under the knife (thank goodness). So, what’s a savvy skincare lover to do? Enter the world of non-invasive tricks—from gua sha stones and jade rollers to high-tech microcurrent gizmos promising a youthful glow. And now, a fresh contender is making waves: kobido, an ancient Japanese facial massage that’s been called a non-surgical facelift by its fans. Intrigued yet? Trust me, it’s more than just a massage—it’s like a rhythmic dance that might just have your skin thanking you. Ready to find out if this beauty secret really delivers the goods? LEARN MORE

7 min read

There’s no denying that we live in an era where literally everyone and their mother wants their face to look more firm and sculpted. As such, procedures such as the deep plane face lift are more popular than ever. And you don’t have to just take my word for it—the proof is in the pudding: In 2025, facial procedures in the United States were estimated to increase 19 percent compared to 2024, according to the most recent annual survey from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

However, not everyone has the time, money, or even the desire to go under the knife. Luckily, folks in that demographic have no shortage of alternatives to achieve that snatched look at home. There’s gua sha stones, jade facial rollers, and Kansa wands, to name a few. For those who want to up the ante, there are countless high-tech microcurrent devices promising to lift and tighten the skin using low-level electricity.

The latest addition to that non-invasive toolkit? Kobido, a Japanese facial massage technique offering luxurious relaxation and aesthetic benefits for your complexion. “It’s like performing a dance on the face,” says Anouk Biard, a holistic facialist in Paris, who specializes in kobido. “Many of my clients say it feels like there are more than just two hands working on them.”

Meet the experts: Anouk Biard, a holistic facialist in Paris, who specializes in kobido. Lisa Simone, founder and owner of Lisa Simone Skincare in Chicago. Aegean Chan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Santa Barbara, California.

Sounds pretty soothing, right? And it gets even better: Beyond the tranquility this massage provides, it’s also been touted as a non-surgical facelift, with proponents raving about its firming and sculpting benefits. In fact, kobido was found to reduce tension in the skin, fade the appearance of skin folds, and improve facial contour in a small 2024 study involving 27 women.

A massage that manages to both feel relaxing and noticeably turn back the clock almost sounds too good to be true. So ahead, a facialist, an esthetician, and a dermatologist break down what kobido is, the benefits the massage technqiue can provide the skin, and whether it actually stacks up against a face lift.

What is a kobido massage?

File kobido under your list of seemingly “new” beauty trends that are not actually new at all. Kobido, which roughly translates to “ancient way of beauty,” is a centuries-old Japanese facial massage technique, explains Lisa Simone, an esthetician and founder and owner of Lisa Simone Skincare in Chicago. And honing the craft is no small feat: It requires extensive and precise training that only a handful of people in the world can provide, she adds.

What’s particularly interesting about kobido is that it doesn’t home in on just one type of movement. Instead, it feels like many massages incorporated into one: The practitioner’s touch can be slow and deep, fast and light, sweeping, or kneading…all in a single session, says Anouk Biard, a holistic facialist in Paris, who specializes in kobido. “The rhythm is constantly changing and the fingers are constantly moving,” she says.

But the variety of movements aren’t random. During a kobido facial massage—which typically lasts between 60 and 90 minutes—you can expect the professional’s movements to oscillate between slow, rhythmic and symmetrical strokes, and rapid, percussive tapping. “I may be tapping with one hand and stretching or pinching the skin with the other,” explains Simone. And while kobido is executed under that framework, Biard and Simone agree that practitioners tend to take some creative liberty reagrding when and where they apply speed and pressure to the clients’ skin. “I tweak the choreography and adapt the technique based on my own sensibility, as well as the tension I feel in my client’s face,” Biard says.

Biard prefers to begin her massages on the neck and décolletage—the upper chest area—gradually working her way up to the face, and finishing the service with a scalp massage, she says. Simone, meanwhile, likes to start her treatment on the upper back muscles. Then, she massages the scalp before moving on to the face—an approach inspired by another patented face-lifting Japanese massage technique called Hadado®, she says.

Regardless of exactly how your provider approaches the massage, you can expect a totally hands-on treatment from start to finish since no other tools are involved. And aside from a bit of face oil for lubrication, other products such as serums and creams generally aren’t used either, experts say.

What are the benefits of a kobido massage?

The perks of kobido can be categorized into four pillars: Myofascial release, lifting, lymphatic drainage, and acupressure, adds Simone. “The results set the bar high compared to other facial massages,” she adds. Here’s a quick breakdown of each pillar, and the cosmetic benefits they provide:

Myofascial release: This technique incorporated into kobido is designed to address muscle tightness and other problems in soft tissue that can cause pain and limit motion, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery, or HSS, the top orthopedic hospital in the U.S. As the name implies, the technique focuses on the body’s fascia, a thin connective tissue right under the skin that surrounds our muscles, bones, organs, blood vessels and nerve fibers, Women’s Health previously reported. Myofascial release involves applying slow, gentle pressure with the hands in order to release and lengthen stiff fascia, increasing mobility and range of motion, as well as relieving pain, according to a 2024 research review.
Lifting: Like many facial massages, kobido focuses on sculpting and lifting the face through repetitive strokes on the skin. The rapid, rhythmic, upward movements are essentially like yoga for the face muscles, leaving your skin looking firmer by the end of your appointment. Plus, facial massages in general can cause blood vessels in the face to dilate and help improve blood circulation. And proper blood flow is crucial to ensuring your face gets the oxygen and nutrients the skin cells need, Simone says. This, in turn, contributes to the appearance of a revitalized complexion.

Acupressure: In case you’re unfamiliar, acupressure is a technique derived from traditional Chinese medicine, and it involves placing pressure with the hands onto various points of the body to help balance the flow of energy, or Qi, throughout the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It’s also thought to relieve stress and anxiety, and improve circulation to potentially give your skin an enviable glow. Simply put, you can basically think of acupressure as like acupuncture, minus the needles, and it’s part of what sets kobido apart from other facial massages.
Lymphatic drainage: Facial massages like kobido may help stimulate the lymphatic system, which involves lumps of tissue (called lymph nodes) that help drain excess fluids from the body, Women’s Health previously reported. We have a bunch of lymph nodes in our face and neck, so the rhythmic pressure and rubbing involved in kobido can help move fluid to the lymph nodes and encourage drainage. The cosmetic perks? A temporary reduction of puffiness and swelling, “and a more sculpted appearance, especially in areas like the mid-face and cheeks,” says Aegean Chan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Santa Barbara, California.

The catch: The key word when it comes to these perks is temporary, experts say. Kobido—or any kind of facial massage, for that matter—is not a one-to-one substitute for a surgical facelift. (Sorry to disappoint.) “This is simply a manual manipulation of the skin and isn’t going to yield the true outcome of a face lift, where you’re actually making structural changes by removing tissue and lifting the skin to increase tension,” Dr. Chan says.

How temporary are we talkin’, you ask? Well, it all depends on the individual and what they do at home to maintain results, such as using a gua sha stone, Dr. Chan says. But as a general rule of thumb, cosmetic benefits from kobido can range anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks. Biard agrees, adding that she sees longer-lasting results in clients who perform facial massages on themselves in between their monthly or bi-monthly sessions with her.

Can anyone get a kobido massage?

Some good news: Pretty much anyone can enjoy the benefits of this massage, with a few exceptions. For instance, if you have rosacea or any kind of active inflammation in the skin from acne or a recent procedure like microneedling, it may be best to hold off on kobido until your skin calms down, Dr. Chan says. The technique encourages a lot of extra blood flow to the skin, so getting a massage when the skin is already inflamed can inadvertently cause unwanted flushing and facial redness, she says.

If you’ve recently gotten Botox or filler injections, it’s also best to wait at least two weeks before scheduling a kobido appointment. The intense physical manipulation of the skin increases the likelihood of the injectable migrating to unwanted places, Dr. Chan explains. Yikes.

And while anyone can indulge in the benefits and soothing sensorial experience of kobido, older people may notice better cosmetic results. “Someone who is younger and is starting at a better baseline may not see as much of a change as someone who is older with looser skin and more retained fluid,” Dr. Chan says. In other words, if your skin already looks pretty good, visible improvement will likely be less dramatic.

The bottom line: Kobido has real perks, but manage your expectations.

If you have the time and money for kobido—you’ll likely have to cough up a couple hundred dollars per session—it’s well worth trying. At the very least, you’re investing in an hour or so of genuine, stress-melting relaxation, Dr. Chan says. And at best, you’ll walk out looking noticeably more lifted, sculpted, and glowing, too. For a non-invasive treatment that doubles as an hour of R&R, that’s a pretty solid return on investment.

Just don’t go in expecting surgical results. Think of kobido less as a facelift alternative and more as the most effective (and luxurious) version of a facial massage the beauty world has to offer.

Melanie Rud is a beauty writer and editor with over 15 years of experience in the industry covering skincare, makeup, hair, and more. Her work has appeared in Shape, Real Simple, Byrdie, In Style, RealSelf, Good Housekeeping, PopSugar, and multiple other print and digital outlets. Additionally, she works as a personal beauty coach and also offers consulting services for beauty companies.

Katie Mogg is the beauty editorial assistant at Women’s Health. Since starting college at Northeastern University in 2020, her bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NBC News and The Boston Globe. She strives to help readers lead happier and healthier lives through science-backed stories that explain how to care for hair, skin and nails. When she’s not working, Katie enjoys live music, strolling through Central Park, planning her next beach getaway, and sharing hotpot with friends.