Kobido is an ancestral anti-aging facial massage practiced by all Japanese women. Inspired by Chinese massage and reflexology, its results are spectacular. It is all the rage in Western spas and institutes, which now offer it everywhere. Focus on the real method and its benefits...
Origins & learning
The Kobido house is a line of master masseurs which officially dates back to 1472. The house was born from the association of two of the greatest Japanese masters of Anma (traditional Japanese massage) of the time who clashed in a small inn from the south of Mount Fuji around a demonstration of Kyoku-te, a facial treatment performed with a particular percussion technique. At the end of an endless competition, no winner was chosen. The two masters who respected each other preferred to combine their talents to found their own beauty house: Maison Kobido. They established thousands of techniques divided into 48 categories which were then transmitted from master to student over the generations. Today, Dr. Shogo Mochizuki, a Japanese doctor and massage specialist, is the twenty-sixth generation master of the Kobido house who teaches his art to a handful of students. Worldwide. only about fifty experienced practitioners are listed. The apprenticeship is rigorous and requires several years before mastering all the techniques. In France, only seven practitioners have been trained by the Grand Master (see bottom of page). The Kobido is even a registered trademark in many countries and in the process of being formalized in France. So beware of the term Kobido, which is wrongly used to designate a facial massage inspired by Anma. More than a massage, the real Kobido is a traditional art in the same way as the tea ceremony or Ikebana (the art of the bouquet). which has long remained the prerogative of empresses and geishas!
© eea ikeda
The method
Kobido, like Anma, is originally based on kneading, pressure and caressing the face and neck. This natural lifting sometimes stimulates the left side of the face, the Yang connected to the organs, sometimes the right side, the Yin, connected to the viscera, in order to better balance the chi, the vital energy. A complete Kobido massage session takes place in three stages: the face is first cleansed, then hydrated and finally energized. The massage is performed with a face cream (which changes over time according to dermatological findings), and from time to time the masseur adds a few drops of water to improve the slipperiness. A sequence of synchronous gestures performed with the fingertips then takes place in a choreography of smoothing, kneading, percussion and vibration. Depending on the intensity and the speed at which the gestures are performed, the action on the structures of the face is more or less profound.
Benefits
The Kobido philosophy is based on the Japanese principle that ultimate beauty comes from the perfect balance of physical, emotional and spiritual health. Beauty thus becomes a reflection of overall health and no longer a simple external aspect of the body. The massage aims both to relax the features through deep relaxation and to tone the face by stimulating its muscles. The lifting effect is therefore obtained by alternating gentle and dynamic movements on all the organs (dermis, epidermis, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, etc.) The massage stimulates the cutaneous microcirculation and the lymphatic flow which contribute to the elimination of toxins, the complexion being cleared up at the end of the treatment. But it also has an action on the skin tissues which it firms, and on the muscles which it relaxes in order to smooth expression lines. The sequence of very tonic movements (percussion and vibration) aims to plump up the curve. After a Kobido massage, the face is hydrated, toned and energized. The muscles are released from all their tensions and tensions. The massage leaves room for a more open and luminous face. The volumes of the face are redesigned, the skin is firmed, the cheekbones plump, which gives a real impression of a natural lift.
Rejuvenating effect
Improves muscle tone and firms the facial contour
Fight against expression lines
Promotes the protection and renewal of the epidermis
Effective treatment against various skin problems such as acne or dry skin problems
Before 30 years old massage is not necessary. Beyond that, a one-off practice gives a real boost of radiance while a regular practice slows down the aging of the face.
Where to practice the authentic Kobido in France
Seven French practitioners, trained by the Grand Master, are approved on the official Kobido website.
Priscilla Pascaline 50 min, 90 €.
4, rue Théodule-Ribot, Paris 17e Tél. : 01 44 09 71 61.
Josaphah Saussaye 1 h, 90 €. 11, rue du premier cuirassier, 68000 Colmar. Tél : 06 81 24 49 15
Laure Lioty
30 mn, 50 €.
rue de l'hôtel de ville 63200 Riom Tél. : 06 01 76 48 74
Reading
Kobido, le lifting naturel japonais, Aline Faucheur 8,50€
Notes et suggestions!
The care is not medical but therapeutic. In no case the information and advice offered here are likely to replace a consultation or a diagnosis made by a doctor or a health professional.
