Facial Massage Techniques That Act Like a Natural Facelift

Tight jaws, tired eyes, and skin that just doesn’t feel its best. We’ve all been there. Whether it’s stress, poor posture, or the demands of everyday life catching up with us, our faces tend to reveal a lot more than we realize. And in the search for a natural way to lift and rejuvenate skin, more and more people are turning to the power of facial massage techniques that go deeper than the surface. One of which is called Hadado®.

What is the Hadado® Face Massage?

The Hadado® face massage stands out as a truly holistic method. Often called a “non-surgical facelift,” it’s a deeply therapeutic, trademarked technique. It blends modern physical therapy with time-honored Japanese practices like:

• Buccal massage
• Lymphatic facial massage
• Myofascial release therapy (“Fascial Face Lifting Treatment”)
• Kobido facial massage

This treatment lifts your skin and supports your entire well-being. Let me walk you through exactly what happens during a session. We’ll learn about each of the facial massage techniques and how they work together to lift, sculpt, and reset — not just your skin, but your nervous system, too. It’s no wonder Hadado® is quickly becoming a favorite for skincare and wellness enthusiasts alike.

Why Hadado® Works: More Than Just a Facial

Unlike typical facials that focus mainly on the surface, Hadado® goes deeper.

It starts with the understanding that your face is connected to your whole body.

• Tension in your forehead? It might be coming from your shoulders.
• Jaw pain? That could stem from clenching or posture.

Hadado® is often called a non-surgical facelift. This is because it lifts and tones the face by addressing the deeper causes of sagging, puffiness, and tension.

Benefits of Hadado® Facial Massage Techniques

Here’s what you can expect with consistent sessions:

• Jaw and neck tension relief: These areas are often tight from stress, poor posture, or clenching. Hadado® offers deep relief for clients dealing with TMJ, clenching, or tech-neck. Regular work in these areas can also ease recurring headaches and overall discomfort.
• Improved blood flow: Hadado® supports microcirculation, bringing fresh oxygen and nutrients to your skin for a natural glow.
• Stress relief: Stimulates the vagus nerve and calms the nervous system. As your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, you’ll feel facial tension melt away — many clients notice improved mental clarity and emotional balance afterward.
• Boosted collagen and elastin: Increased cellular activity helps support elasticity, promote skin firmness, and reduce fine lines over time.
• Reduced puffiness: Whether it’s from allergies, dehydration, or certain medications, fluid retention can cause swelling. Lymph stimulation helps drain excess fluid so your face appears more refined and contoured.
• Wrinkle reduction: Strengthening underlying muscles helps minimize sagging, resulting in a more toned appearance.
• Lymphatic detox: Toxins can become trapped in facial tissue. Through lymphatic drainage, Hadado® facial massage techniques help clear waste, leaving your skin clearer and brighter.
• Muscle toning: Activates and relaxes deep muscles to help define facial contours.

The Core Facial Massage Techniques Inside a Hadado® Session 

A quick look at the benefits of the facial massage techniques that make up Hadado®:

Technique	Main Benefit	Bonus Effects
Buccal Massage	Jaw sculpting	TMJ relief, collagen boost
Myofascial	Release deep tension	Symmetry, posture
Lymphatic	Detox & de-puff	Immune support
Kobido	Tone + rejuvenate	Calming, lifted glow

Buccal Massage: Sculpting from the Inside

Buccal massage is one of the most specialized and effective facial massage techniques available. In this method, your practitioner wears gloves and gently massages the inside of your cheeks and jaw.

It has many facial rejuvenation benefits:

• Targets deep facial muscles like the masseter and buccinator. These are often tight from clenching or TMJ.
• Sculpts and contours the cheeks and jawline by working on the buccal fat pads.
• Promotes collagen production and improves skin elasticity.
• Supports lymphatic flow for reduced puffiness and clearer skin.

It may feel unusual at first, but many clients are surprised by how much relief and visible lift they experience after a buccal massage treatment.

Myofascial Release: Releasing Restrictions at the Root

Fascia is a layer of connective tissue that wraps around your muscles and organs like a 3D bodysuit. When it’s tight from stress, posture, or repetitive expressions, it pulls on muscles. This can impact posture, facial symmetry, and even skin appearance.

To help with this, Hadado® starts with a seated portion where the therapist releases fascia in the back, shoulders, and neck. Why? Your frontalis (forehead muscle) connects via the epicranial aponeurosis — a sheet of fascia on top of your head — to the occipitalis muscle at the back of your skull. This fascia continues all the way down your spine.

So, to smooth forehead tension or lift the brows, we have to address what’s happening down the back and shoulders.

The benefits of this myofascial release massage technique include:

• Loosening tension that contributes to wrinkles and folds
• Balancing facial symmetry by relieving muscle imbalances
• Reducing tightness in the jaw, neck, and shoulders, while easing headaches and TMJ discomfort
• Supporting posture and alignment (which affects how your face rests)
• Creating a more relaxed and harmonious facial expression

Lymphatic Facial Massage: Clearing What the Skin Can’t

Lymphatic drainage massage is one of the gentle facial massage techniques that helps move lymph. Lymph is a clear fluid that eliminates waste and supports your immune system. When lymph becomes stagnant, you may notice dullness, swelling, or breakouts.

Hadado® uses rhythmic, slow strokes to move fluid toward the lymph nodes, encouraging waste removal and reducing inflammation.

The lymphatic facial massage process here supports you and your skin in many ways:

• Detoxification: Removes built-up waste that contributes to inflammation and acne
• Puffiness: Especially effective around the eyes and jawline
• Brighter skin: Clears congestion to leave skin looking luminous
• Immune support: A healthy lymphatic system helps keep your skin and body resilient

It’s particularly helpful after travel, illness, or whenever your skin feels puffy or off.

Kobido Facial Massage Techniques: Traditional Japanese Rejuvenation

The final layer of Hadado® incorporates Kobido, a centuries-old Japanese technique often called “the natural facelift.”

This part includes tapping to stimulate circulation, kneading to promote detoxification, and drumming movements to enhance lymphatic flow. It’s energizing yet deeply soothing.

Kobido can help to:

• Improve tone and texture through boosted circulation
• Activate collagen and elastin for a youthful glow
• Deliver an immediate lifting and firming effect
• Calm the nervous system and induce deep relaxation through rhythmic, meditative movements

It’s the perfect way to complete your session and lock in the results.

What a Hadado® Session Looks Like From Start to Finish

Sessions begin in a seated position so your practitioner can release tension in the back, neck, and shoulders first. It might seem unrelated to your face. But once you feel the difference, you’ll understand why it’s so important.

Then, you’ll move to a reclined position for the facial portion. We apply a gentle oil or cream, then move through buccal massage, myofascial release, lymphatic facial massage, and Kobido. Each of the facial massage techniques is tailored to what your skin and muscles need that day.

Pro tip: Arrive makeup-free or be ready to remove it before we begin. That way, we can start fresh.

Questions About Botox, Fillers, and Post-Treatment Timing

Hadado® is safe to combine with injectables, but the timing needs to be right:

• Wait 2 weeks after Botox, dental work, or any inflammation in the area
• Wait 1 month after dermal fillers

Preparing for injectables? A few Hadado® sessions beforehand can actually improve your results. Relaxed muscles and toned, hydrated skin help everything settle more smoothly and last longer.

Booking a Hadado® Facial Massage

Our faces reflect what we feel and what we carry. Stress, posture, emotions, habits all show up over time.

Hadado® face massage does uplift what you see in the mirror, but its lasting benefits are found in how you feel in your jaw, your shoulders, and your mind. Blending buccal massage, lymphatic facial massage, myofascial release, and Kobido works on multiple levels of both health and beauty. 

And when we treat the whole system, not only the skin, we create space for long-term, meaningful results.

Written by Bozena Pisla, PT, DPT, Cert. DN
(aka “Dr. Bo, PT“)

Ready to book? Call Balance Spa or schedule your Fascial Face Lifting Treatment online.