Non-Surgical Facelift at your Fingertips

Yoga Facial.

I’m a big fan of facials. I love the idea that I can have an hour stretched out on a bed being pampered and then come away with lasting, positive effects. I’m also happy to embrace new approaches and ones that might be a little uncomfortable.  The facial I decide to try is unusual and yet based on something as old as time – yoga.

I head to Kensington (near Olympia) to Daiva Beauty House, Daiva being an award-winning make-up artist and beautician. She is offering a new, bespoke facial based on the premise of yoga; stretching muscles in the face that aren’t usually worked. In fact the muscle in the jaw is apparently the most over-worked muscle in the whole body yet it’s never stretched or exercised.  The first part of the treatment is like a prolonged facial massage which increases in intensity and is a little uncomfortable around the jaw and chin. Then the gloves go on and the strange part begins; massaging inside and outside the cheek and mouth. Quite painful and weirdly invasive but in way that feels positive, like it’s much needed. Apparently each session becomes a little easier, much like a body pump class!

The Method

It works with the three sculptural lines of the face: the jaw line, cheekbones and eyebrows. The method’s key to success lies in its simultaneous focus on two different phases: sculptural and deep tissue. This approach corrects the posture of the face, helping it to “flourish”, resulting in the face developing a healthy colour and elastic skin with less wrinkles.

During the sculptural phase, the muscles of the face are manipulated from above, and during the deep tissue phase, this is done from within through the oral cavity.  The muscles around the mouth are massaged from one of its attachment points to the other, this means it becomes possible to capture the muscle region and stretch them from both sides. The idea being that even after just one treatment your face should feel lifted and the three sculptural lines properly adjusted. The muscles should feel relaxed, and you will see an improvement in the muscle tone with improved lymphatic flow. Combining these techniques leads to an effective and natural non-surgical facelift.

Long-Lost Cheekbones

Despite its invasive and, in all honesty, slightly odd nature, Daiva makes the experience feel very warm and inviting. Partly helped by her cat who snuggles under the blanket with me and keeps my feet warm! When I look in the mirror at the end I discover cheekbones I had long forgotten about, so this technique really works.

Daiva travels, sometimes far and wide and internationally for her clients, which says how much they hold her in esteem.  Many of them are high profile celebrities but she’s far too discreet to say who, despite my prompting! As she says “I entered the beauty industry to understand how to deal with the causes of skin and beauty problems and not just to cover them up. My treatments are designed to help women, and men, who want to learn how to look after themselves, treat and care for their skin in a healthy way and boost both their inner and outer beauty.” Can’t argue with that!