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The Japanese Asahi massage is popular all over the world. Targeting the lymph nodes, it relieves swelling and slows down the aging of your facial skin. Videos showing this technique have already garnered more than 8 million views. Even world-famous models, like Natalia Vodianova, admit using elements of the Asahi massage in their daily face care routine.

We at Bright Side have prepared easy-to-follow instructions on doing Asahi facial massage. In just a couple of weeks, this method will visibly smooth out your wrinkles and make the bags under your eyes disappear.

A few important rules

• This massage is contraindicated if you have lymphatic system disorders, rashes, damaged skin, colds, or the flu.
• Before the procedure, wash your face and rinse your hands with an antiseptic. Use natural oil or cream to reduce friction with the skin.
• During the massage sessions, you should feel the pressure, exerted by your fingers. But, it shouldn’t be strong enough to cause discomfort. Ease the pressure while massaging your ears, the area under the jaw, and the neck (which is where the lymph nodes are located).
• You should repeat each massage movement 3 times (and when it comes to problem areas — 4 or 5 times). For maximal effectiveness, do the Asahi massage every day, at the same time.

Basic movements

Press the fingers of both hands to the areas just below your temples, close to the upper rims of the ears (Fig. 1). Applying slight pressure, slide your fingers down, all the way to the clavicles (Fig. 2). With this gesture, you cause an outflow of lymphatic liquid. Repeat it 3 times at the beginning of your Asahi session and don’t forget to perform it at the end of each subsequent massage movement.

The area around the eyes

• With the pads of your middle fingers, press at the outer corners of the eyes. Maintaining the pressure, gently slide your fingers along the lower eyelids toward the inner corners of the eyes.
• Take a short pause, then move your fingers upwards, drawing an arc under the eyebrows, and returning to the outer corners of the eyes (Fig. 1).
• Then move your fingers from the outer to the inner corners of the eyes once again.

Forehead

The area around the lips

At this stage of the massage session, you need to repeat each step 3-4 times, and then finish off with the basic movement:

• Put both your hands to your chin. Press 3 fingers to the center of the chin and move them in a semicircle toward the upper lip (Fig. 1).
• Press the pads of your middle fingers to the wings of the nose and move the fingers in semicircles to the nasal arch and back again (Fig. 2).
• Slide your fingers from the nasal arch to the cheeks and back (Fig. 3).

Nasolabial furrows

• Put both your hands to the chin. Press 3 fingers to the center of the chin (as in the previous movement).
• Maintaining the pressure, slide your hands to the inner corners of the eyes, while avoiding the lips (Fig. 1).
• Move your fingers from the inner corners of the eyes toward the temples (Fig. 2).

Oval of the face

• With your left palm, press the left side of the jaw.
• Move your right hand from the right outer edge of the jaw to a point just below the inner corner of the eye (Fig. 1).
• Move your fingers from the outer corner of the eye to the temple, then perform the basic movement on the right side of the face, with one hand only (Fig. 2).

• With your right hand, press the right side of the jaw, and use your left hand to repeat the same set of movements for the left side of the face

Cheeks

• Place your hands to the sides of your nose, and apply pressure using 3 fingers only (Fig. 1).
• Swipe your fingers along the cheekbones in the direction of the temples (Fig. 2).

• Put your wrists together, keeping the palms apart (Fig. 1).
• Press the pads of your palms to your chin and lips, raising your cheeks (Fig. 2).
• Slide the pads of your palms along the cheekbones, toward the ears (Fig. 3).

Chin

• Put your hands in the same position they were at the beginning of the previous movement.
• Tilting your head slightly forward, press the pads of your hands against your chin (Fig. 1).
• Slide the pads of your palms along the lower jaw, toward the ear lobes (Fig. 2).

The A-zone

• Put your thumbs under your chin. The rest of your right and left hands’ fingers should meet at the nose, forming a triangle.
• Leaving the thumbs in place, move the rest of your fingers from the nose to the temples, slightly pulling the skin sideways (Fig. 2).

Effectiveness

It is very important to observe proper massage techniques. To ensure this, follow the instructions and pay attention to the sensations. If done correctly, and on a regular basis, the Asahi massage will bring amazing results in no time. They don’t call it the ’make your face 10 years younger’ method for nothing!

Have you ever tried facial massage or lymphatic drainage? Or, perhaps, you have already mastered the Asahi technique? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Illustrated by Marat Nugumanov for Bright Side

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