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Medi Lift: the Japanese beauty product that promises facelift results without surgery

Oona McGee Dec 16, 2020
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Will two weeks in this mask give our reporter cheekbones to die for?

It’s that time of year again when we all start searching online for Christmas presents, not just for friends and family, but ourselves too. And if you’re looking for a Japanese beauty product that promises to stimulate facial muscles and give you the look of a facelift without going under the knife, then you’ll want to check out the Medi Lift from Japanese company Ya-Man.

Our Japanese-language reporter Natsuki Gojo had heard great things about the product, which is a favourite of local celebrities and models. Natsuki had been feeling like her facial muscles had weakened ever since she started wearing a face mask every day due to the pandemic, and so she was especially keen to try the Medi Lift to see if it really would give her cheekbones to die for.

The Medilift comes in a set that includes a silicone mask and two controllers, which affix to the cheek areas.

▼ Velcro is used to fasten the straps, ensuring a snug fit.

According to the instructions, the Medi Lift uses electrodes to send electrical signals to muscles in order to stimulate them. This electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) can be controlled to target the needs of different muscles in the face, raising the cheeks with “training EMS” and releasing tension in muscles overworked by continual clenching with the “Release EMS”.

▼ The pressure on the muscles can be adjusted in six stages by using the + – buttons

To start the device, simply press the power button down for one second and it will automatically provide ten minutes of facial stimulation. This same button will run you through three different modes, signified by different colours: Red is the Up mode (Training EMS), Blue is the Stretch mode (Release EMS), and Purple is the Auto mode (Training EMS and Release EMS are provided alternately).

Natsuki started slow, with level one on Auto Mode. As soon as she turned it on, she felt a sensation around her cheeks, as if her muscles were contracting. After a while of this, the mode switched and the stimulation turned into more of a crack, which made it feel as though she was being flicked with a rubber band. Although she was using it at the lowest level, she was surprised by how painful it was!

The modes switched between strong and weak, for lifting and releasing the muscles, and when the stimulation was strong, she could actually see that the muscles around her eyes also became tight. This is an area most hand massagers can’t reach, so she was really impressed by the way it worked.

It was painful to use, but nowhere near as painful as actually going under the knife, and after a while she got used to the feeling of having her face pulled and slapped by electronic pulses. She continued to use the product in the mornings and evenings for two weeks to see if it would have any effect on her facial features, even increasing the strength level from one to five. They do say beauty is pain, after all.

▼ Strapping this onto your face is like strapping on an old-fashioned torture device…but one that makes you beautiful.

So what did Natsuki look like after two weeks of face muscle stimulation? Take a look at the before-and-after photos below!

Natsuki says she was more than impressed with the results, especially around her chin area, which she thinks is now more clearly defined than before. She was also surprised to see that her cheeks looked like they’d risen a few centimetres. The biggest thing for her, though, was the noticeable reduction in stiffness and puffiness — it wasn’t just the look of her face that had changed, but the feeling of it too.

While Natsuki loved the results, it wasn’t an easy road to get there, as the device does have some pitfalls which she’d like to mention. First, there’s the pain. Although the strength of the EMS can be adjusted, it was still painful, so the product may not be suitable for those who are sensitive to pain.

Then there’s the fact that once the mask is on, you’re pretty restricted in what you can do. You can’t drink or brush your teeth or anything like that as the mask holds your mouth into a firm position. Also, since the muscles around the eyes are stimulated as well, some people may find it difficult to read books or look at their smartphones or electrical devices while wearing the mask.

If these points aren’t a concern for you, though, then you might fall in love with the Medi Lift as much as Natsuki has. She says it’s great because it’s washable and easy to clean, convenient as it switches off automatically after ten minutes of use, and, at 25,000 yen (US$240), it works out to be much cheaper than going to the salon for regular treatments.

In fact, Natsuki likes it so much that she plans to continue using it from now on, incorporating it into her daily routine along with these four Japanese beauty fads that Westerners just don’t understand.

Related: YA-MAN
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[ Read in Japanese ]