I know my way around a facial. I have well-formed opinions about collagen face masks and laser treatments. I planned a trip to Seoul, in part, so I could visit a famous spa known for its advanced skin care techniques and K-drama celebrity clientele. So when I saw a TikTok video that described a local L.A. treatment as “gua sha on steroids,” I couldn’t resist.
The $108 service is offered at JY Beauty in San Gabriel. Owner Yajing Lu opened the shop in 2021 after she cut her teeth in local salons for six years. Before launching her own business, Lu traveled to China to gather inspiration, incorporating ideas like Bojin, a traditional Chinese technique that stimulates facial muscles, into her spa’s offerings. On the menu, it’s listed as “face tendon,” which, as Lu explained to me through a translator, is a direct translation from Chinese.
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Lu said the facial contours the face, firming and lifting the skin. It also can reduce the appearance of pores and minimize wrinkles like marionette lines, which go from the nose to the mouth. Overall, she said, it reduces signs of aging.
This is all pretty close to the claims of face sculpting, another beauty trend that promises at least temporarily tighter-looking skin. But Bojin goes beyond face sculpting and relies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practices that focus on manipulating the body’s energy pathways.
In TCM, these pathways, known as meridians, are believed to channel qi, or life energy, throughout the body, according to Dr. Elizabeth Ko, an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine and medical director of the UCLA Health Integrative Medicine Collaborative.
“A central credo in TCM is that blockages in meridians lead to imbalances in health, including illness or pain,” Ko said. “Like acupuncture, which uses fine needles, Bojin is a method of unblocking stuck qi using a pointed tool made of stone or horn.”
Bojin involves the same tool as gua sha, another TCM technique that uses a flat, smooth-edged scraper usually made of jade or stone. Gua sha allows for targeted massage to release tension along muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia of the face and neck so that qi can flow properly through the meridians, thereby restoring balance. Bojin might allow for a more targeted and precise treatment, enhancing circulation and promoting lymphatic drainage, according to Ko.
For the record:
4:41 p.m. Nov. 13, 2024A previous version of this article incorrectly attributed a statement from Elizabeth Ko to Elizabeth Yu. It also misidentified Yajing Lu as Yajing Yu.
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“The benefit of skin care resides in skin clarity and health, and Bojin is a tool that might offer some benefit when combined with a comprehensive facial in the skilled hands of a trained aesthetician,” Ko said, adding that its risks are low beyond slight pain from the pointed tool used.
Beyond those benefits, Lu says she’s seen the treatment reduce dark circles around the eyes and brighten the skin for many customers. There has been a surge in interest on TikTok since the “gua sha on steroids” video from Jing Zhang, an L.A.-based beauty influencer who posted herself getting the facial in January. That video has garnered more than 2.6 million views, bringing in new customers who Lu says often request the “TikTok facial.”
“A lot more people know about Bojin and love it,” Lu said about the video.
All of the 90-minute facials at JY Beauty include the usual facial steps, such as cleansing, extraction and moisturizing. There is also a lymphatic facial massage section, which includes the chest, neck and shoulders.
The entrance to JY Beauty.
Yajing Lu gives the author a facial and shoulder lymphatic detox massage.
The treatment began with me changing into a dressing gown that wrapped around just under my armpits, exposing my shoulders and upper chest. Then I lay down in a cozy room, where Lu quickly cleansed my face. She set up a steam machine to keep me hydrated and help open up my pores.
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Lu then performed a facial lymphatic massage with her fingers, a process that focused not only on obvious areas like the muscles in my jaw but also on surprisingly tight areas, like under my eyebrows. The process made it clear that I have been woefully neglecting these parts of my face. She applied gentle pressure slowly down my face toward the lymph nodes in my neck and down into my chest. Beyond feeling wonderful, I had to keep swallowing, which can be a sign that lymphatic drainage is occurring, according to Lu.
To do the Bojin section of the facial, she took out two gua shas and worked the tools along my face and neck. This part was pretty gentle, but it still felt like part of the massage; despite Ko’s warning, there was no pain.
Then came my least favorite part of any facial: extraction, or the process of clearing clogged pores by pushing out blackheads and whiteheads. This part always feels like the start of a “Saw” movie, but maybe because the massage relaxed me this extraction was not that painful.
Next up was a hydrating serum. Lu pulled out a serum booster device, something I recognized from other facials, to supercharge the serum’s effectiveness. It was a nice cooling experience after the extraction.
Yajing Lu does extractions on the author’s face.
The author receives a red light treatment. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
After that, Lu put covers over my eyes before placing a panel of red lights around my face. A red light treatment can treat wrinkles, acne, scars and, most important for me at that moment, redness. While my face was getting blasted, Lu rubbed and moisturized my hands before putting them into warm mittens, a process that left me feeling like I was on a beach somewhere, snoozing in the sun.
JY Beauty also offers 30-minute eye and head Bojin treatments that can be tacked on to a facial. Lu demonstrated a few minutes of what the head addition would feel like. While it wasn’t painful by any means, I was left wanting a good head scratch, but maybe there is just less tension there for me.
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The finale was a cool, clay face mask thick enough to make me feel like a cake being frosted. While it dried, Lu rubbed my legs. The mask peeled off in one giant piece.
Finally, Lu rubbed some sunscreen into my face and finished the facial with some quick pats on the back. It was half-facial, half-massage, and all relaxation.
Post-facial, I asked Lu about my blockages. She gestured at my eyes, hinting that I might need that extra eye treatment next time. This is totally fair: I can feel my eyes ache even as I type up this article.
I’ll certainly be back to try it out. With my skin moisturized, and my qi unblocked, my skin glowed. I’m not sure I can go back to plain old facials or massages now that I’ve experienced this hybrid heaven.
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