Words by Jumana

Transport yourself to transformation. Preliminary consultation out of the way, every tense muscle melts away even before the hands reach for your face. Years and years of stress and tension is eased with each stroke and dab. This is the magic of experiencing Ziccu’s Neo Lifting technique for the first time in Maldives.

With this feature, Kaleo was lucky enough to get a peek behind the scenes of these specialty facials that can only be described as the work of an artisan. Zeenia Zahir or Ziccu’s magical touch transforms and molds the facial muscles in a wonderfully healthy and natural manner. Don’t take our word for it. You can check out the transformations on her page @zicccu on instagram.

“Face can be lifted and tightened very well even without Botox or Filler. This can be done on oneself or even taken care of by a professional”. As for necessity, Ziccu believes that “sagging” doesn’t always discriminate based on age “Sometimes there may be clients who are pretty young but may also be dealing with sagging, drooping and double chin where they want to see a change”.

Ziccu noted that massage treatments can become a regular thing as it helps immensely after a certain age as elasticity begins deteriorating exponentially beginning from age 30. Invasive treatments such as Fillers and Botox are pricier and high maintenance when compared to this type of facial massage.

While Ziccu has fostered an interest in beauty and natural remedies, she has begun offering these services as a visiting specialist at the renowned Xee Salon. “While there are several types of facials available in Maldives right now, I don’t believe there is this specific type of Neolift massage technique being applied here yet. The speciality of this massage is that it reaches very deep into the tissue and treats from within”

“Buccal Massage involves massaging from within the cheek and giving a deep tissue massage to the face that helps relieve laugh lines and that entire area. I am approached a lot of the time to tighten the double chin as well as sagging from jowls along the jawline and even crows feet and fine lines near the eye area. With these techniques, the facial muscles can be ‘molded’ to improve health and tighten”

When speaking about the challenges in offering this service in Maldives, Ziccu says the biggest challenge clients face is in the price. “Because this is a relatively new service, most people are not aware of the level of knowledge or skill that goes into offering it. I think a lot of women confuse the massages you receive as salons and similar places that already accompany facials, with this very specific type of treatment. This neolift massage is an entirely different one that stands on its own”.

What you can expect from Ziccu as a client is initially a thorough runthrough of information. “I ask if the client has previously gotten filler or botox or if the client is  currently treating any major illnesses and such”. Ziccu also currently uses a blend of natural powerhouses like coconut oil and aloe vera to assist her treatments. “I ensure that the client is absolutely and completely relaxed even before I begin. I do relaxation for the client for a good 15 minutes before the actual facial massage even begins. I also try to end with something like a head massage to make sure that the client is fully eased”. 

“Just think about the amount of expressions you make within a day and all the muscles that go into the effort. Exactly like how you workout to maintain muscle tone and health of the body, this massage is like a workout for the face. It also offers lymphatic drainage of all the congestion deep inside the facial tissues”

Ziccu described the level of precision that goes into the treatments. “If there is a session scheduled for that particular day, I would say that mentally, I center myself around the treatment and what the client needs and how it would feel from the client’s perspective and focus on exactly what that specific client needs”.

There is a lot of effort that goes into every single client behind the scenes and the results are visible almost immediately afterwards as you can tell from side by side photos. Ziccu said that while it typically depends on different clients, on average two treatments will be recommended within the first week and then once a week afterwards to get the best results.

“It is hard to imagine where a lot of people actually hold their tension. Sometimes clients tear up and get emotional when the tension is relieved in areas like the chin especially. This would be the moment where years and years of tension is relieved”.

Ziccu says that one of the major pieces of information she wishes the majority of the people knew is that it is possible to create lasting and effective change in the face through consistent and precise efforts.  The one thing we believe sets Ziccu apart is the level of dedication and precision that goes into each stroke of her hand. Consistently informing and educating herself, Ziccu is dedicated to her art and hopes to see a world where there is further awareness on the lasting and holistic benefits of these treatments.