The psychophysiological mechanism underlying the efficacy of esthetic facial massage was investigated in two related experiments using subjective, behavioral, and physiological indexes.<br>In the first experiment, 24 healthy female volunteers ranging in age from 19-21 were assigned to an esthetic massage group (ES) or to a control group (CON) in a mixed design. Each subject was evaluated three times over an interval of several days.<br>Subjects in Es showed significant changes (p<0.05) on the subjective index n terms of reduced tension and increased comfortableness, as assessed on the TAD-ACL (Tohoku Activation-Deactivation Adjective Checklist). Significant sympathetic system changes (p<0.05) were also observed on the physiological index with a slowing of heart beat after facial massage in the third session.<br>In the second experiment, 24 naive subjects ranging in age from 19-21 were assigned to 3 equal groups: Es, an autogenic training group (AUT), and CON. Each subject was evaluated 3 times over an interval of several days. Prior to the experiment, subjects were habituated in a single training session. When ES was compared with AUT (Autogenic training is a wellknown relaxation method), significant differences (p<0.05) similar to those in the first experiment were observed on the subjective index in terms of reduced tension and increased comfortableness. The physiological index showed changes in EEG which resembled the stage of suppressed waves seen in the early stage of drowsiness in ES, and which decreased in coherence. These results indicate that esthetic facial massage produces a unique deactivation effect.<br>These two experiments evaluated the psychophysiological efficacy of esthetic facial massage. Facial massage was shown to reduce arousal level in both the autonomic and central nervous systems and to produce a relaxed mental state which subjects described as “comfortableness”.