Katja Kokko

Katja has been a source of inspiration for many women during her two-decade long career in genuine beauty and overall well-being. She is a licensed beauty therapist, make-up artist, organic cosmetic formulator and a yoga teacher. She is also trained in facial reflexology, facial gua sha, traditional gua sha based on Chinese Medicine, connective tissue manipulation and Reiki.

Katja has written two books (Aidosti kaunis/Genuine Beauty, 2015 and Kuulaan kaunis, 2019) which are in-depth guides to skincare rituals and raw ingredients. Her broad understanding of inner and outer beauty and her vision of phenomenalizing organic skincare has also sprouted a company in organic skincare and sustainable beauty, Jolie Organic Health & Beauty, a modern lifestyle brand that has grown into an international frontrunner. Katja sold her shares of the company on 2014.

Katja is currently studying Traditional Chinese Medicine at The Academy of Chinese Medicine in Finland and working with her Yin Your Skin® concept and product development. Known as an enormous hall of records of all things genuine and beautiful, Katja’s website keeps charming new readers. The site serves as an uncompromising, passionate and, if necessary, a critical source of information – with a hint of entertainment and sparkle. Visit the site here. 

For Katja, the face and eyes have always been like a mirror that reflects the well-being and balance of the body, mind and soul. Yin Your Skin® was born from that idea. Yin Your Skin® concept merges yin yoga, meditation and holistic skincare methods. The concept was born in 2017 after Katja had done years of inquiry in her own body about the astounding effects of yin yoga which run deep through the body to our face and our largest organ – the skin. The facial gua sha became part of the concept in 2018 when Katja searched for techniques which targeted deeper layers beneath the skin and its systems. Katja was drawn to facial gua sha as a pure practice free from products. In the beginning Yin Your Skin® consisted of hands-on workshops, but after receiving many requests for an online version for those unable to attend workshops, Yin Your Skin® was finally launched as an online wellness experience enriched by a visually breathtaking journey to Nordic nature and its own signature soundscape composed and produced by Finnish pop artist IRENE. Yin Your Skin® gua sha tools complete the concept and reinforce its mission – to teach effective self-care methods that anyone can use to support well-being in daily life.

Katja has been trained to facial gua sha by Cecily Braden from the States, who has been training up beauty professionals in holistic skincare methods from 1994. She then continued her studies under Chinese Medicine specialist and acupuncturist Clive Witham, who had a traditional approach to gua sha. Most recently, she took part in loose connective tissue manipulation training by Anne Bramham, who has been an educator in the spa industry for more than 40 years. For her, the training opened up completely new techniques also for facial gua sha and Anne’s teachings touched deeply Katja’s heart. She has deep gratitude for all the teachers who have influenced her work and she is using the knowledge to help her clients with honor to her teachers. In January 2020 Katja began studies in Chinese Medicine at the Academy of Chinese Medicine in Finland in order to further deepen her education and skills in holistic wellbeing and skincare. She will graduate as a licensed acupuncturist in 2023.

• Member of the Association of Finnish Beauty Therapists
• Member of The Association of Finnish Non-fiction Writers
• Licensed Beauty Therapist, 1999-2002, Jyväskylä Institute of Social and Health Care
• Make-Up Artist, 2003, International Make-Up Center
• Ashtanga Yoga Teacher, 2014-2016, Magnus Appelberg
• Organic Cosmetic Formulator, Advanced Diploma in Organic Cosmetic Science, 2016, Formula Botanica
• Organic Cosmetic Formulator, Certificate in Organic Anti-Aging Skincare, 2018, Formula Botanica
• Facial Reflexology, Dien Chan Zone® Operator, 2018, International Academy of Italian Facial Reflexology
• Reiki I, 2018, Jutta Ruonansuu
• Facial Gua Sha, Gua Sha Fusion, 2018, Cecily Braden, CJB Beauty Secrets
• Gua Sha, The Level 1 Foundational Program, 2019, Clive Witham
• Connective Tissue Manipulation, 2019, Anne Bramham, ASTECC
• Gua Sha, Gua Sha Certificate Level 2, 2020, Clive Witham
• Spa Wellness Coaching, Leah Carver, ASTECC
• Yoga Anatomy, 20 h, 2020, Yoganatomy, Davil Keil
• Ashtanga Yoga Teacher, RYS200, 2019-2020, John Scott Yoga, Sandra Howling

Current education:

• Acupuncturist, 2020-, Finnish Academy of Chinese Medicine

• Aidosti kaunis, 2015, Cozy Publishing (this book, “Genuine Beauty”, has also English version as an e-book, available here.)
• Kuulaan kaunis, 2019, Gummerus