FaceGym is changing the facial game by offering professional facial massages as an alternative to invasive treatments like facelifts. Read on to find out what happened when we visited the studio for a face “workout”.
If you want to tighten and tone your body, you hit the gym. And if you want to tighten and tone your face? You can also hit the gym.
Last week I had the opportunity to experience FaceGym, a fitness-inspired studio with locations in London and New York City, that offers facial “workouts” to give skin a more lifted, sculpted, and glowing appearance.
The treatments, performed by facial massage therapists called trainers (are you sensing a theme yet?), combine manual techniques and technology to stimulate muscles and transform the face.
Models and celebrities are fans – just this month Irina Shayk stopped by before attending the BAFTAs with boyfriend Bradley Cooper and Karlie Kloss got a facial workout before New York Fashion Week – and now I am too. Read on to find out why.
The Vibe
The environment is not exactly relaxing. When you walk in, you feel like you’re at a chic, boutique gym. There are lockers to store your stuff in, there’s rubber flooring and fitness elements like ballet bars, and the trainers are dressed in sleek workout gear. There is no spa music (instead you’ll hear upbeat Top40 hits), or essential oils wafting through the air, and you don’t receive your treatment in a private room (chairs are set up in front of mirrors kind of like a hair salon).
While the experience is more stimulating than zen, it’s no less pampering. The minute the treatment begins, you’re completely transported to what I can only describe as a happy place. And since I went to FaceGym in the morning before work, I was glad to leave feeling energized and euphoric, rather than sleepy and comatose.
The Workout
Treatments are broken up into four sections: Warmup, cardio, sculpt, and cool down. I chose the Signature Electrical ($95) from the menu, FaceGym’s classic treatment with the addition of a ten-minute electrical muscle stimulation session.
After cleansing, my trainer performed fast tapping and kneading strokes all over my face and neck that she said would wake up my muscles and boost circulation. She then used a derma roller to stimulate, further boost circulation, and to help oxygenate and aid in product absorption.
Up next was the electrical muscle stimulation courtesy of the FaceGym Pro Device, which uses electrical currents to tone muscles. I was expecting it to hurt, but it felt more like a dull vibration as it passed over my skin. Word to the wise: It will make your eyes and lips involuntarily twitch during the process since your muscles are contracting. It’s hilarious.
The 40-minute workout finished with the application of a moisturizing serum chosen based on the current dehydrated state of my skin (thanks, winter!).
The Results
After working exclusively on the left side of my face, my trainer had me look into the mirror and I couldn’t believe the difference (see photo above). The left side looked brighter, thinner, and noticeably lifted compared to the right. Plus, my cheekbones were much more defined and even felt firm to the touch.
When I arrived at FaceGym, my face was puffy and uneven from the multiple glasses of wine and too little sleep I had the night before, but when I left, I looked completely revitalized. I didn’t even need to apply the foundation I packed in my purse for a post-treatment touch-up.
Like any workout, dramatic, long-term results don’t come from one session, however the immediate effects were noticeable enough that I wouldn’t think twice about booking a treatment before a big event or for an occasional pick-me-up.
+Would YOU try FaceGym? What other treatments would you like to see us try? Let us know in the comments below!
