Never mind fighting the flab. It’s time to give your cheeks and jaw a boost. Sophie Farrah gets glowing at a new kind of gym...
I can’t pretend to be someone who actively enjoys working out. Yes, I feel good afterwards, but in the middle of a lung-busting cardio or heavy weight training session, there are many, many places I would rather be.
So, when I was invited for ‘a workout’ at the brand new Richmond branch of FaceGym, I feared the worst. But oh, how wrong I was.
FaceGym was founded in London by former beauty journalist Inge Theron, who spotted a gap in the market between traditional facials and invasive cosmetic procedures.
Inspired by the idea that facial muscles can be trained like those in the rest of the body, she developed a unique, non-invasive ‘workout’ for the face, combining massage, muscle stimulation and skincare.
Where traditional facials focus primarily on the skin, Theron’s method puts the muscles beneath it through their paces too.
FaceGym
The first FaceGym opened in Selfridges in 2014. Since then, the concept has gone global, with a loyal celebrity following and London studios in Chelsea, Covent Garden, King’s Cross and beyond. Its new Richmond outpost is run by fan-turned-franchise-owner James Culley-Harris, who lives with his husband, also called James, in Thames Ditton.
“I’d heard about FaceGym, but I didn’t fully appreciate the concept until James had a treatment,” he enthuses. “I saw him about an hour afterwards, and I barely recognised him. He looked so lifted and depuffed, and his skin was glowing.”
Tentatively, I head to the new studio.
FaceGym
Check-in happens seamlessly via a large screen, and beyond reception is the ‘workout zone’, which resembles a gym. There is rubber flooring, plus vast mirrors and several sleek grey chairs lined up next to each other, with no curtains or partitions between them. It’s an entirely open-plan set-up that feels modern, functional and distinctly un-spa-like.
“It’s not necessarily the most relaxing of facials,” James advises. “It’s designed to make you feel like you’ve been to a gym and really had your facial muscles worked on…”
My ‘trainer’, Zahreen, greeted me cheerfully and showed me to my chair. Warm, friendly and highly skilled, she immediately put me at ease, explaining each stage as she worked.
First was a cleanse and a ‘warm-up’ involving the brand’s knuckling technique – using the knuckles to knead the skin – which, Zahreen informs me, encourages lymphatic drainage and boosts circulation.
FaceGym
Next up: the ‘cardio’ section. Gulp. I braced as Zahreen approached me with a small red ball, which she proceeded to push firmly – not unpleasantly – into my chest and face.
What ensued was 20 minutes of high-energy whipping strokes and other vigorous moves intended to stimulate the skin and get blood flowing. I could feel the muscles working and a satisfying warmth building in my face.
This was followed by ‘sculpt & contour’: more massage on the face and neck, this time using gua sha – a traditional East Asian technique that involves gently scraping the skin with a smooth-edged tool – and either electronic or manual muscle stimulation to contour the cheekbones and define the jawline.
As Zahreen carefully released the tension around my eyes, forehead and (usually clenched) jaw, I felt as though I was melting into the chair. It was so relaxing that I almost nodded off.
At this stage you can add various boosters – resurfacing peels, LED therapy, buccal (intraoral) massage, nanoneedling and more. But I was more than satisfied with my ‘Signature Sculpt’.
FaceGym
The treatment ended, like all good workouts, with a ‘cooldown’. This involved Zahreen applying FaceGym’s own skincare products using lymphatic drainage techniques and a metal tool called a ‘Multi-Sculpt’, leaving my skin looking toned, dewy and visibly lifted. And while some wellness treatments leave you wiped out, I skipped back into reception feeling taller, lighter, wonderfully invigorated and sporting a post-workout glow.
“My goal is for this to be more than a studio,” says James. “I want it to be a place where people come to feel good, build confidence and enjoy taking time for themselves.”
I know I will. In fact, before leaving, I signed up for a membership, which gives me one discounted Signature treatment each month. Perhaps I’m a gym person after all. FaceGym, that is.
FaceGym is at 4 George St, TW9 1JY. The Signature Sculpt costs £110 for 45 mins (member price £88); facegym.com
