A Gym For Faces

Here at Haute Time, we’re enjoying watching Wimbledon and the World Cup and all the athleticism on display, but we’re not ones to break a sweat ourselves.

Which is why we’re loving the new Face Gym space at Selfridges. As the name suggests, Face Gym is a work out for your face that promises to tone and hone no fewer than 50 facial muscles but – crucially for anyone adverse to exercise – there’s no effort involved. Result!

Part of Selfridges Beauty ProjectFace Gym is the brainchild of Inge Theron – aka the Spa Junkie. Theron is a seasoned spa goer: over the past four years she has visited 57 spas and tried 25 anti-ageing treatments and 15 detoxes for How To Spend Itso, if anyone knows the secret to younger looking skin, it’s Inge. And facial gymnastics, she says, is what works best: hence Face Gym was born.

A signature Face Gym treatment begins with the warm up (read a gentle massage) before the cardio section commences: expect your face to be flicked, pinched and whipped so as to lift and stimulate skin.

Step three is the interval style strength training, which is all about kneading. Face Gym’s trainer’s will apply pressure to those areas that hold stress – typically the eyes and jaw – before finishing with the cool down. This final step involves a jade derma roller being rolled back and forth across your face. The roller resembles an instrument of torture (it looks a bit like a barrel that’s covered in needles) but panic not: it’s actually rather relaxing and, when accompanied by a liberal spritz of frankincense water, will reduce any redness that may have arisen from the work out.

The signature treatment takes 30 minutes but you can opt for adds on such as the scalp, brow or jaw lift or the mouth work out. Be warned though: the latter -  a massage performed inside the mouth by a glove wearing therapist – isn’t for the faint hearted.

For Face Gym is definitely not a pampering treatment. It is however a productive one: Haute Time’s post work out face appeared plumper and a lot less puffy – and that was after just one visit (like any work out, regular sessions are recommended for optimum results). If only achieving a wash board stomach was as easy…

Haute Time’s verdict? Give Face Gym a go. It’s better than botox (no needles and au naturel), time efficient, enjoys an enviable location (inside Selfridges, aka London’s best department store) and if nothing else, makes a great dinner party story…