IT is rare we get around to doing a vigorous workout on the 43 muscles in our face.
But now exclusive face fitness studio FaceGym – loved by Ellie Goulding and Karlie Kloss – has moved online, we can all have a go.
Unlike with any other facial, the FaceGym trainers show you how to use the hands to tone and sculpt your muscles for a natural facelift.
Is this the no-surgery answer to Botox? SIOBHAN O’CONNOR finds out in a Zoom session with aesthetician Madalaina Conti.
Pre-workout
We start with a stretch of the neck, and head rolls to get the blood flowing.
Then it is time to roll our wrists, because the hands will be doing the hard graft. It is important to apply an oil for a slip-and-slide surface as you do not want to pull the skin.
1. Lymphatic sweeps
Using the “L” curve of my hands, we start at the nose and sweep up to the ears and then down to my chest.
Here, we “pump” the clavicles by applying pressure to dips in the collar bones.
Madalaina says: “It is important to get this system moving to drain lymphatic fluid before we start as this makes it easier for our skin to detox.”
2. Knuckle rub
The warm-up involves our fists. We use the flat of the fingers between the knuckles and finger tips to circle around our necks and cheeks; using a wax on, wax off motion on our forehead.
Feeling warm and looking pink, Madalaina assures me this is the blood circulating and getting us ready to sculpt.
3. Cheek pull-ups
Now for the face lift, without the needles. We start with finger-tips resting at the chin, gliding our hands up and transferring the weight to our palms.
At the central part of our face we hold and add pressure, then flick up.
The vibration helps release any chewing tension, as well as defining and lifting cheeks.
4. Finger hooks
We curve our index fingers into a hook shape and rest on the jawline at the chin with our thumbs pressing underneath.
Hugging the bone, we smooth fingers back towards the ears.
Madalaina says this is to ease tension here. I grind my teeth, which feel tight, and this slowly eases from the repetition.
It should also enhance and firm the jawline.
5. Eye circles
We massage along the orbital bones with the middle and ring finger, starting at the temples along to the pressure point at the beginning of the brows.
We hold here before moving along the brow bone and back to the temple.
This targets puffiness, dark circles, fine lines and strain. Madalaina says most of us carry tension in our eyes due to screen time.
6. Finger-whipping
Next is cardio, with finger-whipping. Resting two fingers on my chin for support, I use two fingers on my other hand to start flicking my cheek up, building the pace.
This creates a vibration which encourages a lift, as well as freeing toxins by increasing blood flow.
We do this around the nasal folds, eyes, under-brow and forehead for 20 seconds in each area.
7. Nasolabial flicks
We move both ring and middle fingers in circular motions from mouth to nostril and back down to warm up the area.
Then it is on to nasal flicks to define any deep creasing.
To do this, hold your index fingers in the nasal fold with pressure and then flick out.
This helps with any sinus congestion and works above the lip too, targeting smoker’s lines.
8. Picking
This is a favourite movement for reducing the appearance of fine lines on the face and neck.
Use your thumb and middle finger as a picker, grabbing the skin and pulling away lightly.
Work for 20 seconds on crow’s feet, forehead, neck. Madalaina says she likes to do it daily on her cheeks because it gives a nice flush of colour.
The verdict
I HAVE tried a fair few gym classes in my time but this is the first one where I have been sitting on a chair throughout.
And yet despite not moving my body, I still have the tingly, warm sensation you get following a minute of burpees.
My flushed face has a healthy glow, so something definitely worked.
While I have not come away with Angelina Jolie’s cheekbones – though I cannot expect my hands to transform the structure of my face – they are definitely enhanced, with my cheeks and jaw feeling firm and looking plump.
It is definitely relaxing and eased tension I did not realise I was holding.
But just how I like to think one HITT class can give you abs, sadly consistency is key and Madalaina encouraged me to do this daily, or at least twice a week.
Without any trapping membership fees and no excuse not to go along, all I need to do is pop online.
I will certainly be making use of the free workouts on the @facegym Instagram.
- Head to the @fabulousmag Instagram story for a free FaceGym workout from 9am on Saturday
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