The Meghan Markle facial
I’m among the first – and easily the most excited – to try the new-to-New-Zealand treatment everyone’s talking about.
When you work in fashion and beauty media, it’s inevitable that you will read, and write about, Meghan Markle’s wardrobe, skincare, hair and makeup, a fair amount.
As a big fan of her work, I don’t mind at all, and I’ll admit I’ve even taken on a few right royal tips and tricks in my own regime and added a product or two to the ol’ makeup kit, based on the recommendations of the duchess (or her makeup artists, at least).
But nothing has fascinated me more among the reams of writing on the subject than the facial massage Markle is said to use to get her lush glow and peachy cheeks.
This is no ordinary massage. Known by a variety of names – from the “Inner Facial” (smartly trademarked to facialist Nichola Joss, said to be a favourite of Markle’s) to the less sexy “buccal technique”, how it differs comes down to a couple of things. The main, and most surprising/unusual, aspect, is that your facial masseuse will at some point stick her fingers inside your mouth and massage from inside.
The likes of Kate Moss, Margot Robbie, Keira Knightley, Julia Roberts and Priyanka Chopra are said to be fans too and their dewy complexions and sculpted cheekbones testify the same.
Yes, it sounds gross, but I’ve been hooked on the idea since I first laid eyes on it, so you can imagine my excitement when, finally, facialist Kate Michelmore of Auckland’s Skinography studio began offering it to us Down Under.
Michelmore says the technique originated in Europe many years ago and has been a cult celebrity facialist secret ever since.
She travelled to LA last year to train in the game-changing technique with internationally acclaimed expert Yakov Gershkovich, after feeling that regular facial massage was “missing the mark”.
“I wanted to evolve how we treat the
muscles of the face. I literally wanted to give the facial scene a facelift,” says Michelmore.
She says she can create a lasting change in the facial muscles through manual manipulation “with just my hands, targeting each muscle group to lift, sculpt and contour, naturally.”
So what does all this muscle manipulation do? Michelmore says the specialised sculptural facial massage “removes tension and stress in muscle tissue by softening and strengthening the muscle fibres.
“Lymphatic drainage effectively removes toxins, draining and eliminating puffiness and fluid retention while increasing blood circulation.
“This encourages more nutrition-rich and oxygenated blood to flow freely, feeding the skin cells and muscle tissue, improving regeneration and restoration of skin and facial tissues, tightening sagging skin and winding back the years.”
Great, wonderful, you had me at Meghan Markle – get me on that massage table!
The hour-long treatment starts with lots of deliciously firm, concise (still external) massage from the neck up, with just a hint of macadamia oil and shea butter to get things moving.
As someone with the tensest jaw in the land, I’m in heaven, and I can not only feel things softening up, but my skin’s taking on a warm buzz (which stays, in the form of a delicately rosy glow, for the rest of the day).
Just when I’m starting to drift off, I’m grudgingly brought back to earth by the snapping sound of latex gloves going on. I’m asked to open my mouth, Michelmore’s fingers go in, and the weird buccal bit begins.
In truth, it feels quite good, once you get used to your cheeks and lips being pushed and pulled and pressed every which way. Michelmore says it’s definitely the buccal massage element that intrigues people the most.
Fresh surgical gloves on, she gets to
work on the inside of the mouth, lips and jawline.
“The facial muscles are manipulated by massaging deep inside the cheek and jaw area to sit higher, creating a more lifted structure and defined facial contours,” Michelmore explains, as she squishes and kneads.
And the results are truly immediate, and noticeable. My lips and cheeks look plumped (in a good way), and later in the day a friend is surprised to learn I’m not wearing any makeup, as my skin appears smoother, more even and “glowy”.
Sadly, this isn’t a technique you can do on yourself, as Michelmore herself laments, but by adding five minutes of self massage to your skincare routine – using your hands or a gua sha with a nourishing face oil – will still give you some results. Closing your eyes and pretending you’re Meghan Markle while doing so may also have (unproven) benefits.