FaceGym

Launched in the United Kingdom in 2016, FaceGym takes the notion of your standard soothing facial and strips it of its multiple masks, pan flute soundtrack and fluffy robe in favour of a workout for your face, resulting in a non-invasive facelift. The gym studio made its North American debut last year on the newly renovated beauty floor at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, and the treatments have been such a hit that many clients who have been converted by the results are forgoing their regular Botox injections. Targeting the face’s “40 forgotten muscles,” the workout is done while you sit in a barber chair. Energetic music throbs away while a “trainer” takes you through the same steps as a fitness routine. Muscles are stretched using a mini yoga ball that is rolled over the face to release tension and drain the lymph nodes. Next is “cardio,” which incorporates firm massage using the brand’s own Training Serum. “This is for warming up the face just as you would do if you were running,” says Elle Ferik, a trainer from the Saks location. “It’s also lifting the skin, helping with collagen and elastin stimulation and getting that cell metabolism going.” There’s also rapid whipping and kneading to stimulate collagen and elastin production, which “kind of falls asleep over the years.” Then comes the sculpting, which uses intense pressure and vigorous knuckling movements to manipulate the muscles. Tools complete the workout: A dermal roller stimulates blood flow, and a microcurrent contracts the muscles. “It helps to set all the work into place,” explains Ferik. Lastly, a gua sha stone is run along the contours to cool everything down. And while it’s not the same as a trainer putting her entire body weight into your face, Ferik says there’s maintenance you can do at home to preserve the effects, such as applying your knuckles along your contours and using at-home tools to bring blood to the surface. “Keeping it circulating is pretty crucial.”