'Kim Kardashian says £52 face wrap is a necessity – it's awful and she must be stopped'
Shapewear is a standard part of many women's wardrobes. Many opt to pop 'sucky-in' pants under their dresses to make their figures appear more streamlined. If that's something you want to do, then fair enough. While I wouldn't personally do it, I can sort of see why, if it makes you feel more comfortable (albeit not physically), you'd want to do it.
However, Kim Kardashian officially needs to be stopped with her latest release that she branded a 'necessity' on her Instagram Stories. It is part of her Skims brand and apparently can be used to change the shape of your face.
We've put up with the nipple bra and the shapewear, but the Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap is a step too far. It aims to make your face look "snatched". But for me, it's just another harrowing reminder that women can never rest, even when they get their 'beauty' sleep.
On the Skims website, the product is described as a "must-have face wrap," which "boasts" Skims' "signature sculpting fabric and features collagen yarns for ultra-soft jaw support. Velcro closures at the top and nape of the neck allow for easy, everyday wear".
Upon first glance at the product, you may liken it to post-surgery compression garments, or perhaps, more disturbingly, even the hoods Handmaids are forced to wear in The Handmaid's Tale to show their submission and compliance. It makes us start to hold a mirror up to the current world we live in and wonder whether our freedoms truly are being curtailed.
Because when you put one of these on, you're submitting further to the beauty standard. No woman doesn't fall foul of it. We all buy into the beauty standard in one way or another. But the question is to what extent, and this facial compression garment feels like a hard limit.
This product forms part of the "morning shred" TikTok trend, which makes light of the fact that the 'uglier you go to bed, the hotter you wake up'.
"My jawline has never been this snatched," an influencer boasted. But she clearly had a snatched jawline before, giving false hope to many who may have rushed to buy the product.
Alex Light, who posts on her social media about body confidence, said she was "terrified" by the launch. When she saw it, she had to check whether it "was April the first."
At first glance it may seem like another "wellness trend," but she claimed it felt "deeper and more disturbing than that".
"Even our faces need to be tightly controlled and made to look as thin as possible," she seethed.
Alex pointed out that this product – along with "buccal fat removal, weight loss drugs, facial taping, threads, and an algorithm that rewards looking like an AI-generated doll" – are creating unrealistic beauty standards.
She asked:. "Can you imagine men wearing these?" And people were quick to leave their thoughts in the comments section.
Someone left a comment on her video saying: "Is anyone else so sick and tired of 'helpful' things that will help fix our 'problems'???? When I look back on life, I know I won't be thinking about contraptions like this and being 1kg lighter.
"I'll be thinking of the little moments in life, laughing and enjoying good meals and snacks with my loved ones, and running into the sea with my kids, and not worrying about my wobbly thighs. Big hugs to everyone in this fab community".
Social media reaction
It's not been a wholly warm welcome on Skims' own social media either, with the top comments mainly featuring women who aren't happy.
One said she didn't know whether this was an attempt at "trolling". Another fumed: "We are in hell." And a third added: "Brush ya teeth and slap some night cream and hit the hay babes".
Someone else profoundly penned: "Just a reminder to all you young ones, I'm almost 40. Never had a single one of these and used the same face moisturiser all my life. This won't stop the aging process. It also won't do anything to prevent a single line or 'imperfection' from forming on your face. To age is an absolute blessing, and every line, scar, mark, and whatever else is just a reminder of everyday life. This is so toxic. We ALL age and what a miracle that is!"
But the sad thing is, there are people who genuinely think this £52 product is worth buying. They think that if something can be bought, it'll work.
If it purports to make us look younger, hotter, skinnier, it's worth trying. That having a double chin, or maybe even a face that isn't as 'snatched' as they like, is some sort of sin.
We still live in a society where fatness is the number one thing to be avoided, even before things like awful personality traits. And products like this further feed into that disturbing narrative.
Does the product actually work?
Harley Street Skin Clinic 's Dr Nikita Desai has given her verdict on whether the face wrap can actually support skin function and create a 'snatched' jawline - even if you didn't have one before.
She explained what the wrap is, saying: "In this instance, a face wrap is essentially a compression garment for the face.
"It's marketed as a beauty tool that's designed to lift and sculpt your face by applying pressure similar to that of a compression garment you'd wear on your body. It's suggested that these wraps can reduce puffiness and improve facial definition".
However, she believes the Kardashian has taken inspiration from social media. She said: "My first thought upon looking at this Skims design is that it's taken inspiration from the 'morning shed' TikTok trend that was highly popular on the app throughout 2024, which promoted the idea 'the uglier you sleep, the prettier you wake up.'
"With the product being advertised as something that will be a part of your nightly routine, there's no doubt that they're really hoping that the beauty side of TikTok will adopt this product the same way they did the 'Morning Shed' trend.
"The colour choice itself is strikingly similar to surgical compressions, which feels like a purposeful choice, seeing as the Kardashians have frequently discussed cosmetic surgery".
As to whether it's useful or not, Dr Desai said isn't convinced. She said: "Face wraps of this kind offer temporary changes at best and may help with de-puffing your face, similar to how a common surgical garment can help reduce swelling.
"While wraps of this kind can be fun to engage with, it's worth my stressing that beyond this, wraps can't offer any permanent changes such as facial contouring, remodel fat, or even boost collagen production. Any changes you see will reverse in a matter of hours as the compression loses its effect".
You should also be careful when using products like this one.. Dr Desai explained: "While they can be fun to try out for a quick beauty routine, it's worth noting that wearing a facial wrap for an extended period of time is not something I would advise.
"It can restrict circulation, which in this case could cause facial swelling, the opposite of providing a 'snatched jawline.' It could also irritate the skin and cause discomfort around your ears and jaw. If you're someone who suffers from TMJ or sensitive skin issues, I would avoid this product".
Sculpted face or not – this product really isn't for me. Instead, I look forward to the days when natural beauty is embraced and women can sleep in peace.
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