On Friday evening, I headed to a special pre-opening event at the brand new FaceGym studio in Victoria Leeds, ahead of its official opening on 19 September.
Set within the beautiful surroundings of Victoria, it feels like a fitting location for the brand’s arrival in the City.
Now, if you’re anything like me and slightly out of the know, you might be wondering: what exactly is FaceGym? Rather than a traditional facial, it offers facial workouts that combine massage techniques, skincare and specialist tools to work the muscles in your face. I’m no stranger to a workout, but a workout for my face was completely new territory. I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into and, while I found the concept interesting, I have to admit, I was a little sceptical.
For my visit, I tried the 35 minute Signature Sculpt workout, with additional time beforehand for a consultation. My trainer was Charlotte, who was fantastic from start to finish. Before we began, she checked whether I had any skin allergies or other issues that the team needed to be aware of and explained what I could expect from the workout.
It began with a cleanse, followed by a warm-up for my facial muscles using what FaceGym calls a weighted ball. The small red ball was moved across different areas of my face to prepare the muscles for what was to come. It felt slightly surreal to think of my face needing to warm up in the same way as the rest of my body before exercise, but I suppose that is the whole idea.
Once my face was sufficiently warmed up, Charlotte moved on to what I can only describe as a deep muscle massage for the face. Using a series of different movements and techniques, she worked muscles that I had never really given much thought to before. I even learned that I evidently carry quite a bit of tension in my jaw, which was not entirely surprising once Charlotte pointed it out. The massage was thorough but still relaxing, and I could feel some of that tension beginning to ease as she worked.
Charlotte then used the Multi-Sculpt tool, FaceGym’s version of a gua sha tool, before bringing out the part of the workout that I was most intrigued by: the FaceGym Pro. This created one of the strangest sensations I have ever experienced. The best way I can describe it is as tiny electric pulses moving through the muscles in my face. It felt unusual at first and made me laugh, but it was also oddly satisfying once I became used to it.
We paused after Charlotte had completed one side of my face so that I could compare it with the untreated side. I had gone in feeling sceptical, but the visible difference was incredible. The treated side looked noticeably less puffy, and I could see a lift around my cheek and chin. Seeing the two sides next to each other made the results far more obvious than I had expected.
Throughout the workout, Charlotte also applied a variety of skincare products, including moisturisers and collagen products. She explained each stage thoroughly, so I always understood what she was doing and why and made me feel comfortable, despite some of the techniques being completely new to me. I also had the opportunity to speak to some of the wider FaceGym team during the evening, who were all friendly and welcoming.
Although the word “workout” might make the experience sound intense, the entire treatment was surprisingly relaxing. There were certainly some unusual sensations along the way, but I never found it uncomfortable. By the time we finished, my skin felt incredibly fresh and my face looked noticeably less puffy. I even texted my mom afterwards to ask whether she thought I looked younger, since I was convinced that I did. Sadly, she told me no. Her lack of enthusiasm aside, I felt fantastic walking out.
I arrived intrigued but sceptical and left feeling fresh, relaxed and genuinely impressed by the immediate difference. A workout for my face might have sounded strange at first, but after my experience at FaceGym Leeds, I can certainly see the appeal.
Bookings are now available through the FaceGym website. To celebrate the Leeds launch, the studio is also offering Founding Memberships for £62 per month for the first six months, rather than the usual single studio membership price of £77 per month. Membership includes one treatment each month, along with discounts on additional visits.
Photography by Alex Christensen.
