What is “Face Fitness” and why does it have it’s own NYC pop-up?

Photo:?Skin Gym/Facebook

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If exercise keeps your body firm, young and taut indefinitely ? could the same apply for your face?

This is the idea behind the recent pop-up ?Skin Gym?, which has recently opened in NYC?s Tribeca neighborhood. Perfectly timed on the brink of the new year — where everyone is feeling a little more gym-and-health-centric than otherwise -? this pitch is extra great because a.) it makes you feel like you have control over something you really don?t, b.) appears to be healthy and (buzzword) organic, c.) someone else does the face ?exercises? for you, d.) all you have to do is just lie back and enjoy it. And then, oh yeah, and reap the beauty benefits of it.

Too good to be true?

As anyone who has ever worked-out can attest, no pain ? no gain. Great changes in your appearance aren?t made easily, and there?s no way to cheat your way to amazing results.

If the idea of having your face ?personal trainer? do all of the work for you, in exchange for healthily and?easily attained glowing, youthful, tight skin (you don?t even need to take your makeup off!) seems a little too good to be true? you?d be right.

Unfortunately, the structure of your face and the signs of aging are only minimally controlled by muscles. Instead, the majority of your skin?s appearance has to do with sun exposure, underlying bone structure, and collagen.

Although these face “work-outs” probably feel awesome, and you may feel / look temporarily rejuvenated after a face-Pilates session (or whatever), NO long lasting, substantive changes can result from this.

Clever ?spin? on massage

If you like body massages, chances are good that you’d also like this. Essentially just a unique PR portrayal of facial massages, nothing new or different is happening here. Anyone interested should enjoy the relaxation benefits (and the novelty factor), but understand that these sessions will not help prevent aging, or provide any corrective results.?

The creativity is truly appreciated however. Here we are, amongst others, talking about this ?Skin Gym? business, whereas we never would have paid a second thought to a new facial or massage parlor opening.

Overall?

Kudos for the marketing gimmick, but boo to the premise.

As reported by Racked.com:

Facial work-outs for anti-aging purposes?

Today, we learned about a horrifying-sounding concept called “face fitness,” after which we discovered that it is not, in fact, part of a?Portlandia?sketch, and that people are actually?doing?this “face fitness” thing, right here in New York.

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Enter: Skin Gym, a place that is essentially a workout studio for, yes, your?face.

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Tribeca Citizen?noticed?the Skin Gym pop-up at 199 Water Street today, and found that its name?should?be taken quite literally: “Skin Gym Face Fitness believes face exercise and massage is the best skin care product there is and helps you to achieve beauty from the inside out. The signature face workouts are designed to tighten and firm the muscles of the face, which increase the skin’s vitality and leave a more supple radiant finish.”

As the website points out, “face fitness” isn’t actually all that new, but the concept behind Skin Gym is that regular 15-minute appointments enhance “the skin’s natural ability to reenergize and tone.” The?“workout menu”?includes offerings like muscle interval training, hydration mists, reflexology, infrared therapy, electro-muscular stimulation, and more, most of which are around or below $30.

To get a sense of what you’d be undergoing should you make an appointment at the Skin Gym, watch the video here.

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