'Suffering for beauty' is quite accepted, despite the fact that it shouldn't be normalised. Many women opt to wear body shapewear regularly, helping them achieve a more 'smooth' silhouette. While this isn't something I would do personally, because all bodies are good bodies, I would never make someone feel bad for wanting to do that themselves. I can sort of see why, if it makes you feel more comfortable (albeit not physically), you'd want to do it.
But Kim Kardashian has taken this one step too far with her Skims range now, and she needs to be stopped. Branding it a "necessity" on her Instagram Stories, she launched a product, which can allegedly change the shape of your face.
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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". Harmless, right?
Wrong. 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. We all fall foul of it. But the question is to what extent, and this facial compression garment feels like a hard limit.
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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."
I think Kim has taken things too far with her latest product
(Image: Getty Images for Nordstrom)
At first glance it may seem like another "wellness trend," but she claimed it felt "deeper and more disturbing than that".
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"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 wont 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.
Someone profoundly penned: "Just a reminder to all you young ones, Im almost 40. Never had a single one of these and used the same face moisturiser all my life. This wont stop the ageing process. It also wont 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.
Kim Kardashian is gorgeous, but it's impossible for us to all look like her
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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 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, its worth my stressing that beyond this, wraps cant 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, its 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 youre 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.
