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Shapewear for your face might sound like a joke reserved for April Fool’s, but in fact it is the latest launch from Kim Kardashian‘s incredibly successful SKIMS brand – and the product sold out almost instantly when it launched last week.
The Ultimate Face headwrap (£52) looks like a cross between a balaclava and a pair of nude tights, and promises to sculpt customers’ faces while they sleep.
SKIMS launched its Ultimate Face headwrap for £52 last week and it sold out straight away.
SKIMS posted a picture of the item on Instagram, saying it was the brand’s ‘first-ever face innovation, made with signature sculpting fabric and infused with collagen yarns for ultra-soft jaw support.’
Ms Kardashian said: ‘You can see that it just snatches your chinny chin chin with the jaw and it’s super comfortable to wear at night or just around the house,’ she added.
A ‘snatched’ (aka tight, defined) jawline is certainly the current holy grail of beauty. ‘Jawlines have become the feature of the moment,’ says By Dr Leonard Josipovic, Consultant Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon. ‘A lot of it comes down to social media. We’re constantly fed images of ultra-sculpted faces, whether it’s from filters, makeup, or non-surgical procedures, and it’s created this expectation that a sharp jaw equals beauty, youth, and even status. There’s definitely been a shift – lips and cheeks used to get all the attention, but now it’s also about lower-face definition.’
A tight and defined jawline has become extremely coveted in beauty circles, partly due to social media
Will the SKIMS Ultimate Face headwrap help you achieve this? Not according to aesthetic doctor Sophie Shotter. Dr Shotter says ‘The new SKIMS wrap is essentially a wide strip of high-stretch fabric that you fasten under the chin and over the crown of the head.
‘Kim Kardashian’s team says the knit contains «collagen yarns» and offers «jaw support,» suggesting it will create a more defined jawline if worn overnight. In reality, it’s like shapewear for the body – while the material is compressing tissue it can temporarily squeeze out lymphatic fluid and slightly reposition soft fat pads, so you may wake up looking a touch less puffy. The effect, however, is transient – typically gone within a few hours once gravity and daily facial movement return.
‘There is no scientific evidence that fabric pressure alone can remodel fat, tighten skin or build collagen in a lasting way. Even studies on prolonged face-yoga regimens show only modest improvements after 20 weeks of daily 30-minute sessions, and that was through active muscular exercise rather than passive compression. The wrap is a harmless novelty, but it’s not a substitute for medical-grade tightening or sculpting treatments.’
So what should you do if you’re unhappy with the appearance of your jawline? We spoke to cosmetic experts to find out what actually works…
The tweakments that can define your jaw
‘Radiofrequency microneedling is a great option – it stimulates collagen production and tightens the skin over time, which helps reduce sagging or softness in the jaw area,’ says Anastasia Koles, Advanced Aesthetic Nurse and founder of ALTA Medispa. She describes the SKIMS offering as ‘a gimmick’. Microneedling uses a fine needle to create micro-wounds in the skin, which stimulates the growth of healthy new skin. With radiofrequency microneedling (approximately £350 to £750 per session), the needle releases radiofrequency into these channels, which enhances the effects of standard microneedling. Experts say the skin grows back thicker and smoother – making it a good option for a firmer jawline.
Microneedling uses a fine needle to create micro-wounds in the skin, which stimulates the growth of healthy new skin
Got a double chin? ‘Fat-dissolving injections can target fullness under the chin, helping sharpen the area where the neck meets the jaw’ says Ms Koles. Fat dissolving injections (approximately £200 to £400 per session) work by breaking down cell membranes to liquefy the fat cell, destroying it permanently, releasing lipids that are then eliminated naturally through the lymphatic system. The procedure consists of a set of injections (usually two), administered three to four weeks apart, whereby the targeted area is injected with a fat-dissolving solution.
Dr Shotter says ‘For patients who have lost bony projection or deep fat – common from the late thirties onward – I may use structural hyaluronic-acid filler or collagen stimulators to restore youthful angles, with effects lasting 12 to 24 months.’
Ms Koles also recommends dermal filler to help with a more defined jawline. ‘It can be used strategically to sculpt the jawline and give the illusion of a more contoured, defined structure. Unlike facial shapewear, these treatments actually work with the anatomy of your face to deliver visible, lasting improvement. They’re backed by science, not stretchy mesh.’ Filler costs approximately £300 to £800 depending on the amount used; some clinics charge per millilitre whereas others will offer fixed jawline contouring packages.
Surgery that can offer a more defined jaw
For some people, the only way to achieve the results they want will be to turn to surgery. ‘If you’re dealing with more significant sagging or fullness around the jaw, surgery can offer a dramatic and long-lasting solution,’ says Dr Josipovic. ‘Submental liposuction (sometimes called chin or neck lipo) targets the fat under the chin and along the jawline. It’s ideal for people who have good skin elasticity but are bothered by a double chin or lack of definition in the lower face. The procedure removes excess fat permanently, and the results can be quite dramatic – think sharper angles, a more contoured profile, and a lifted appearance.’ Submental liposuction will cost between £2,000 and £4,500.
Submental liposuction (sometimes called chin or neck lipo) targets the fat under the chin and along the jawline and costs between £2,000 and £4,500
If sagging skin is the issue, then you may need to pull out the big guns if you want to see a major difference. ‘For those dealing with skin laxity or softening of the lower face, a lower facelift or neck lift can tighten the skin and deeper tissues to restore structure,’ says Josipovic. ‘This operation will reposition what’s shifted over time and can dramatically improve the contour of the jaw and neck. Shapewear doesn’t come close to what these procedures can achieve.’
The make-up tips to define your jawline
If all the above sounds a bit extreme – because dare we say it, having a defined jawline isn’t necessarily the be all and end all – then you could use good old-fashioned contouring with make-up to give the impression of a sharper jaw. Make-up artist Jamie Genevieve says you can brush bronzer along the jawline and then underneath it to hide the appearance of jowls. ‘Just make sure you blend it down the neck,’ says Genevieve. You’s beauty director Rosie Green recommends using the Victoria Beckham Contour Stylus to achieve this.
