Putting it to the test.

I have been having major issues with Zoom lately. There are a couple of hours in the morning when the sun shines on me and my window-adjacent desk. I’m showered in glorious light, offering a deceiving glow that Glossier would be proud of. Cut to the mid-morning, and I’m begging for a cameras-off meeting: frown lines, pallid skin, dark undereye circles.

I know, I know, I know, this is nothing compared to Chronic Zoom Syndrome (yes, that’s a real thing). Regardless, all this staring at our own faces is wreaking havoc on the way we see ourselves, whether it’s
noticing fine lines or the significant differences in eye sizes (I am a victim of both).

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While I don’t believe that wrinkles are inherently bad – in fact, they look absolutely glam sometimes – the part of me that dreaded turning 30 shouts the loudest. I want to be forever young. And, because I am hellbent on DIY everything, I decided it was time to try something new. Facial cupping – is it the new at-home Botox?

What is facial cupping?

You’re probably already familiar with body cupping – for me, it conjures up images of gym junkies and celebrities with purple-stained circles lining their backs. Essentially, it’s that but for your face. Lift your jaw from the floor because it’s not as bad as it sounds (admittedly, I broke out in a sweat upon learning about this technique). Cupping is said to stimulate the skin and muscles, aiding in restoration and muscle relaxation and promoting blood circulation and cell repair.

While facial cupping is based on the same idea, it uses much smaller silicone cups that are specifically designed for the area. I purchased the Fasciq® set, which includes two larger cups designated for the face and neck and two smaller ones dedicated to around the eyes and lips. The suction gently pulls the skin and increases blood flow, much like the process of gua sha. Apparently, this process of sucking and gliding (it sounds dirty but definitely isn’t) reduces the appearance of fine lines, decreases puffiness and tones the skin over time. How could I not give it a go?

Here I stand, converted

Although facial cupping is less aggressive than its full-on sister, all the tutorials and advice I read prior came with a fair warning: don’t leave the cups too long or you risk bruising. I am that delicate princess with the pea, bruising at the slightest nudge or excited dog claw; this is my cross to bear. To put it lightly, I was petrified (and left the following day completely void of external plans). But ever the intrepid beauty writer, I found a random YouTube tutorial and decided to leap into it straight away.

Under its guidance, I applied a slippery load of facial oil and remembered one golden rule: keep the cup moving! (Or risk a bruised face.) The idea is to use steady movement and flow to keep the cup gliding over the face. I squeezed the larger cup to sit it on my chin, allowing it to suction. From my chin, I pulled the cup along my jaw and up to my ear, releasing and then repeating. I followed suit for the remainder of my cheek and forehead, smoothing and sucking those lines away. There is something oddly satisfying about squeezing in your skin and watching it pull away – an ASMR opportunity, perhaps.

Next, I took the smaller cup and applied the same process to my smile lines, under the eye and above the eye. To kick that frown once and for all, the small cup stuck to the middle of my brow line, lingering for a couple of seconds before feeding upwards to the hairline. It was this final step that convinced me I might be onto something. Could it be? My frown line seems, possibly, less intrusive? I could only dream that with months of practice, this zone would tighten up and settle my Zoom woes.

The first tutorial I followed pointed out another, less-mentioned benefit – full lips, baby. Applying the small cup to various points on the lips similarly draws the blood and results in a luscious, saucier-looking lip. Since then, I’ve practised my new favourite self-care treatment a few times. Face yoga still lingers in my weekly beauty regime, but I’m adding facial cupping as another element. Self-care is overly discussed and often feels like a lot of effort, but these ten precious minutes are wonderful – a gift to me at the end of a tiring day.

These unassuming cups of mine are indulgent without breaking the bank, and I don’t have to get out of my pyjamas. I feel better and fresher; whether related or not, I’ve received some lovely skin comments in the time since. And as always (for me, anyway) all roads lead back to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Housewife Sutton Stracke famously carts her face roller around – her anxiety soother – whether in public or at home. Don’t be alarmed if you find me mid-Zoom, suctioning the lines off my face. It’s good for me. 

For more on facial cupping, try this.