Skims, Kim Kardashian’s brand of shapewear, recently introduced a face wrap. From what I can tell, this product has already created deep and rich conversations on social media and piqued the interest of medical professionals. Marketed as a tool for achieving a “sculpted” jawline, the £52 product sold out within 24 hours of its release, indicating strong consumer interest. The face wrap evokes such close parallels to features described in dystopian literature. People have real worries about how it will impact body image.
When the face wrap wrapped up discussion, it was an immediate discussion starter, with participants likening it to accessories from The Handmaid’s Tale. Many social media users drew a humorous parallel. They compared it to the restraint mask used by Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs. The actor Anthony Hopkins, who portrayed Lecter, even shared a video mocking the headwrap, humorously stating, “Hello Kim, I’m already feeling 10 years younger.”
Even amidst all the hype that surrounded the product, medical professionals were skeptical about some of the claims it was making. After Dr. Anna Andrienko, aesthetic physician and academic researcher, noted that the tight maidenswrapping can long-term contour and de-puff, via pressure and heat retention. She was quick to highlight that these impacts are not lasting.
“When we start targeting areas like the chin or jawline with compression wraps, it sends a message that even natural, structurally normal features need fixing,” – Dr. Anna Andrienko.
Dr. Andrienko warned consumers to look out for overblown claims like “instant lift” or “face sculpted overnight.” She reiterated that such trade assertions usually don’t have scientific support.
Beauty industry veteran Laura Porter confirmed these worries, urging customers to seek products out past the industry buzzwords attached to the product. She was quick to point out the importance of finding unbiased views in an industry full of marketing ploys. Porter acknowledged that visual appeal can sometimes usurp evidence-based practices, especially when it comes to trends.
“Many trends may look impressive online, but they often prioritise visual trends over evidence-based practices,” – Laura Porter.
Porter illustrated one downside of the Skims face wrap. He cautioned that it could have harmful effects on body image, especially among younger consumers. She argued that these kinds of products set people up to pursue impractical ideals of beauty and that they can eat away at confidence.
“Over time, this can chip away at self-esteem, making people feel inadequate unless they’re constantly tweaking or reshaping themselves,” – Laura Porter.
Like brand ambassador Chloe Thomas, a former model, she said she’s wary of products that claim to contour and carve the face. She claimed that they were capable of interrupting movement toward body image acceptance.
“It turns the clock back on any progress we might have been making with body image acceptance,” – Chloe Thomas.
The face wrap is just one indicator of a new creative upsurge known as “morning shed.” As part of this trend, users post footage of themselves applying silicone masks and using mouth tape to remove the skincare products they slept in. This trend, growing, startling, and sad, speaks to the lengths consumers will go to in search of anti-aging benefits, real or perceived.
Skims, known for its figure-hugging lingerie, was last valued at around $4 billion as of July 2023. The introduction of the face wrap is a perfect fit with the brand’s philosophy of creative beauty powered by unexpected products. It raises questions about societal pressures surrounding beauty standards, as evidenced by the online backlash and medical scrutiny.