Views: 84
THE RUNDOWN:
- Kim Kardashian‘s shapewear brand Skims has launched its first beauty product: the Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap
- Skims, which had a recent valuation of $3,2 billion US, is expanding into beauty after buying back Coty’s stake in SKKN, Kardashian’s closed-down beauty label
- The Skims Face Wrap taps several “morning shed” TikTok trends claiming to condition skin and slim facial structure but medical experts advise scepticism
Kim Kardashian is back in the beauty game with shapewear brand Skims‘ first-ever beauty-adjacent product, and the internet is… confused. The Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap features “signature sculpting fabric” and “collagen yarns for ultra-soft jaw support.” Priced at $48 USD (about AU$75) for a combination of Velcro, polyamide, and elastane, the wrap is clearly modelled on the compression bandages patients wear after facelifts. The pitch is less makeup, more medical cosplay.
What Does The Skims Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap (Allegedly) Do?
Skims calls it a “first-ever face innovation,” though the benefits are vague. The site mentions “ultra-soft jaw support” and “sculpting fabric”—suggesting that wearing the wrap overnight might leave you looking a little more chiselled.
If it feels very TikTok, that’s because it is. Users trying the “morning shed” routine have been strapping into similar contraptions for “jaw slimming,” TMJ relief, and sleep trends like chin straps, overnight sheet masks, and mouth taping. Skims is packaging the moment.
Related: Lindsay Lohan Hasn’t Had As Much Work As The Internet Thinks
Skims Plastic Surgery Tie-In
The campaign nods to Steven Meisel’s “Makeover Madness,” the 2005 Vogue editorial in which Linda Evangelista, who has spoken openly about her own cosmetic complications, poses glamorously in an operating theatre. The shoot was a wry commentary on surgery’s ubiquity; two decades on, procedures are only more mainstream.
For years, the Kardashians deflected plastic-surgery speculation. Now TikTok has turned surgical disclosures into content, with procedure-specific tags promising virality. Speculation that celebrities have had surgery has shifted from a career compromiser to a guaranteed publicity boost, and the Kardashians’ attitude reflects this shift.
In June, Kylie Jenner shocked and delighted fans when she jumped in TikToker Rachel Leary’s comments to share her breast augmentation details. “445 cc. Moderate profile, half under the muscle!!! Silicone!!! Garth Fisher!!! Hope this helps lol.”
Celebrities like Alix Earle and Bachelor Nation’s Victoria Fuller followed. Not long after, Kris Jenner joined in, praising Dr. Fisher’s facelift work on his Instagram. Cosmetic transparency is mainstream and Skims is selling the look. But is it selling the actual lift?
Does The Skims Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap Work?
Not everyone is thrilled with the launch. Comments on the Skims Instagram page leaned sceptical and dismayed. “I sometimes can’t believe that society’s perception of women has gotten to the point where women think they need this…”, one user wrote. “Yeah, ok… can we try this again with a 40-plus-year-old woman for accuracy. Thank you!!” another added on a video of 26-year-old influencer Jasmine Alishaa using the product
“These face wraps are almost identical to post-surgical garments used for neck liposuction and neck lifts,” says Dr Naomi McCullum, cosmetic practitioner and owner at The Manse clinics. “In terms of function, I really can’t see any skin benefits from collagen yarns sitting on top of the skin – and these seem to be a combination of synthetic fabrics – and you can’t get a slimmer jawline with simple compression.”
McCullum notes that post-surgical dressings help with swelling after major procedures, not the garden-variety puffiness you get after salty snacks. “The swelling it targets is the areas of the swelling to the side of the face where the garment is; it won’t have any effect on superficial puffiness we might experience towards the front of the face.”
And if a slimmer look is the goal, compression won’t change fat or muscle composition: “no effect.”
Essentially, shapewear under clothes can “snatch” your waist because you can wear it out in the world. Facial shapewear can’t live on your face during the day and won’t create lasting change, which makes the benefits—beyond a social-media selfie—nominal.
Skims Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap FAQ:
Product: Skims Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap
Price: US$48 (about AU$75)
Materials: Polyamide, elastane, Velcro; marketed as “signature sculpting fabric” with collagen yarns.
What it claims: “First-ever face innovation” offering ultra-soft jaw support and sculpting.
How it’s meant to be used: Worn at rest/overnight; not realistic for daytime wear under makeup or in public.
The TikTok context: Aligns with trends like chin straps, mouth taping, and “morning shed,” plus the broader aesthetic of post-surgical compression gear.
Expert view (Dr Naomi McCullum): Similar to post-surgical garments; no meaningful skin benefits from collagen yarns sitting on the surface, and no slimmer jawline from simple compression; post-op swelling is a different scenario than everyday puffiness.
What it actually does: Provides temporary compression at best; no lasting change to fat or muscle compositio,n and limited impact on front-of-face puffiness.
Best for: A surgical-chic selfie or novelty try-on—not structural “snatching.”
The post Is Facial Shapewear Actually A Thing? We Asked A Doctor To Weigh In On Skims’ New ‘Innovation’ appeared first on ELLE.
