Actress, humanitarian and new member of the royal family, Meghan Markle is a beautiful person both inside and out. But while she’s clearly genetically blessed, the Duchess of Sussex also has a few tricks up her sleeve when it comes to looking her best.
The 36-year-old revealed that one of her go-to methods for keeping her face looking firm and sculpted actually involves working out, but not at the gym.
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"I do facial exercises from one of my favorite aestheticians, Nichola Joss, who basically has you sculpt your face from the inside out," Markle told Birchbox in 2014. "I swear it works, as silly as you may feel. On the days I do it, my cheekbones and jawline are waaaay more sculpted. There’s a reason she is in high demand around awards season when every actress wants to look A-plus."
Turns out, there’s even some scientific evidence suggesting Markle’s face workouts can have positive, long-term effects.
Based on a small study by Northwestern University in January 2018, a 30-minute daily facial exercise program performed over 20 weeks helped improve the appearance of the middle-aged women involved.
"Now there is some evidence that facial exercises may improve facial appearance and reduce some visible signs of ageing," lead author Murad Alam, a dermatologist from Northwestern, said in a statement.
"The exercises enlarge and strengthen the facial muscles, so the face becomes firmer and more toned and shaped like a younger face."
It should be noted that the study was performed on only a small sampling of people and needs to be replicated on a larger scale. However, if the results prove true, facial exercises are a lower-cost and non-invasive alternative to plastic surgery.
"Assuming the findings are confirmed in a larger study, individuals now have a low-cost, non-toxic way for looking younger or to augment other cosmetic or anti-aging treatments they may be seeking," Alam said.
While not everyone has access to an A-list aesthetician like Joss, the increasing popularity of facial exercises has led to the opening of beauty salons that offer this type of treatment exclusively. One such salon, U.K.-based Face Gym, a “gym studio for the face,” recently opened a location in New York City.
Founder Inge Theron created Face Gym after a new face lifting procedure left her “housebound,” according to the company website. “I decided it was time to act and create a non-invasive, zero-risk, face lifting solution that really works," Theron said.
Face Gym offers a variety of “workouts” based on your specific goals. The most popular one, “Game Face,” claims to sculpt, tone and tighten using radio frequency to target puffiness, boost collagen and restore skin’s elasticity for $275.
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While it is possible to see results after one session, Face Gym recommends regular visits as often as once a week to achieve optimal results over time.
If the steep price tag isn’t in your budget but you want that sculpted Markle look, Joss shared some facial massage movements on her Instagram that can be done at home.