Yaaas Or Pass?! Experts Weigh In On The Face Cupping Trend
via Giphy
When scrolling through beauty hacks on TikTok, take each recommendation with a pinch of salt. While some of the tips come from trusted experts and will take your beauty routine to a new level, others can go badly, badly wrong. Case in point: period facials, contouring with sunscreen, or worse, gluing your lips together. However, there’s one trend brewing that doesn’t fall into that category of crazy: facial cupping. It promises glowing, sculpted skin and is a practice used by facialists and favored by Kim Kardashian. Scroll TikTok, and you’ll see thousands of videos praising its results. That said, there’s also plenty of videos that recommend against the practice of facial cupping.
Of course, with a skincare topic this divisive, we called upon an expert to shed some light on the practice. Celebrity dermatologist Dr. Lancer, whose clientele includes Kim K, Victoria Beckham, and Beyonce, filled us in on his thoughts about facial cupping. Here’s everything you need to know about facial cupping.
What Is Facial Cupping?
@sageaesthetix#goingpro #jawline #skincare #feelinggood #facialcupping♬ hostage – Billie Eilish
According to Dr. Lancer, “Facial cupping is a miniature version of acupuncture cupping that’s done to isolate and remove humors from tissue.” It involves taking small silicone or glass cups and gliding them along the lymphatic system, which helps increase circulation while draining toxins through your lymph system. It also stimulates collagen-producing cells, thereby helping to brighten the skin and improve the appearance of fine lines. It can also help to tone the fascia (the connective tissue beneath the skin) and relax tightness in areas like the jaw while helping to promote oxygen-rich blood circulation.
Facial Cupping has blown up on TikTok over the past few months, with TikTokers claiming it helps reduce inflammation and leaves skin sculpted and glowy AF – two things that are going to get anyone’s attention on TikTok! The practice of cupping is not new and had been used for centuries in China and the Middle East to boost lymph flow and ease tension and stress in the body. The results can be similar to Gua Sha, and both practices are often done on people’s bodies as a way to ease tension and drain toxins.
Is DIY Face Cupping Risky?
@montykeates@sebbbyjon and i tried facial cupping… never again… #isolationgames #foryou #featureme #viral♬ Rhythm thief but cursed – Tik Toker
While we seem to see plenty of great results with facial cupping on TikTok or by trained aestheticians, DIY facial cupping does come with its own set of risks. Dr. Lancer warns that while “It has a detoxifying context, it’s not a valid action for the face.” He continues, “Personally, I do not believe that there are benefits to this. This action puts pressure on areas of the face, causing enlarged capillaries that may become permanent. This is a trend having to do with upstaging lymphatic drainage.” You may have seen proof of this on TikTok; there are multiple videos of people trying facial cupping and ending up with multiple bruises and marks on their faces.
That said, there are also lots of great results and plenty of reputable skincare companies selling the DIY tools.
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So Would We Recommend Facial Cupping?
While the practice can be beneficial, because there’s a risk of enlarged capillaries and bruising, we recommend leaving it to the professionals to be on the safe side. There are other amazing at-home alternatives that give great results, like Gua Sha or microcurrent tools, which can deliver similar results without the possibility of damage to your skin.
For more TikTok reviews, check out our verdict on six viral drugstore TikTok products.
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