What do you think of The Ultimate Face?
Why I won't be adding Skims’ latest «must-have» to my night routine
31.7.2025
Translation: Elicia Payne
The people in the comments on Instagram thought the face wrap was a belated April Fool’s joke. But Skims is serious about this piece of fabric and markets it as an important step in your beauty routine. Let’s discuss!
Everyone has their boundaries and this is where I draw mine. At least as far as «being beautiful» is concerned. The American shapewear and clothing brand Skims, better known as the successful baby of entrepreneur Kim Kardashian, has launched the Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap. The face wrap is a reusable, seamless bandage enriched with collagen. You strap it around your neck and face as part of your evening routine before going to bed. Why? As a kind of support to hold or shape your jawline. Or as Skims puts it: for «the ultimate face».
The industry magazine Business of Fashion aptly puts the product into context:
The piece taps into the «morning shed» trend on TikTok, where influencers show off the wide range of face, skin and jaw-enhancing accoutrements they wear at night including jawline-lifting straps, overnight sheet masks and mouth tape.
When I saw Skims’ announcement post, I thought it was funny. Then my smile disappeared. As someone who loves wearing the brand (some pieces have been with me for several years now) and has followed the different product lines across the many collaborations ), I have to admit:
I’m not sure.
Where’s the boundary?
What I do know is that there are countless comparable beauty gadgets and gizmos out there that are hard to beat in terms of superfluousness. That’s part of the game, I guess. Especially as the beauty industry itself has latched on to an area that has a very small crossover with our basic needs. I’m thinking of hygiene products. Anything that goes beyond that is a luxury for me. Luxury that I like to experience and which I like to report on. Luxury that looks different for each individual. How much money do I spend on what? Which trends do I enjoy and which do I let pass me by? The Skim’s Face Wrap is where I draw the line. So what’s behind the product?
Source: Skims
Source: Skims
Go to bed ugly
I can understand this desire to get «the best» out of yourself. I, too, am always happy to fork out a lot of money for others to shake their heads at me in the comments column. So why does this not sit right with me and why now?
Perhaps because the face wrap is symbolic of a trend that I don’t want to join in with. A trend whose price is a little too high for me, because it not only demands money, but also sacrifices comfort:
Social media videos with absurdly long evening routines are increasingly showing up on my screen. Twelve steps: skin care, taping up your mouth, fitting a collagen mask, applying lip stain, rolling up your hair, putting on a silk cap for your head to roll on a silk cushion later, putting on an eye mask and so on. This is then followed by the «morning shed» the next day, the «beautiful awakening», so to speak, after you take all the stuff off your face again.
At first, I could dismiss these types of videos as humorous or simply click-happy content. I was aware that the routines shown weren’t realistic evening rituals for the majority. Neither in terms of time nor financially. But the more often the clips were played to me, the less absurd they seemed. Wild, right?
I’m lucky I’m so lazy.
All or nothing
Individually, these practices may well make sense – depending on the person and their needs. A silk pillow can protect against hair breakage. A heatless curl set can save you time in the morning and give you a beautiful hairstyle. Hyaluronic acid masks can relieve itchy dry skin. It’s not the individual steps that concern me and that I question. It’s their sum. Because I’d argue that it severely restricts us financially, physically and takes our time. What it does to our minds is something I prefer to leave open at this point.
Beauty innovations can and should bring joy, no question about it. But somewhere between innovation and consumerism, we’ve lost the balance. Instead of «either or», it’s often «all or nothing».
So, what I really want to say is: be selective. Only integrate products and rituals from this wealth of options that really make sense for you and your life.
Yes, look after yourself, but also be critical.
Header image: Skims
Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
Beauty
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