Chiseled Support: The Art of Non-Surgical Definition
From compression headgear to ancient facelifts, beauty is rewriting the rules of contour.
Seeking options for a more natural appearance, witness the rise of innovative devices, treatments, and centuries-old wisdom. Avoiding the extremes associated with Botched and celebrities gone wrong, consumers are investing in an enlightened round of 3.0 solutions. Innovative devices and treatments offer the transformative effects of surgical procedures, minus the invasive fears. Some are rooted in centuries-old wisdom, offering a “facelift” without the fear. Others are in line with the pursuit of so-called “snatched face,” which has driven demand for an array of beauty devices in recent years, according to market research agency Mintel. More people are seeking out affordable ways to achieve results that would typically cost time and money at a dermatologist’s clinic or a luxury spa!
Beauty’s New Compression Code
Kim Kardashian’s shapewear and underwear brand, Skims, recently released a piece of headgear that bears a close resemblance to a post-surgery compression garment. Retailing for $48 USD, the product generated social chatter and news weigh-ins for days after being unveiled on Instagram, selling out instantly and resulting in a waiting list. The New York Post compared it to a “Medieval Torture Device.” The product features “sculpting fabric” and collagen yarns for jaw support, and has been described as a “must-have addition to your nightly routine.” The offering taps into the # morningshed movement, where influencers showcase a range of face and jaw-enhancing nighttime products, including jawline-lifting straps, overnight sheet masks, and mouth tape. Consider the practice of postpartum shapewear, such as belly bands and compression garments, intended to reduce swelling, support weakened muscles, and provide emotional confidence as one “bounces back.”
The hashtag #facesculpting has over 15K posts of people pulling and pinching at their faces, with or without specially designed tools, in attempts to attain the latest beauty standards. This shift had begun years earlier, influenced by the popularity of the ‘V-Sculpt’ look in Asia and further highlighted by a memorable video from actress Shay Mitchell, known for BEIS luggage, in which she walked through her extensive 58-step beauty routine. She admitted to using a chin strap mask, often referred to as a V-line mask, daily, which she acquired during a trip to Japan. Various versions can be easily acquired on Amazon and sites like Lila Beauty.
Similarly, the microcurrents of this recently introduced NūFACE device/mask combo, along with the massaging action of the new Biba Meta Facial FASCIA TOOL (used by facialist and singer Billie Eilish), claim that ergonomic shapes allow for effortless contouring, improve microcirculation, and encourage lymphatic drainage. FaceGym, with its “workout for your face” ethos, has mainstreamed the idea that facial sculpting can be as habitual as a fitness routine — supported by its studios, tools, and at-home devices. Joining this new generation of sculpt devices, ISAMAYA’s Sculpt 01 takes inspiration from professional facial massage, designed to fit the natural curves of the face and amplify definition through targeted pressure and lymphatic release.
Beauty continues to play into sculpting, with the upcoming release of Haus Labs Precision Sculpt Shaping Balm, offering a “revolutionary contour stick that redefines your routine.” The product claims to sculpt like shapewear in nine shadow-inducing tones.
Unveiling New Contours: The Kobido Japanese Facelift
Beginning in the 15th century, Kobido was reserved for the empress and nobility, considered a luxurious beauty treatment rooted in the traditional art of anma, a Japanese therapeutic massage. Kobido, meaning “the ancient way of beauty,” offers a centuries-old facial massage technique, known today as the trending “Japanese facelift.” The method provides a non-surgical approach to youthful rejuvenation. An authentic Kobido treatment remains exclusive, with only about 50 therapists worldwide being certified in Kobido. Technically precise circular motions and sweeping strokes stimulate blood flow further and promote lymphatic drainage, drastically reducing puffiness—instantly giving the face a taut and lifted appearance. Kobido can be performed in about an hour and can be repeated weekly, with six to seven treatments recommended for best results. Good enough for a Japanese empress—need we say more?
Why It Matters
This newest round of tools and color cosmetics is pushing the boundaries of innovation, utilizing the latest scientific advancements and offering hope to those who resonate with the “Pro-Aging” messaging. Blending ancient wisdom with modern know-how has been reviving century-old practices. Skims tapped into yet another void by actualizing #morningshed DIYs into commercial products.
For brands, the signal is clear: sculpting is evolving into a new category of care. Expect demand for hybrid solutions that merge tools + topicals (devices paired with serums designed to activate under pressure or microcurrent) and for performance textiles that extend shapewear logic into beauty (collagen-infused fabrics, compression headgear, even “beauty bedding”). Sleep-time rituals are no longer passive; they’re becoming a commercial frontier for next-level support and contouring.
The opportunity is to position sculpting not as corrective but as daily support — a blend of performance, ritual, and confidence-building. Brands that experiment now will catch the wave before it hardens into category expectation.