How Isamaya Ffrench and Facegym Are Redefining Gua Sha

Renown makeup artist and beauty brand founder Isamaya Ffrench just announced a face-snatching collaboration with Inge Theron's popular facial workout company, FaceGym. The duo is releasing "Sculpt 01," a uniquely crafted Gua Sha tool designed to give you the "ultimate sculpt."

Ffrench and Theron share a deep appreciation for robust facial tools and the art of massage. Theron explains that the pair's synergy stems not only from "Isamaya’s creative genius and FaceGym's expertise in muscle movement, [but] the brand’s longtime popularity with the makeup artistry community as well." This collaboration comes as a natural next step, combining FaceGym's product offerings and Ffrench's innovative approach to beauty.

The tool is designed with four defining features to help target and treat different areas of the face and scalp. The brand recommends using the comb feature on the neck to stimulate the lymphatic system. Its large, curved edge cups and contours the cheeks, while the ball tip, when used along the brow bone, gives a natural lift. Lastly, the scalp claw promotes scalp and hair health by relieving scalp tension.

Below, Hypebae caught up with Theron and Ffrench to discuss what sparked the collaboration, how to use the tool, the possibility of expanding the collaboration in the future and more.

For more beauty news, check out our coverage of Maya Jama revealing the secret behind her signature fringe.

On how this collaboration came about

Theron: Isamaya and I have been admiring each other for a very long time. She has been a regular client at FaceGym, and I have watched in awe as she has broken boundaries with her incredible drops, always so creative and brilliant in everything she does. I think she is the most exciting artist in the industry today; she takes incredible risks, yet remains so real. I love her content and the way she connects with her community. It was really love at first sight, and we both have a strong affinity for facial exercise and facial massage. We have been competing for quite some time on who has the most tools and gua-shas... given the fact that I am almost 50, I should probably have more than her. We connected based on our belief in beauty tools and the results that we can get from them.

Ffrench: I’ve been collecting facial massage tools for years, and the more I learned about facial massage and its benefits for the skin and mental health in general, the idea of designing and developing my own tool slowly took shape. I was interested in building a bespoke facial and scalp massage treatment specifically for the tool, so the idea to collaborate with FaceGym was a no-brainer. They are the pioneers of face massage. I love their hardcore approach to facials, and they felt like the ideal partner for this project.

On how the "Sculpt 01" tool fits into a skincare routine

Theron: Well, FaceGym is known as the pre-red carpet service because we take a face, do our warm-up, cardio, and cool-down, which is great to drain, remove tension, and then sculpt and lift to provide a perfect canvas. This tool is particularly good, as you can now also release tension in the scalp, and it is the first of its kind in the industry. This is the perfect prep for your topical skincare, prior to applying your makeup.

Ffrench: What is great about this tool is that you don’t have to use it all over the face for an hour to feel results. You can use it for two minutes in the morning, and it will help your face depuff and activate the lymphatic system for the day ahead. It also warms up the skin, which means that skincare is absorbed better.

On what sparked Ffrench’s interest in massage tools

Ffrench: We’re very disconnected from our bodies in the West; there’s a holistic approach to health and wellbeing in Asia that I’m interested in. It’s fascinating to learn about the nervous system and its relationship with beauty. It’s also important to warm up the skin before applying makeup because it sits better on warm skin.

On the possibility of expanding the collab in the future

Ffrench: I’ll say yes and nothing more.

Theron: We are both very ambitious and have lots of other elements to the collaboration that will launch pre-summer. I have been increasingly interested in the scalp, the skin around the scalp, and working with the muscles from the neck up to the scalp. I [spent] weeks in Korea studying the best way to do this and learned how to work on the scalp. FaceGym is the pioneer of above-the-neck massage, and this feels like a natural progression to how we go about offering facelifts through the scalp. This is just the beginning; there is definitely more to come. I don't want to give too much away, but there could be a FaceGym body facial. I’ve said too much; I will leave it at that.

"Sculpt 01" is available to purchase on the brand's website. Additionally, as part of the FaceGym x Isamaya collaboration, the duo will be releasing "Sculpt 02" and "Sculpt 03" face and body tools in the coming months that will be available to purchase on Ffrench's website.