We Tried It: "Cupping" — On Your Face!

You may have heard of people using the “cupping” technique on their backs and wondered what it’s about. We did too. The internet says it’s an alternative medicine technique where cups are suctioned throughout the body and said to aid in blood flow and loosen muscles.

Ok, so… facial cupping? Well, our resident beauty expert Gretta Monahan introduced this trend to us -- and tried it on a viewer named Laura Jo right in our studio!

Gretta used a kit with tiny cups (two for facial and smaller ones for under-eye or lip), a serum and an exfoliant. First, you exfoliate lightly to cleanse, then apply a serum (the kit she used included a serum -- but it's just safflower oil, Gretta says, so you could use any kind of oil or serum you like).

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You gently squeeze the cup and create a vacuum effect on the skin and glide it all around the skin: “The key is to keep it moving,” says Gretta (because ending up looking like you have a hickey on your cheek is NOT the goal here).

And yes, like most trendy beauty treatments, it looks a little ridiculous.

Exhibit A: When you put the cup in the middle of your forehead and end up looking like a unicorn (watch the video above to see what we mean—LOL).

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The brand that Gretta used on our viewer recommends doing this treatment for 5 to 10 minutes.

Now, how does it actually work, you ask? It’s all about the lymph system. Basically it helps pull blood toward the surface of the skin so it improves circulation and reduces puffiness, she explains.

“I’m puffy all the time. Between the salt, the fat, and the wine, forget it!” joked Rach.

Want to see Gretta demo the technique on our viewer? Watch the video above!

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