If you’ve spent more than five minutes on #WellnessTok lately, you’ve probably seen a buccal massage—those intense, slightly alien-looking treatments where a therapist massages your face from the inside. Yes, inside your mouth. Teeth bared, cheeks lifted, gloved fingers gently but firmly kneading the deepest corners of your jaw. Strange? Definitely. Effective? Surprisingly, yes.
The treatment is said to be a secret weapon for red-carpet regulars like Meghan Markle, Kate Moss, and Margot Robbie, all of whom allegedly swear by it for its tension-relieving and sculpting powers. So naturally, I had to try it.
I booked in for the Vanessa Megan Metamorphosis Sculpt & Lift facial at Sensation Boutique in Bronte, a coastal haven known for its ultra-personalised facials and down-to-earth elegance. The treatment was delivered by Gosia, an experienced therapist with the kind of calm energy that makes you immediately unclench. She also happens to use exclusively Vanessa Megan products—clean, botanical, and proudly Australian. In other words: your face is in very good hands.
What even is a buccal massage?
It’s basically a deep tissue massage for your face—with a twist. Buccal massage targets the buccal fat pad (the one you keep hearing about in celebrity cheekbone conversations) and surrounding facial muscles, including those that you can’t access from the outside.
“You have more access to the inner part of the mouth to stimulate those muscles that we can never reach from the outside,” says Vanessa Gray Lyndon, founder of Vanessa Megan Naturaceutical Skincare and the first to bring this method into her holistic Metamorphosis Facial. “It’s like getting right to the root of tension.”
© FilmMagicThe technique is especially loved by people who grind their teeth, clench their jaw, or live in a near-permanent state of low-grade stress. (So, all of us?) And because of the facial muscle release and lymphatic drainage, the visible benefits are real: less puffiness, more glow, and sharper angles without a single injection.
My treatment experience
Despite writing about beauty for years, I’d never had anyone’s hands inside my mouth during a facial before. Still, I trusted Aude immediately. The room was warm, the bed heated, and the treatment began with a grounding moment—aromatherapy oils, a gentle cleanse, and a quick skin check. Then came the facial massage, and things escalated (in a good way).
Using Vanessa Megan’s Metamorphosis Re-Gen Cell Repair Oil, Aude began with sculpting strokes along the jaw, temples, and cheekbones. Then, gloved up, she moved inside my mouth—one hand on the inside of my cheek, the other on the outside—using firm but calming circular motions that slowly melted every bit of jaw tension I didn’t even know I was holding.
I braced myself for pain. It never came. In fact, the experience was… weirdly relaxing? Aude alternated between soft presses and deep stretches, checking in often to make sure the pressure was comfortable. “It’s super relaxing and can help melt away the stress we all carry in our faces,” says Vanessa. “It also allows products to absorb better after treatment.”
There were also delicate lymphatic drainage strokes around the ears and temples, helping to stimulate circulation and flush out stagnant fluid. The entire thing lasted about 45 minutes, but felt timeless. My jaw quite literally felt looser by the time she was done.
The results
Immediately after, my skin looked more alive—clearer, brighter, somehow lifted. My jawline had a little more contour. My face felt light and open, like I’d just finished a yoga session for my skull. But the real magic revealed itself a day or two later. My cheeks looked slightly sculpted. The puffiness under my eyes had gone. And my usual “tight jaw at 3pm” tension? Totally MIA.
Buccal massage isn’t a forever fix—but the release it gave me was no joke. And I can see why so many celebrities have added it to their pre-event glow-up rituals. There’s something about getting to the core of your facial stress that topical serums just can’t match.
Vanessa says the technique also stimulates natural collagen and hyaluronic acid production: “After the treatment, your face looks plumper, firmer, and really well-rested. People often say they look ‘fresh from a holiday’.”
I mean—same.
So who is it for?
“Honestly, almost anyone can benefit,” Vanessa explains. “But especially if you’re after a natural lift or if you get tightness in your jaw or neck. If your skin often feels dull or puffy, or you just want to take some time for yourself without going down the injectable route, this is for you.”
Just avoid it if you have active acne, recent dental work, or any medical jaw issues.
Can you DIY?
You can try a mini version at home. Vanessa recommends applying your favourite facial oil (ideally one with a slip like her Metamorphosis Re-Gen Oil), then gently massaging the inside of your cheeks with clean fingers. Add some pressure along the jawline and finish with a scalp massage and cold compress.
But, to be honest, it’s nothing like the real deal. Aude’s technique was deeply intuitive, and the kind of physical and emotional release you can’t really replicate with YouTube and your own thumbs.
Final thoughts
If you’re looking for a non-invasive, feel-good way to sculpt your face, Vanessa Megan’s Metamorphosis Sculpt & Lift facial is an unexpected but highly effective option. It’s equal parts beauty ritual and stress therapy. No downtime. No redness. No weirdness (once you get past the whole “hands in your mouth” thing).
I left the studio with better skin, a looser jaw, and a borderline spiritual sense of calm. For a treatment that looks bizarre on TikTok, it’s incredibly grounding IRL. Would I do it again? Absolutely.
Because once you’ve had your cheeks gently kneaded from the inside out, regular facials just don’t cut it anymore.
