Skincare and non-invasive treatments came to the fore with many consumers looking into an alternative, long-term approach to skin health. This interest has only continued to swell, with the global skin care products market growing from $138.9 billion in 2022 to $150.21 billion in 2023, according to The Business Research Company.

It’s not just the pandemic that has spurred on this sector – gross-generational interest in anti-aging treatments has resulted in a $78.2 billion market alone, which is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% between 2023 and 2028. What then, are non-invasive skin care routines? You may have seen them swirling around on social media – ‘facial yoga’ for instance has garnered over 500 million views on Instagram alone. Here to explain it all is Luvly – the trusted app for skincare know-how. 

Founded in early 2020 by Gismart CPO, Marina Klimenka, Luvly has a two-pronged outlook. As well as promoting natural, non-invasive beauty procedures, your confidence is nurtured through self-care routines. It is a font of expert knowledge for even the savviest skintellectuals – what’s more, the programmes, guides, and advice are health expert-approved.

You approach facial fitness and yoga much in the same way you would for your body - Luvly will evaluate your face and recommend a series of exercises – with varying focuses depending on your requirements. Amongst this schedule, you can look into supporting these techniques with nutritional advice and guided self-massage. It’s this one-stop shop style that is most striking about the app, a handy companion, personalised to your skin’s (and what’s underneath) needs.

Behind many startups, there’s often a personal story rooted in its inception. Klimenka details her struggle with adolescent skin, followed by dramatic weight loss during early adulthood. Knowledge around nutrition and its effects not just on skin, but the entire body became a passion as Klimenka sought to healthily adjust and balance her diet.

With this ongoing interest in health and wellness, at the beginning of 2020, facial exercises – yoga, in particular, came under the radar. Marina began by incorporating them into her daily routine and noticed visible effects. Delighted with her glowing, increasingly sculpted skin, the next step was to look at how this easy, cost-efficient, confidence-boosting treatment could be shared more widely.

Marina explains: “For the majority of women, beauty is about how confident they feel and how much they love their bodies. Therefore, we are moving towards a more comprehensive approach to beauty and self-care not only on the outside but also on the inside, adding breathing practices, nutrition tips, and educational content.” 

Since March 2020, more than 6 million customers have been able to sculpt their faces and enhance the beauty and youth of their skin, using the app for up to 20 minutes a day. But once the app gained popularity among the users, Gismart realised their needs go far beyond face yoga exercises: women are looking for a universal solution that will allow them to be their own role models for themselves and others by nurturing their authentic beauty.

Klimenka continues: “Communicating with our users, we see that with the increase in the rhythm of life, Covid-19, constant stress caused by the unstable situation in the world, as well as the heavy burden of responsibility for raising children, women have almost no time left for themselves. And our app is just that opportunity to give women some ‘me-time’ when they can move away from the hustle and bustle and stay alone with themselves to do something good for their body and mind.

“With Luvly, any woman can improve her skin tone and slow down skin aging, by following simple exercises curated by experts. Regular facial massage and face yoga practices help improve blood circulation and restore facial tone without expensive and painful cosmetics and invasive procedures.” 

With its legion of fans worldwide, the Luvly app could be the answer for not only those with an aversion to cosmetic procedures or skintellectuals with a passion for trying new treatments, but for those of us seeking a little more confidence both inside and out.