Inge Theron is a force of nature.
We sat down to chat at the new Milan-based private members’ club The Wilde - and after less than five minutes into our Italian feast, it became clear to me that I want to be her when I grow up.
Much like myself, the beauty expert and entrepreneur started her career as a beauty journalist with a particular expertise in trialling spa treatments - sounds like a dream, right? Well, not exactly. Being the guinea pig for clinical treatments and harsh skincare products wreaked havoc on her skin, but it did spark the idea for FaceGym.
For those unfamiliar (have you been living under a rock?), FaceGym is not your typical facial, it was created as an non-invasive workout for the face that has noticeable lifting and contouring. You can tell as they do one side at a time - and the results are immediate. The brand has taken the UK by storm and is now set on worldwide domination, from studios in LA to Sydney and a very special ‘ski and sculpt’ expansion in Europe - its first - at legendary hotel Kulm in the heart of celebrity hotspot of St Moritz. After a day schoop-schooping down the slopes, you can have one of the FaceGym signature muscle manipulation treatments, complete with all the tools that have come to define the brand - weighted ball, sculpting gua sha and all - to the backdrop of snow-tipped peaks.
But that’s just her side hustle - believe it or not. Theron’s day job is a spa designer, and she has the prestigious Bulgari Hotel, Claridge's and the Berkeley’s drop-dead Surenne on her impressive CV.
A purveyor of taste, we caught up with Inge to find out her favourite things.
What are you up to at the moment?
“Right now, I’m back where I began — in the spa design studio I started when I was still writing the FT Spa Junkie. Many people don't know that before FaceGym, I designed spas around the world, and today we continue leading in the category from our offices in London and Milan.
“I’m creating some of the most exciting projects in longevity, from health clubs and wellness hotels to a new wave of well-residences in cities like Miami, New York and Dubai. We're working with some of the most forward-thinking technologists and scientists in the space and have developed a suite of what I call “non-negotiable longevity tech” — a design-led ecosystem that quite literally is changing the way we live and the way we age at home”.
How did the spa partnership come about with Kulm?
“In addition to my spa design studio, ITANDA, FaceGym is still a huge part of my life. I actually have a home at the Kulm, in St Moritz. It’s one of those rare places where luxury, heritage and health actually coexist, so it felt like the perfect place to collaborate with- a place that I adore and have been going to for years.
“Out of a personal need for some serious face lifting, we started speaking last year about how FaceGym could elevate the guest experience and bring something performance-led to the mountain. The pop-up has exceeded expectations — it's been fully booked, from pro athletes to beauty editors — and it’s proven that our method translates brilliantly into the hotel wellness model”.
Can you explain your inspiration behind creating FACEGYM?
“FaceGym was born out of a personal need to find a solution for my own ageing, I saw a gap — a place where high-performance fitness and muscle work meets beauty - no downtime, no needles, just serious sculpting.
“It’s now evolved into a global brand, but it’s always been about creating daily rituals that help educate and inspire people to take their ageing journey into their own hands (literally), age on their own terms and feel confident in the skin they are in”.
What is the product that you’re most proud of?
“I’d have to say our FaceGym Active Collagen range. It’s truly changed my skin. It’s clinically proven to be the most powerful collagen in the world — and that’s not a tagline, that’s the science. To create a topical collagen line that actually performs on a clinical level was a massive breakthrough, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved”.
What is your favourite treatment?
“I love the Radio Frequency workout and I customise it, which people don't realise you can do - I do 30 min of Radio Frequency on the face and neck, followed by 30 min deep tissue muscle work. Then I add a couple of SKINVIVE sprays - I am obsessed with Agriline, it's brilliant for plumping the skin. I always finish with a cryo-oxygen booster and 10 minutes of muscle stimulation!! It’s one of the only treatments in the world that I walk out looking instantly different — in the best way possible. Cheekbones pop, jawlines sharpen, and that post-workout glow is instant. It’s face fitness at its best”.
What are your beauty commandments?
- Train your face like you train your body.
- Sleep is your best supplement.
- Great skin starts in the gut.
- Be consistent. Trends fade — discipline doesn’t.
- Sauna and sweat regularly every week for great skin
What’s your number one beauty pet peeve?
“The idea that you can buy your way to great skin. No serum in the world is going to transform your face if you’re not supporting it from the inside out. I believe in a 360° approach to beauty — what you eat, how you sleep, how you move, how you massage and work out your muscles. It all matters”.
What tools are always in your beauty arsenal?
- The full Active Collagen range by FACEGYM — it’s changed my skin and it’s going to change yours.
- Our FACEGYM Pro EMS device — it’s like a PT for your face.
- A gua sha or multi-sculpt tool for lymphatic drainage and jaw tension.
- A great LED mask — I love red light for collagen and blue light when I travel.
- My Charlotte Tilbury foundation — flawless, always.
- HDNA PDRN cream — I’m currently obsessed.
- WillPowder Collagen supplements — they’re part of my daily ritual.
- And always, a silk pillowcase — it’s the unsung hero of anti-ageing.
What’s one product you wish you invented?
The Oura Ring. It’s sleek, smart, and totally changed how we quantify recovery. It’s not just wearable tech — it’s a biohacking essential.
How do you treat yourself?
A deep tissue massage, 45 minutes in the infrared sauna, and a cold plunge — in that order. That’s my ultimate reset. Ritualised recovery is the most luxurious thing we can give ourselves.
