Princess Kate looked positively radiant at her annual Christmas carol service on Dec. 6. So much, in fact, that it led many to wonder whether her glow was the work of twinkling lights overhead or something less obvious—like a secret skincare ritual, perhaps.
The beauty routines of the royal family are famously enshrouded in mystery. In 2019, when a British plastic surgeon alleged the Princess of Wales "loves of a bit of baby Botox," the Palace was quick to release a pithy statement calling the rumors "categorically not true." "The Royal Family never endorse commercial activity," the statement reportedly added. Just about everything we know with regard to Princess Kate's favorite beauty products comes from an indirect source. In 2020, for instance, Michelle Obama's makeup artist revealed the former First Lady had been using a line-smoothing Biotulin cream "regularly on the recommendation of Kate Middleton." But parsing the kind of beauty products and treatments she likes is basically impossible, unless you read between the lines.
Still, the royal experts at Hello! Magazine have a new best-guess as to how the 42-year-old keeps her complexion luminous and snatched: Buccal massage, an intra-oral face sculpting technique Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle happens to love as well.
Buccal massage relieves tension and defines the face's contours by massaging the lower half of the face from the inside out. This hands-on treatment is best carried out by a professional, who will hook their fingers around the sides of the mouth before gently manipulating the chewing and expression-making muscles of the inner cheeks.
In other words, yes, this treatment is about letting someone put their carefully gloved fingers in your mouth. But the technique is widely praised as a way to access points in the lip, cheek, and jaw areas that normally can't be addressed with superficial facial massage. By releasing stiff muscles and promoting lymphatic drainage, buccal massage can provide a variety of therapeutic and aesthetic benefits, including improved circulation, reduced pain and puffiness, and a more lifted appearance. (Read: Exactly how Kate Middleton looked earlier this month.)
"It is incredible to see how much the technique of relaxing tight muscles can improve the oval line in the face, tighten sagging jawline, and add volume to the cheeks," says Nichelle Temple, facialist and founder of Inderma Studio.
At her New York City practice, Temple offers buccal massage as part of a sculpting facial that also incorporates LED light therapy and customized skincare application.
"Clients are often surprised by how much tension they have," Temple adds. "It may initially feel tender, but the relief is there. They often feel lighter, and more at ease, and the skin has a renewed radiance."
You may have seen tutorials for at-home buccal massage floating around on social media before, but Temple cautions the curious to instead seek out a trained esthetician or massage therapist for the true royal treatment.
"Practitioners have advanced knowledge of the process, know where the muscles are located, and have been trained on proper pressure to apply and movements that will activate the release without irritation," she explains. "You may not see the same lifting effect or feel the same tension release by trying to figure it out on your own."
Whether or not buccal massage really is the secret behind Princess Kate's defined jowls remains a mystery. But this much is totally apparent: Her skin looks smooth, snatched, and hydrated as hell.
