Exercise and stretching is important for the body to maintain flexibility, mobility, and proper circulation in the muscles and tissues at a minimum. This holds true for the muscles of the face. By working your facial muscles, the increased circulation will improve the transfer of oxygen and nutrients to your cells (leading to clearer complexion and brighter, firmer skin) while taking away toxins and minimizing their effects on your skin.
How does one exercise their face? With facial yoga (also known as facial exercises). Performing the following facial exercises daily can help you see long-term improvements to your skin in just a few weeks.
The Brow Raiser
Helps: Lift the Brows
- Using your index and middle finger, make a closed peace sign.
- Place the fingertips of these two fingers above your brows and gently push down.
- Raise your brows up and down ten times, using the weight of your fingers as resistance.
- Complete 6 sets.
- Tip: As days or weeks pass, increase the resistance against the muscles raising your brows.
The Cheekbone Lift
Helps: Define Cheekbones
- Using your index and middle finger, make a closed peace sign.
- Place the fingertips of these two fingers above your cheekbone.
- Using your fingers, lift the skin until it is taut and then open your mouth into an “O.”
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Complete 10 sets.
- Tip: As the days/week pass, increase the number of sets or prolong holding the facial movement.
Fish Face Suction
Helps: Tighten and Perk Cheeks
- Tilt your head back and lift chin forward.
- Suck in your cheeks as much as you can.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Complete 10 sets.
- Tip: As the days/week pass, increase the number of sets or prolong how long you hold the suction.
The Jaws
Helps: Tone Jawline
- Tilt your head up to the ceiling.
- Cover your upper lip with your lower lip, lifting the lower lip up as far as you can make it go.
- Hold for 10 seconds.
- Tip: As the days/week pass, increase the number of sets or try to reach further with your lower lip.
The Puffer Fish
Helps: Tone Around Mouth
- Close your mouth and puff up both of your cheeks.
- Transfer the air from one cheek to the other.
- Move the air back and forth for 30 seconds.
- Tip: As the days/week pass, increase the time you transfer the air back and forth.
The Eye-V Leaguer
Helps: Under and Around Eyes
- Place your index finger of each hand at the end of your eyebrows and place your middle fingers side-by-side between your brows (essentially making a peace sign over your eyes).
- Apply pressure to the ends of your eyebrow.
- Look up (eyeballs moving only), squint hard, and relax.
- Repeat six times and on the seventh time, instead of squinting, squeeze the eyes shut for 10 seconds.
- Tip: As the days/week pass, increase the number of squints.
The Deep Thinker
Helps: Define Cheeks and Reduce Sagging
- Make an “O” with your mouth, pull your lips in (hide your teeth with your lips).
- Keeping your teeth hidden, smile as wide as you can.
- Repeat six times.
- Tip: As the days/week pass, intensify the movement to add the following after the above six sets:
- On the seventh time, hold the smile (still hiding teeth with lips) and place an index finger on your chin.
- Tilt your head back and move your jaw up and down. Relax.
- Repeat this two more times.
Whew!
Helps: Smooth Brow
- Place both hands on your forehead, facing inward and spreading the fingers out between the brows and hairline.
- Drag the fingers from the center of your forehead, outwards while applying light pressure.
- Repeat 10 times.
The Giraffe
Helps: Tighten Neck and Jawline
- Face forward and place your fingertips at your jawline.
- Tilt your head back and stroke your fingers down the neck.
- Resume face forward position and repeat the movements two more times. (Total of 3 sets)
- Tip: As the days/week pass, intensify the movement to add the following after the above three sets:
- Make the above movement (tilting head back and dragging fingers down) for a fourth time and add a deep pout, pulling the corners of your mouth down.
- When your fingertips reach the base of your neck/collarbone, keep your head tilted back and hold all facial movements for 4 seconds.
