FACE YOGA IN 5 SIMPLE STEPS

“The best part of a facial is the massage.” Has a truer statement ever been made? Most of us don’t have facialists on call to bless our skin with their supple touch every day, though. But we do have the next best thing: our own two hands are capable of working wonders by practicing face yoga.

Face yoga is a hot trend right now in skincare and for good reason. There are forty-three muscles in our face that, like muscles throughout the rest of our body, suffer from tension and lack of blood flow. By taking a few minutes every morning and evening to stretch and massage your facial muscles, the skin will appear more supple and radiant over time.

Today, you’ll learn how to improve your skin’s look and feel in minutes by practicing face yoga.

THE PREP

Before you proceed with the five face yoga stretches below, it’s vital to prepare your face. Layering on extra moisture before face yoga works in a couple of ways. It keeps skin supple while you apply pressure during stretches and helps your favourite products penetrate deeper into the skin.

After cleansing and toning, apply a serum, pat on eye cream and finish with face cream. 

WARMING UP THE MUSCLES

Using both hands and medium pressure, tap your fingertips from the forehead to the neck, making sure to cover the entire face. 

Next, slowly stretch your head forward and back then side to side. 
After that, focus on the mouth area by opening the mouth wide and closing it three times.

This process works to relax all the facial muscles and prime them for the stretching to come.

STRETCHES FOR THE FIVE FOCUS AREAS

There are five common areas on the face where wrinkles tend to appear due to many factors, including dehydration, stress, genes, sun exposure, poor diet, among others.

1. FOREHEAD WRINKLES

This stretch relaxes the frontalis muscle, which sits in the forehead.

Technique: Make a fist with both hands and place them in the center of the forehead. Apply medium pressure and slide fists outwards to the temples. Repeat four times.

2. ELEVEN MARKS

This move relaxes the procerus and corrugator cupercilii muscle, reducing the tension that causes the vertical lines between the eyebrows. 

Technique: Apply firm pressure, then begin to spread fingers slightly apart horizontally. Take a deep breath in and slowly frown while breathing out for a count of five. Feel the resistance of the muscles underneath your fingertips. The key to this stretch is to ensure your forehead is relaxed.

3. CROW’S FEET

This move works the outer corners and lower section of orbicularis oculi, a muscle in the face that closes the eyelids. It targets the fine lines around the eyes.

Technique: Place the middle and index finger just above the temples, close to the hairline, and pull up. Feel the stretch. Without moving the forehead, squint for five seconds and relax. Repeat three times.

 4. LAUGH LINES (NASOLABIAL FOLDS)

This move works the zygomaticus major and minor, a paired facial muscle that extends between the zygomatic bone to the corner of the mouth. Major and minor zygomaticus lie next to each other in the cheek area. This stretch also smooths the nasolabial fold lines.

Technique: Place both palms on the temples and pull upward. Make an O shape with your mouth, then stretch your face long at the same time. Press the upper mouth firmly against the teeth. Hold this pose for five seconds and relax. Repeat three times. Make sure your shoulders are relaxed and keep breathing.

5. NECK AND JAWLINE

This exercise works the platysma (responsible for many expressions) and sternocleidomastoid (head rotation, flexion of the neck) muscles to tighten the neck and jawline.

Technique: Turn your chin to the upper right side at a forty-five-degree angle. Pucker your mouth as if you were going to kiss someone. Hold for five seconds and relax. Repeat three times. Then do the same move on the left side.

COOL DOWN

To finish, simply tap fingertips on both hands from the top of your head down to the base of the neck. Repeat three times. 

By now, you’re in a state of bliss. Apart from the esthetic benefits, face yoga feels fantastic and can transport you to a state of relaxation.

QUICK, EFFECTIVE EXERCISE – NO MAT NEEDED

Face yoga feels good, it’s free, and it works to make your skin look better without the sweat. Plus, it only makes sense – we exercise and stretch the muscles in the rest of our body, why not the face? 

It is worth adding a few minutes, or many minutes if you fall in love with it, to your skincare routine. 

Try it out every day for a few weeks and pay close attention to the results. You’ll become a devotee!