Face yoga is a fantastic way to help your skin and face age as well as possible. Not only that, it’s incredibly effective in relieving the stress and tension so many of us hold in our bodies. 

Now, I think we should be proud of our laugh lines. I believe they reflect a life lived with happiness, smiles and laughter. 

That said, I think most of us are keen to discover little, simple practices to keep our skin smooth and firm for as long as possible. Naturally, without invasive treatments and even better, with a $0.00 price tag. 

Well, Face Yoga is one of those practices!

So, let’s start the new year with a bit of face pulling fun and a new habit that can benefit your skin and wellbeing in many ways.

What are the benefits of Face Yoga?

For such a simple practice, the benefits of face yoga are impressive. Regularly getting your face muscles moving with specific sequences can help;

• Increase blood circulation which encourages a healthy looking flush.
• Strengthens your facial muscles which can help minimise signs of ageing.
• Firms and tightens the skin.
• Reduces neck and shoulder tension. Stiff neck muscles and hunched shoulders are best if relaxed when doing the exercises.
• Reduces jaw tension. So many of us hold stress and tension in our jaws which can result in shocking headaches and even teeth problems. Face yoga can provide relief from that tight, clenching jaw.

What I love about face yoga is it’s a natural, free way to strengthen, define and tone the contours of your face while releasing tension. What a wonderful form of self-care!

You have 57 muscles in your face!

It’s quite incredible to think our faces have 57 muscles, isn’t it? 

So many of them we don’t actually use very often and when we do, it isn’t ‘intentional’ – it’s usually a reaction! 

For most of us, the closest our face comes to getting a work out is when we;

Laugh

Yawn

Frown 

React with shock 

When these ‘impromptu’ workouts happen, they’re not balanced or done in a sequence. It’s like lifting weights with one arm and doing nothing with the other. The result is going to be two different looking arms.

Face yoga moves to try – firming and tension releasing

These take just a few minutes (best done daily) and you can do them anywhere. 

I like doing mine in the car, you can do them in bed or as part of your skincare morning routine.

Why not practise around your kids or grandkids if you want to give them a laugh and get them joining in! If you do want to maximise the benefits of tension release, they’re very relaxing to do before bed. You may even find you start sleeping better.

I suggest doing them in the mirror to start with, so you see how the movements work. 

This series of face yoga exercises are designed to work from the top of your head downwards. You can complete them together or pick and choose the specific areas you’d like to work on. 

Let’s get started!

Target: Forehead

Help give furrowed brows a lift with this simple technique. 

• Place your hand flat over your forehead to just above the brow. 
• Hold it firm but not pressing your forehead. Holding your hand here will help to relax forehead muscle. 
• Try to open your eyes wide without lifting the brow. 
•  Maintain wide open eyes and slowly look to the left then right then down and up (do not move head. Repeat this 3 times.
• Now, place your hand on the centre line of your forehead. Spread fingers open a little and slowly drag open your fingers lightly across the forehead towards the hairline. 

Target: Frown line

This is a lovely gentle technique I use a lot in my lymphatic face massage that can help smooth the appearance of frown lines.

• Relax your forehead.
• With your index fingers (use both hands) gently run fingers between the eyes, in an upward motion along the frown line towards the hairline, swapping fingers as you go. 
• Do this motion about 50 times a day. 

It’s incredibly calming and relaxes the muscles around the frown line, helping smooth it’s appearance.

Target: Droopy eyebrow

Help combat sagging eyes with these face strengthening moves. 

• Place your index fingers flat facing outwards just under the eyebrow.
• Slightly lift the eyebrows but try not to create lines on your forehead.
• With your fingers still in place, gently close your eyes without letting your lids drop.
• Open and close your eyes again and repeat 3 – 4 times.
• Remove fingers from under the brow.
• Now, place your hand on the centre line of your forehead. Spread fingers open a little and slowly drag open your fingers lightly across the forehead towards the hairline. 

Target: Cheek

This one is very simple to strengthen your cheek muscles and help reduce the depth of lines.  

• Just lift your bottom lip over your bottom row of teeth and hold for 30 seconds or so. 
• Repeat 5 times 

Target: Nasolabial lines and cheek (smile lines)

As we age, these lines get longer and deeper. These face yoga moves to help minimise them are known as “pufferfish” – you’ll soon see why!

• Take a deep breath and close your mouth.
• Place your index finger and forefinger over your mouth to hold it closed.
• Now, try to ‘breath out’ into your fingers but your lips stay closed so you’re not actually letting any air escape.
• The air will puff up in your cheeks – like a pufferfish!
• Hold for 5 seconds and release air
• Repeat 3 to 5 times
• Then, relax your face and using your index and forefingers, gently run them up the smile lines and down again. This works well at night after you have applied your Rejuvenating Facial Serum or Replenishing Face Cream and your fingers slide easily over your skin.

Target: Lip lines

These are the little, vertical lines we get around the mouth area as we age. 

Especially if you’re a smoker, you likely find these lines become more and more prominent. 

• Put your tongue between your top lip and teeth so it’s pushing against your upper gums.
• Now roll your tongue from one side of your mouth to the other – like a windscreen wiper motion.
• Repeat 20 times 
• Now move your tongue to the bottom of your mouth, between the lips and gums again and repeat the wiper motion 20 times. 

Target: Double Chin

Double chins and sagging jowls are probably one of the most common challenges as we age. 

Fortunately, it’s possible to tone and firm this area naturally if you commit to regular face yoga moves. My second suggestion in this sequence offers a nice stretch down your neck and shoulders too.

Option #1: 

• Make a fist with your hand.
• Gently push the fist into your chin. This is an isometric pose. 
• Hold for 10 seconds and release.
• Repeat 5 

Option #2:

• Sit straight looking forward
• Move your chin across to one shoulder
• Lift your chin to look up to the sky and hold 
• Drop your tongue to the opposite side
• Turn your head slowly back to the centre
• Raise your eyes and head to look straight up
• Then move your chin to the opposite shoulder
• Lift your chin to look up to the sky and hold
• Drop your tongue to the opposite side

If you have neck or twisting issues, skip Option #2 and stick with Option #1, OR reduce the range of movements.

I’d love to know how you go with these movements, or if you already practice face yoga! Leave me a comment below. 

Deb x