Face yoga consists of simple, often playful, exercises reminiscent of “making faces”. However, if you’re expecting instant results, as if by a magic wand, then unfortunately I have to upset you. Like any other yoga, this one is also a method that involves a holistic approach and long-term effects. Above all, it supports us in identifying and changing unhealthy habits. Its definition cannot be fit into the phrase “set of exercises” or “cosmetic procedure”. It is about comprehensive action. As face yoga teacher Marta Kucińska writes in her e-book, “The uniqueness of this method lies in getting to the source of the changes, rather than superficial measures that temporarily remove only the effects”.
A great convenience is that it can be done at home, and neither special equipment nor a lot of time is needed. About 5-10 minutes a day is sufficient. The key to success, of course, is regularity. It is best to perform facial exercises and self-massage daily. In all this, however, as I mentioned at the beginning, the most important thing is to introduce new good habits.
6 habits that affect the appearance of your face
1. The first tip – and I’m not reinventing the wheel here – is to keep the body properly hydrated. Water is life! It is extremely important for our health, not just our good looks – but it affects this one a lot. Dry skin, signs of fatigue, black eyes – these symptoms are often the result of neglect of fluid supply. Without proper hydration – that is, drinking 30 ml of water per kilogram of body weight – no exercise or massages will yield spectacular results.
2. In preventing wrinkles and loss of facial oval, you will be supported also by an ergonomic workstation! Yes, our posture not only affects the health of our spine, but also the condition of our skin and the appearance of our face. If we sit a lot, slouch and bend over our desks, we reinforce the negative effects of gravity and sagging skin. Sitting in one position in front of a computer every day, with the neck (tech neck) extended forward for hours, and then still using mobile devices and leaning over the screen in leisure time, manifests itself in the premature appearance of transverse neck wrinkles or the so-called double chin. So take care of the right angle of the monitor, and lift the phone up so that it is in your line of sight. Try to remain in an upright position, with your neck slightly raised and your head in a neutral position – you can imagine a small helium balloon pulling you upwards from the top of your head. Of course, remember to take regular and frequent breaks and change positions as often as possible. Do a little “mobility training” every hour at work. Remember, it doesn’t have to be any complicated exercises! All you need to do is walk to get a glass of water, stand up and intuitively stretch (you can also find a sample workout – 15 minutes for your health HERE). How about making some of the exercises we’ve included at the end of this article part of your active breaks?
3. Taking care of well-chosen corrective eyeglasses or sunglasses is also essential. It will prevent squinting and thus forehead wrinkling, and it is the tensions in these parts of the face that are the most common cause of facial wrinkles.
4. It turns out that we take care of our appearance both during the day and at night. Marta Kucińska of Joga Piękna (Beauty Yoga) has even created her own anti-wrinkle pillow. How we sleep undeniably has a huge impact on the condition of our skin. The best position is to sleep on your back! However, if you’re one of those people who can’t imagine falling asleep other than on the side, don’t worry – you’re in the majority! As many as 75 percent of people love this position in particular. Marta gives some solutions to this: “Try to arrange the pillow so that at least part of your cheek is off the edge of the pillow, or gently pull up the cheek you are lying on,” she writes on her blog. This helps prevent the muscles and skin of the face from flexing for hours while sleeping.
5. It’s also a very good habit to remember to flex your facial muscles, which (as you know) get flabby with age, during any workout. All it takes is a few smiles with the intention of tightening the cheek muscles. On the other hand, opening the eyes using the muscles around them will flatten wrinkles in this area. However, remember not to wrinkle the forehead at the same time. To make sure you avoid it, first you can put your hand gently on it, checking the tension and movement in that area of your face, and try a few times to open your eyes wide and relax them. This will not only facilitate a nice and glowing appearance, but also concentration. This exercise definitely stimulates and refreshes the mind.
6. At last, relaxation! Consciously relaxing all facial muscles after a long day as a pleasant mindfulness practice before bed. Unfortunately, we also accumulate stress in our facial muscles, tensing up in a grimace or staying in one – usually sitting – position for too long. And a relaxed face, without tension, it’s simply a pretty face. Try every day for a week, before going to sleep, to spend 5 minutes slowly relaxing by guiding your attention and consciously relaxing the eye, ear, nose and mouth area in sequence. Let the skin on the forehead become smooth and the space between the eyebrows completely relaxed. Also relax your jaw and tongue and observe how your throat then “relaxes” as well.
The introduction of the above habits will have a beneficial effect on the entire body. Facial exercises and self-massage, which I discuss further, will still support reducing stress, which has an additional beneficial effect on your mood, and therefore your appearance.
Take your face in your own hands
You already know that stress accumulates not only in sensitive areas in your spine, but also in your face. Long-term tensions, accumulated through involuntary tensing of the face and neck, frowning of the forehead, clenching of the mouth and jaw, contribute to the development of a certain “expression” of it. However, when it comes to the lion’s wrinkle, transverse forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet, smoker’s wrinkles, laugh lines – although I consider these the prettiest – we can level, flatten or get rid of them completely!
The practice of face yoga should be preceded by a short meditation and conscious breathing. With the exercises presented below, you will strengthen your circular muscles and lift the corners of your mouth. Remember, however, that “it’s not wrinkles or age that ages a person, but the lack of a smile on the face”. Start the series of exercises by gently tapping your face with your fingertips. You can use your favourite skin care product.
To start with, I recommend doing these exercises in front of a mirror – to make sure you lift the corners of your mouth to the same height.
4 ways to have a glowing face
- Smile gently, lifting the corners of your mouth to the same height. Stick out your tongue and reach upward with it firmly, maintaining a gentle smile (don’t wrinkle your forehead). Hold in this position for three calm breaths. Repeat 3 times.
- The second exercise is similar to the first with the difference that the tongue will reach first to the right and then to the left. Stick out your tongue and reach upward with it firmly, maintaining a gentle smile (don’t wrinkle your forehead). Reach to the right and hold in this position for three calm breaths. Repeat the same to the left – three calm breaths. Do 4 repetitions per side.
- The big “O” – a very popular exercise that helps to flatten the nasolabial fold. Curl, as much as possible, the lips behind the teeth, arranging the mouth in an “O” shape. Do 3 times or more if you feel this is an area you particularly want to work on.
- We will diversify the same exercise. Place your hands on your head so that your wrists are close to your temples and pull the skin of your cheeks upward. Do the big “O” exercise as before, pulling your hands up at the same time. This exercise not only soothes nasolabial folds, but also lifts up the cheeks.
Face yoga can be done both preventively and therapeutically – for wrinkles that have already formed. Critics, who question the effectiveness of this method, emphasize that a person cannot curb facial changes because facial expressions are part of their personality, character or habits built up over the years. However, as with everything that concerns health, the idea is that prevention is better than cure.
In fact, exercises for facial wrinkles are not created to hide them completely, but rather for prevention. Regular practice effectively delays their occurrence and, if wrinkles appear, reduces their depth. It’s a kind of natural facelift. The result is a firmed, oxygenated and brightened complexion. In addition, facial gymnastics stimulates circulation, which activates the skin’s regenerative processes. After patting and kneading, the warmed skin better absorbs nutrients from the creams or oils we apply. Apart from improving your appearance, the additional effect you gain is a feeling of lightness within your head, and even the elimination of health problems in the form of migraines.
If you are already practicing any yoga method, then facial yoga can be a nice addition to your regular practice. It can also become a daily ritual, but let it be pleasure for you, not another item on your to-do list. With regular exercise and self-massage, you are able to make beautiful changes to your face. You can expect the first results after just a few weeks of exercise. Nowadays, however, the most important thing is to find a balance between taking care of one’s appearance and the fixation on the “cult of youth”. Face yoga is a good and non-invasive practice that shows that eternal youth is not possible, but it is certainly possible to age beautifully.
.............
Sources:
D. Collins, Joga twarzy, Wydawnictwo Czarna Owca, 2022.