Yoga practitioners know that poses like downward-facing dog, warrior, bridge, and others can improve flexibility, reduce stress, and build strength in your body. Face yoga can offer similar benefits for your complexion.
Face yoga—including moves like the eyebrow lifter, happy cheeks sculpting, and temple developer—refers to stretching, massaging, and exercising the face.“The goal is to enhance facial muscle tone to minimize signs of skin aging.”
The technique involves repeatedly moving facial muscles in certain ways. By practicing making these expressions, face yoga claims to improve how well those muscles function and boost your appearance.So, if you’ve seen people making funny faces on TikTok, where there are more than 77,000 videos tagged #faceyoga, that’s why. If you’re considering trying it yourself, here’s how to do it and the benefits face yoga might offer.
DOES FACE YOGA REALLY MAKE YOU LOOK YOUNGER?
Aging drives a number of changes that affect your complexion. You can lose muscle tone, which may make the skin on your face appear loose and saggy.
As you age, the fat pads under your skin thin out, and you lose collagen. This typically makes your skin less elastic and gives it a less-full appearance. With facial yoga, you’re trying to grow your muscles, which are underneath the fat pads.
Increased facial muscle strength results in a more natural ‘face-lift’ effect by creating a lifted and toned look, while improved blood circulation adds to a naturally radiant and healthy complexion.
Enhanced blood flow to the skin and better circulation are essential for cell turnover, the natural process where dead skin cells are replaced with new ones. Improved cell turnover ensures the skin has a smooth texture and even tone and encourages collagen production.
Face yoga can also tap into the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for promoting relaxation and reducing stress. This helps lower your heart rate and blood pressure and contributes to your overall well-being.
Are there any risks?
Face yoga is safe for most people who are looking for a non-invasive way to improve skin firmness, reduce wrinkles, and relieve facial tension. It could be uncomfortable if you have sensitive skin, though. If you have facial injuries, like bruises or cuts,I recommend not trying the technique until these heal. You could inadvertently put extra strain on the skin if you don’t do the moves correctly, which could also worsen conditions such as acne, as the movements could irritate the skin.
Talk to your dermatologist before trying face yoga if you’ve had dermal fillers or other cosmetic procedures to make sure you’re not interfering with the results.
How to get started with face yoga?
Just like regular yoga, a face yoga practice consists of many different moves
- The Cheek Lifter: Shape your mouth into an “O” and drape your upper lip over your teeth. Then, smile, lifting your cheek muscles up; place your fingers on the top of your cheeks and release your lips to a neutral posture. Repeat the lowering and lifting 10 times.
- Happy Cheeks Sculpting: Smile with your lips pursed together without showing your teeth. Smile again, focusing on the corners of your mouth, which forces your cheeks up. Place your index fingers on the corners of your mouth and apply mild pressure as you push your fingers up to your cheekbones. Hold each rep for 20 seconds.
- The Eyebrow Lifter: Place three fingers from each hand just underneath each eyebrow, then force your eyes to open. Smile and try to push your eyebrows down like you’re furrowing your brow. Close your eyes and roll your eyeballs up toward the top of your head. Hold each rep for 20 seconds.
Research suggests that practicing face yoga for 30 minutes several times a week can offer anti-aging results
