Glowing skin is not only an indicator of outer beauty, but it is also a sign of good health and inner well-being. Given our busy lives and constant exposure to environmental pollutants, achieving and maintaining radiant skin can often feels like an uphill struggle. Stimulating your facial muscles through face yoga can help you restore your natural glow.
What is Face Yoga?
There are 57 muscles that hold up our face, neck and scalp. Face yoga is a set of exercises designed to stimulate those muscles. Working on these muscles can improve blood circulation, stimulate collagen production and eliminate toxins from your body. Face yoga is a natural alternative to painful, invasive procedures or harmful chemical treatments and helps you achieve results with zero side effects. Its also easy to practice every day without any expensive equipment!
The Benefits of Face Yoga
Face yoga works on two main principles: resistance training and relaxation. Resistance training helps tone and firm the muscles, reducing sagging and wrinkles. On the other hand, relaxation helps alleviate stress, promotes skin health and contributes to an overall glow. The combined benefits of applying these two principles make face yoga an ideal practice for maintaining vibrant skin.
Incorporating facial exercises into your daily routine can significantly improve your skin’s health and appearance.
Let’s explore a few popular face yoga techniques:
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Cheek Lifter
What it is: Cheek Lifter works on the muscles in your cheeks, helping to tone and lift them.
Why it works: This exercise increases blood circulation to the cheek area, promotes collagen production, and improves skin elasticity. You can get toned and more youthful-looking cheeks by practising the cheek lifter exercise regularly.
How to do it: Take a deep breath and puff up both of your cheeks with air. Transfer the air from one cheek to another like a balloon and repeat this for a minute. Release the air while making an “O” with your mouth. Repeat 5-6 times daily for good result
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Eye Brightener
What it is: Eye Brightener targets explicitly the muscles around your eyes, helping to reduce wrinkles and crow’s feet.
Why it works: This exercise helps improve blood flow and oxygen supply to the eye area, which can reduce puffiness under the eyes and dark circles. It strengthens the muscles around the eyes, minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
How to do it: First, close your eyes gently. Now, lift your eyebrows as high as possible, ensuring your eyes remain closed. You will feel a stretch under your eyes. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then relax. Repeat this exercise 10 times daily.
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Brow Lift
What it is: Brow Lift is designed to address the forehead area, helping to reduce wrinkles and fine lines between the brows.
Why it works: This exercise helps to relax and tone the muscles in the forehead and brow area. It diminishes the appearance of frown lines and forehead wrinkles, resulting in a smoother and more relaxed brow area.
How to do it: Place both of your index fingers just above each eyebrow. Apply slight pressure and slowly slide your fingers up to your hairline. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat this exercise 8-10 times daily for visible results.
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Jaw Definer
What it is: Jaw Definer aims at the muscles in the jawline and chin, helping to tone and define them.
Why it works: This exercise strengthens the muscles in the jaws and chin, promoting a more defined jawline. It helps to improve blood circulation to the area, reducing water retention and minimising the appearance of a double chin.
How to do it: Make a fist and place it under your chin. Then, open your mouth fully, apply resistance with your fist and close your mouth. Do this for a minute and repeat 5 times a day.
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Neck Firmer
What it is: Neck Firmer exercise targets the neck muscles, helping to reduce a double chin and sagging skin.
How it works: This exercise helps to strengthen and tone the muscles in the neck and jawline, promoting a more youthful appearance. It improves blood flow and lymphatic drainage in the neck area, which helps tone and lift the double chin, reducing puffiness and tightening the skin.
How to do it: Sit with your back straight. Tilt your head to look at the ceiling while keeping your lips closed. Now, move your lower lip over your upper lip as far as possible and hold for a few seconds. Repeat 5-10 times daily for better results.
Face yoga is a holistic approach to skincare, providing several benefits like improved blood circulation, increased collagen production, and reduced tension and stress. These facial exercises offer a non-invasive, safe, and effective way to maintain a youthful and radiant complexion.
Consistency is key! Set aside a few minutes each day to practise facial exercises, and you will notice positive changes in your skin. Just remember to listen to your body and avoid movements that cause discomfort and pain.
Recommended Reading: Our interview with celebrity yoga and wellness practitioner Anshuka Parwani.
