Fitness showed how important exercise is for our well-being and appearance. We work out our abs, arms, and legs, so why not our faces? After all, there are 43 known muscles around our eyes, across the forehead, along the cheeks, under the mouth, and above the mouth leading down to the chin. And it takes five of them just to display happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, and surprise. Not surprisingly, muscles here are just like muscles everywhere else, they can be made stronger, and doing so firms and tightens the skin around them.
Facial exercises go way back. Some claim Cleopatra started the trend. I can’t prove that, but we do know that in 1907 Sanford Bennet published a book called Exercising in Bed to reveal “the secret of health, strength, elasticity of body and longevity of life, through a full regimen of exercises, including several for the face.” Apparently, after two decades of doing said exercises, Mr. Bennett became a veritable Benjamin Button as he grew younger, until at age 70 he had skin that was as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
Taking this to the present day, I talked to Sadie Nardini, founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga. “Facial muscles respond to nonuse just like the rest of us- getting saggy over time.” Sadie goes on to say that yoga provides us with a face sculpting, anti-aging prescription for the part of us the word sees most. And her clients love the benefits of face yoga, which she assures us can improve circulation and lift the neck, jawline, cheeks, and eyes.
You can simulate the collage in your face by stretching around the lips and mindfully massaging your entire face. In addition, do the following moves every day in the bathroom mirror before you apply your makeup, says Sadie, “and you may soon notice a glowing, less wrinkle-prone, more youthful face looking back at you!”
- Lion’s Pose – Relieves mouth and jaw puffiness, simulates wrinkle-busting collagen and elastin: Inhale through your nose. Exhale, stick out your tongue and open your mouth as wide as possible. Stick your tongue way out and say AHHHHHHH! Roar like a lino. Repeat five minutes.
- Kiss and Yell Pose – Tones the muscles of the face, neck, and eyes for a natural lift. Purse your lips strongly as if about to give a kiss. At the same time, close your eye slightly. Open your mouth as wide as you can as if you’re yelling. At the same time, open your eyes wide. Repeat 10 times.
- Eye Rolls– Tone and refresh the entire eye are and relieve tension and puffiness. Roll your eyes in circles for 10 seconds in each direction, seeking the edge of your ability to stretch them all around. Look up for 10 seconds. Look down for 10 seconds. Finish with circles again. Repeat the sequence three times.
