Every day, we are inundated with new ways to look younger. We use creams, go on cleanses, and spend small fortunes on makeup. However, these skin-deep quick fixes often leave us disappointed and on the hunt for the next best thing.
Face yoga seeks to strengthen inner and outer beauty on a deeper level. It requires no equipment, fees, or memberships. And it’s about to be your new favorite exercise routine.
Face Yoga Works From The Inside, Out
Rather than focusing on skin-deep beauty, face yoga targets the source. Face yoga includes massage and exercises that stimulate the muscles, skin, and lymphatic system.
Danielle Collins founded the Face Yoga Method 17 years ago, and it’s been changing lives ever since. Her method has five basic pillars.
First, face yoga (FY) is exactly what it sounds like: exercise for your face. “We all know the muscles in the body need toning through exercise,” Collins writes. “But so do the 57 muscles in the head, face, and neck. This promotes firmer, smoother skin.”
Conversely, Collins also focuses on relaxing muscles. Relieving tension in the face and neck improves overall wellbeing and reduces stress.
The other pillar of FY, massage, boosts circulation and improves lymphatic drainage. Both reduce tension and produce healthy, vibrant skin.
Similarly, Collins utilizes acupressure derived from ancient Eastern traditions. “Acupressure is a key tool in my method,” she writes. “As well as helping the skin to look glowing and healthy, it has many deeper benefits for wellbeing and health, too.”
And ultimately, that’s what FY is all about: wellbeing. “Feeling good on the inside is key,” Collins says. “When we feel good inside, this radiates out through our face.”
Customizable, Inclusive, and Scientifically Proven
FY routines can be made to target specific concerns. For example, exercise can address frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet. Massage focuses on reducing stress and anxiety and improving sleep.
Additionally, FY can be done virtually anywhere. FY is also one of the most inclusive and accessible exercise options. Plus, there are no expensive gym fees or fancy equipment necessary.
Moreover, scientists have proven FY’s efficacy. A 2018 study found that FY can reduce aging by three years over just eight weeks. Participants used 32 facial exercises and reported improvements to their face after 12 weeks.
Another 2018 study examined the benefits of FY in older people. Participants did 30 minutes of facial sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. The sessions included yogic breathing, facial movement, and muscle stretching.
Researchers found the participants’ mental health, facial expressions, tongue, and muscle power all improved.
Face Yoga For Tension Relief
Acupressure is one of the best ways to relieve tension around the head, neck, and shoulders. Collins offers an extensive list of how-to videos on Youtube to target specific areas.
For example, this video shows you how to target facial acupressure points with a teaspoon. The routine focuses on the third eye, brow bones, cheekbones, temples, and upper jaw.
Collins also offers a tutorial for releasing shoulder tension. If you work at a desk, then you need this how-to video in your life. Live alone? No problem; Collins has a video for that, too.
Face Yoga For Circulation And Drainage
Puffiness and uneven skin tone is a result of poor circulation and drainage. Exercises like eye circles help alleviate puffiness and brighten the skin around the eyes.
Another way to do this is through lymphatic drainage. Lymphatic massage encourages the lymph nodes to push out waste and toxins underneath the skin. This, in turn, improves the complexion and reduces puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Collins’ neck firming and releasing exercise takes only seven minutes. Other exercises include face tapping, which has many mental and physical health benefits.
Face Yoga For Age Reduction
Finally, many people enjoy FY for its time-reversing effects on the face, neck, and chest. By strengthening and relaxing the appropriate facial muscles, wrinkles smooth, fine lines diminish, and the skin tightens.
Collins’ Youtube channel has a wide variety of beauty-related exercises. Some routines target the whole face, while others focus on the lower face, smile lines, and jowls.
For worry-warts, Collins also offers routines to target forehead lines and sagging eyebrows. She even has tricks for reducing double chins (no hard-to-follow diets needed).
Practice Alone Or With The Experts
Collins’ Youtube channel stretches back 11 years. So, there are plenty of tutorials, guided exercises, and more to help you on your face yoga journey at home.
For a more personalized feel, Collins also offers guided sessions via Zoom, Facetime, Whatsapp, or Skype.
Group online classes are available, too. Collins hosts a two-hour workshop on Saturday, November 27th, 2021, from 4 to 6 pm GMT. You can register online and subscribe for updates on future classes.
No matter how you practice, the benefits are clear. As Collins writes, “my vision [for face yoga] was for us all to fully embrace and love who we are inside and out.”
Collins sought to create “a toolbox of techniques to use every day, so we are in control of our own faces and our wellness, too.”
And for free, no less? No face cream, 30-day diet plan, or other beauty gimmicks could ever.
