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Relax while taking care of yourself
Anger, sadness, joy… Sometimes our emotions leave their mark on our faces. But that's not the only reason why our facial muscles are constantly moving. As a result, they gradually relax over the years. Facial yoga can be used to both relax and strengthen facial muscles. In fact, it can even have an overall natural anti-aging effect. 1 Discover the benefits of yoga for your face and how to perform various effective exercises.
What are the benefits of yoga for the face?
The movement of facial muscles combined with a facial massage helps stimulate the different layers of the skin. The epidermis is the topmost layer you can see and touch. The dermis lies just below this exposed layer, and the hypodermis is the bottom layer of skin, which contains fat and sweat glands. In fact, facial yoga is credited with positively affecting our well-being, improving blood circulation, and firming the skin.
Fat and muscle mass beneath the skin decrease over time, which can lead to wrinkles and sagging facial muscles. Muscle training can increase muscle mass in the face and smooth out wrinkles. For example, facial yoga can help smooth out frown lines or the nasolabial fold between the nose and mouth.
Face yoga for relaxation
Yoga isn't just about creating harmony between body and mind. It also allows your face to take a break and release everyday facial tensions. In addition to simple muscle exercises, facial gymnastics, like other types of yoga, promotes self-awareness, reflection, and a form of meditation. Give yourself a few minutes each day to relax and take care of yourself. It's a well-known fact that "me time" can impact mental health and reduce work-related stress.
Take care of yourself: create a suitable environment and pamper your skin
For effective relaxation, the right environment is essential. Create a calm and pleasant environment, free from distractions. Play relaxing music or simply focus on your breathing. Silence your phone. Before beginning facial yoga exercises, take a deep breath. Creating a relaxing environment helps you disconnect from the stresses of everyday life and thus relax your face.
Face yoga to relax the neck
Working on a computer or tablet for long hours puts a lot of strain on the brain, but this posture also causes tension in the neck. 2 Keeping your head down to look at your smartphone can also cause neck pain. Because the neck muscles are closely related to the facial muscles, face yoga can be used to reduce tension and thus contribute to overall well-being.
Facial yoga, an anti-aging solution?
The natural process of life includes skin aging. Over the years, our skin gradually loses its elasticity. With its natural anti-aging effect, facial yoga can give it a real boost. As a complement to a skincare routine, yoga exercises are an asset to counter the natural aging process. 1
The main criticism of its detractors is that facial yoga fuels the fear of aging. But the appearance of wrinkles isn't necessarily a side effect of the aging process. We often squint or frown in our daily lives. Repeatedly tensing the corresponding parts of the face can lead to increased wrinkle formation, such as frown lines between the eyes or forehead wrinkles. By releasing tension in the face and practicing targeted exercises, facial yoga can stimulate blood circulation and oxygen transport, contributing to a smoother appearance of skin at any age.
Facial yoga to reduce drooping eyelids
Droopy eyelids are often referred to as sagging or swelling in the area above the eye. Facial yoga can help reduce droopy eyelids by strengthening the forehead muscles, which can significantly raise the eyebrows.
Firm the skin around the mouth and neck
When there is sagging at the corners of the mouth, the goal of facial yoga exercises is to firm the skin tissue. Increasing blood circulation around the lips helps firm the muscles and reduce fat retention.
Facial yoga can also be used to firm the skin on the neck and thus reduce the appearance of a double chin.
It's scientifically proven that facial yoga makes your skin look younger!
A 2018 study confirmed the firming effect of facial yoga on the skin. 1 American researchers studied the effect of 30 minutes of facial muscle training, initially performed daily, then three times a week, over a period of 20 weeks.
The exercises included training various facial muscles and finger massages. For example, one of the exercises participants performed was to open their mouths, lower their upper lip to cover their teeth, and then smile so that their cheeks rose. They were then asked to apply pressure to the upper cheek area using their fingers. The goal was to lower and then raise their cheeks several times. This practice significantly firmed the cheeks.
Muscle growth generated by yoga has been shown to visibly smooth skin and prevent fat loss. The study had a pleasant side effect: the subjects' estimated age was, on average, three years younger than their actual age after the training period.
Adopt facial yoga
If you're interested in trying face yoga but aren't sure where to start, you've come to the right place! We've put together some tips to help you get started, whether you choose to attend a class or practice the exercises at home.
- Find the right environment and location
- If you are a beginner, do the exercises in front of a mirror.
- If you have long hair, tie it up to avoid interrupting your facial gymnastics.
- Wash your hands, because you will be touching your face with your fingers.
- Avoid having dry skin
- Take a photo to compare your face before/after
Face yoga classes
If you're looking for professional classes near you, you'll most likely find something that's right for you. In recent years, many coaches have specialized in facial yoga. By attending a class, you'll learn how to perform the exercises correctly and gain new insights into your skin and face. You can choose between online or in-person classes.
Incorporate face yoga and these exercises into your daily routine
Face yoga can be perfectly integrated into everyday situations. Whether upon waking, during a work break, or in the comfort of your living room, you can practice these exercises at any time of day, without any special preparation. A few minutes a day is all it takes to establish your own routine. For lasting results, it's best to do the exercises regularly.
Below are some easy exercises you can do at home. These target different parts of the face. This guide may also help you relax and improve your mood and well-being.
Exercise 1: To stimulate blood circulation
The goal of this exercise is to stimulate blood circulation throughout the face:
- Squint as much as possible
- At the same time, smile broadly
- Hold this position for two minutes
- Then relax all your facial muscles
- Repeat the exercise 3 to 4 times
Exercise 2: To eliminate a double chin
This exercise is great for strengthening the muscles in the lower part of your face and firming the skin:
- Close your mouth and breathe through your nose in a relaxed manner.
- Turn your head to the left and tilt it slightly upwards
- Now, stretch your lips as if you were giving a kiss, so that the skin on your neck stretches gently.
- Hold this position for 10 seconds, then perform the exercise on the other side
- Repeat the exercise 5 times on each side
- Then, while looking straight ahead, place both thumbs under your chin, applying pressure
- At the same time, pretend you want to open your lower jaw (this creates an opposition movement)
- Perform this exercise for 10 seconds, release, then repeat the exercise 5 times
Exercise 3: To soften the nasolabial fold
This facial yoga exercise can help soften the nasolabial fold between the nose and mouth:
- Close your mouth and breathe deeply through your nose
- Puff out your cheeks for 5 seconds
- Push air into your left cheek, right cheek, upper lip, then lower lip, for 5 seconds each time
- Exhale and relax your face
Exercise 4: To relax the face
This exercise focuses on relaxing all the facial muscles:
- Open your mouth and eyes slightly, so that the muscles are relaxed
- Look straight ahead and fix a point at eye level
- Relax, focus on this point and concentrate only on your breathing
- Hold this position for 3 to 5 minutes
Facial yoga, a source of well-being
Not only does facial yoga make us feel good, but it also provides anti-aging benefits. Whether you want to relax or strengthen your facial muscles, or benefit from the natural anti-aging effects of facial yoga, our exercises will help you establish a routine that fits into your daily routine. And if you'd rather practice this activity alongside other glowing faces, all you have to do is join a class near you!