In the current busy and misinformed world, it is not uncommon to find individuals who are very healthy
by the looks with heavily built bodies, firm muscles, and sporty physiques because they work out and
take good care of their bodies.
However, these same people have a totally different look when it comes to the neck up, in their taking
care of their bodies they totally ignore the neck up and you might notice that a great percentage of
them have wrinkled faces, double chins, chubby cheeks, eye bags and indelible stress marks among
other unwelcome facial features. The face is a very important part of the body that most people ignore
to take care of, no matter how small it may seem, it is very important.
Other than feeding it well, the face needs proper care just like any other part of the body. The good
thing is that the face uses the same one main principle that any part of the body uses when it comes to
taking care of it: The muscles are just like any other body muscles that should be exercised regularly and
long enough. Failing to exercise any muscles in the body may cause them to either loosen or become
weak and flabby.
To work out the muscles, you will need to have them working “against” something or resistance. Un-
worked facial muscles will lose tone, become loose, gain fat and seem lifeless, causing dropping and
sagging of the face. To give them back life, you will need to exercise them to make them fit, beautiful
and healthy through stretching, lifting and contraction. Just like any other bodily muscles, the facial
muscles can be given a new lease of life and greater oxygen and blood supply through physical training.
While performing facial exercises, you will notice that it has much greater benefits than just getting fit
and healthy. The first great advantage of facial exercises is that they slow down the signs of aging by up
to fifty percent. We know that aging is often characterized by dark spots, wrinkling, eye bags, and saggy
skin among other features and often set in as early as mid-thirties.
Most people are always seeking ways to keep their faces young with the treasured youthful appearance
and often resort to “magic creams” among other unconventional methods but do these methods of
slowing aging signs really work? Are they even natural at all?
Yoga is the answer to most people’s facial health problems, simply put. This is not a miracle because its
results are astounding but more of a fusion of science and art, they are simple but effective exercises
you can do to make the facial skin and muscles smoother, stronger, younger and firmer with better
mood and energy and this will impact on your general facial appearance over time.
Other than exercising, we will also address at the importance of other facial care procedures including
detoxification, purification and distressing on the face, overall body, spirit and mind.
Regaining Youthfulness through Facial Fitness
Most people understand the benefits of exercising to the muscles, skin, heart and general health but
these exercises should not be done only from the neck downwards. The facial muscles and skin deserve
toning and firming through exercise too and although it may be a different kind of exercise compared
with the rest of the body, they have to be effective.
The major problem with facial exercises is that most people have no idea how to do them. The few
exercises they know do not seem to be significant in getting the face toned and worked out. It is only
through practice that the facial muscles can be toned, continuously and repetitively.
Yoga exercises pay off fast, they lift the skin and firm up the sagged and wrinkled areas, they also do
away with fine lines and the face will get greater supply of oxygen and blood to make it healthier and
full of life. This happens because the toxins and wastes in the face will be washed away and dullness,
bloats and stress marks will be done away with too to leave the face rosy, luminescent and full of life.
I. Cheek and Lip exercises
1. The Satchmo exercises
Years of aging and different reactions and expression often take their toll on the cheeks.
The satchmo exercises are good to keep the cheek muscles and skin firm and tight. You
can do this exercise by puffing up both cheeks with air as hard as you can and then
transfer the air from one cheek to another. Do this from left to right and back again to
the left cheek four times a set before relaxing. Repeat the exercise up to five times.
2. The Marilyn exercise
This exercise will concentrate on strengthening the mouth ring muscles to make the lips
firm and the muscles around the mouth stronger. What you need to do is to isolate the
facial muscles to blow kisses while keeping the eyebrows unruffled and smooth. You can
add more resistance to the exercise by pressing two fingers on the lips then puckering
the lips on the fingers. Do three to four repetitions per set, up to five sets a day.
3. The sphinx smile
This exercise specifically targets the smile muscles around the mouth and lips. Smiling is
a good thing but with time leaves undesirable lines at the end of the mouth and eyes. To
get rid of these lines, try keeping the eyes and the eye muscles neutral while lifting the
mouth corners across and up. Be relaxed and neutral as you smile and repeat this three
to four times per set. This will help get rid of unnecessary smile lines on the face.
4. The tongue tracing exercise
This exercise will play a big role in keeping the cheeks firm and lips plump. The neck
muscles and skin will be toned if this exercise is done right and long enough and the
throat will benefit as well. With your mouth open to an O shape, use the tongue to trace
the circumference of the lips slowly in one direction then do it again in the opposite
direction. Try to keep the eyebrows and forehead relaxed as you do the exercise, three
to five times a set.
5. The fish face exercise
Toning the smile muscles is not that easy especially since these are the muscles that are
relaxed most of the time. However, the fish face can do this if you learn to do it
regularly. Purse your lips slightly like a fish, withdrawing your cheeks into shallow
hollows to have enhanced cheekbones then try to smile and hold the position for about
15 seconds per rep. This is a good exercise done in front of the mirror and is very
effective in toning the facial skin and muscles.
6. The puppet face
If you notice that you have developed smooth marionette lines and lifts between the
lips and the nose, you will need this exercise to restore a smooth lineless look. Since the
exercise works the lips up, it will smooth the area just above the lips and outwards
towards the cheeks. Press the fingertips on the creases that are formed on this area,
then smile wide and hold the position for a few seconds. Lift the skin around this area
up into a smiling position while still pressing hard and repeat twenty to thirty times per
set.
7. Tongue and throat
Stretching the tongue outside the mouth will work the muscles on the throat, both
internal and external. Stick the tongue out as far as you can then hold the position for
one minute while keeping the rest of the face relaxed. At times you will notice that your
face will water but this is okay. This exercise is beneficial in increasing the blood flow to
the different exercised areas; you can even see the effects almost immediately in the
form of rosiness.
8. Kiss the ceiling exercise
Firm your jawline, the throat and neck using the kiss the ceiling exercise. This exercise
will also plump the lips and make them firm and full. Stand upright but with the face
facing up then try to kiss the ceiling without leaning forward or backward. Hold the kiss
position for a few seconds per repetition and do about five repetitions per set.
II. Forehead and the eyes
The eyes are the most noticeable facial features and are often used to judge a person’s
character. However, it becomes a big problem if there are unhealthy features distracting the
real beauty, like eye bags and wrinkles. These features can be gotten rid of through exercises
that target these parts to restore liveliness to the skin and muscles around the eyes and make
the skin look younger and smooth.
1. Dancer eyes exercise
This exercise targets the eye rings and prevent and heal crow’s feet and the sagging skin
problems around the eyes. With the head erect and facing forward, move the eyes far
left then slowly to the center and to the right before moving to the center and left
again. Do not hold a gaze at any time and repeat this ten times per set. When the eyes
look watery, close them or look down for a few seconds.
2. Facial relaxation
Also called the Buddha face, this exercise will release any subconscious tightening of the
facial skin, furrowing and clenching that often lead to wrinkling and lines. In a seated
posture, close the eyes and concentrate on soothing any wrinkles on the face in your
mind. Breathe gently and be careful not to let your subconscious mind drift to other
things that may affect the emotions, just concentrate on soothing the muscles.
3. Anti-drooping and sagging exercise
As the name suggests, this is an exercise that combats facial drooping and skin sagging
on the eyelids. The first thing you do is smile with your eyes then place your finger on
the crease then use the lower eyelid to increase resistance on the crease. Since this is an
isolated movement, try to keep all other facial muscles expressionless.
4. Brow lifting
Use your fingers to raise the eyebrows high while keeping the other facial muscles as
neutral as possible. You will notice crease lines on the upper eyelids. Apply fingertip
pressure on the raised area and keep the pressure on for a few seconds. Counter the
fingertip pressure by raising he frontalis muscles while keeping all other facial muscles
as neutral as possible. Raise and lower the frontalis muscles quickly while applying
fingertip pressure twenty repetitions a set. This exercise will firm the frontalis muscles –
you should even notice circulation immediately you are done with the exercise.
