The new trend, facial yoga or also known as Face Yoga, is taking the internet by storm. People claim that it is not only cheap and easy, but also shockingly effective in reducing wrinkles and firming facial muscles. Celebrities like Meghan Markle and Madonna use facial yoga instead of a facelift to tighten skin and firm muscles.
Key takeaways
- Facial yoga is a type of exercise that specifically targets the muscles in your face.
- With these exercises, you relax your face, stimulate the function of your facial muscles, and improve your well-being.
- If you perform these exercises regularly, you will achieve a more youthful appearance over time.
What is Facial Yoga?
Facial yoga is an excellent method to reduce wrinkles and achieve a more youthful appearance. By specifically targeting the muscles in your face, you can relax them, stimulate their function, and improve your overall well-being. If you do these exercises regularly, you will notice a significant difference over time.
Face Yoga, similar to Hatha Yoga but for the face, relaxes muscles and reduces wrinkles with just a few minutes of effort per day.
The basic concept for the well-known Face Yoga technique comes from Fumiko Takatsu, who wanted to get her skin back in shape after a severe car accident. She developed facial exercises that focused on strengthening muscles and tightening skin. She published several books documenting her success.
Facial Yoga – the Anti-Aging Remedy?
The term "facial yoga" refers to various exercises that target the facial muscles. If you perform these exercises daily, they should help prevent wrinkles and dark circles. It is said that regular training can help increase facial volume and counteract sagging skin by strengthening the muscles in your face. The trend originally comes from America, where it was given the name "Yotox." A recent study concluded that 30 minutes of facial yoga every day or every other day can make your face look significantly younger in just 20 weeks.
How long and how often should one train?
In other words: What does such a training session look like? A training session begins with a warm-up phase. This is followed by 15 minutes of individual exercises for each part of the face. However, as with any sport, too much training eventually leads to fatigue. For this reason, it is advisable to take a break two days a week.
A facial yoga session should consist of several components – rest, deep breathing, awareness of the face, massage, and working all muscles one after another. A final relaxation or meditation is essential for a longer session, because stress reduction is what makes us feel young, healthy, and good.
It is also advisable to clean your face before training. If your skin is dry, apply a moisturizer lightly; otherwise, you risk your hands slipping. Aside from a mirror, which helps you maintain the correct posture and facial expression, no other equipment is needed for beginners.
Facial Yoga – These are the Benefits
Regular yoga exercises for the face promote blood circulation to the skin, making it look healthier and plumper. In addition, these exercises strengthen the muscles, making wrinkles and fine lines less visible.
Furthermore, tension in the face is reduced, the facial muscles relax, and the face appears firmer overall. The targeted exercises for muscle tension and relaxation offer a long-term anti-aging effect. This is visible after just a few weeks of use. Some of the most important benefits include:
- Improved blood circulation
- The facial skin appears rosy and energized
- Facial contours are softened and refined
- Mimic wrinkles on your face are reduced
- The facial muscles are relaxed.
- The skin's aging process is slowed down
Facial Yoga – these exercises you should consider
Relax. Sit upright, this refers to the full workout, and place your hands over your eyes. Let your breath flow in this position for at least 8 deep breaths. Repeat the relaxation exercises for the face between each set of exercises.
1. Facial Yoga Classic: The Lion
If you're feeling stressed, this exercise is perfect for letting out all your pent-up anger and freeing yourself from negative emotions - or at least putting some distance between them. You can also use this exercise to celebrate after a good day.
- The Lion's Pose is a yoga posture that helps loosen the muscles and prepare them for activity.
- Open your mouth wider. Inhale deeply through your nose. Contract your throat muscles and stick your tongue out as far as possible towards your chin.
- Roll your eyes alternately towards the tip of your nose and your eyebrows.
- Hold this facial position for a moment, then exhale and relax.
- You can repeat this process up to three times.
2. Facial Yoga: The Kissing Mouth
With various exercises, you can train not only your lips but also the area around your mouth. After a short time, you will see and feel the results of the trained muscles.
- Pucker your lips as if you wanted to whistle. Press them firmly together and hold the tension for about five seconds. Then release and relax your muscles.
- Briefly cover your upper lip with your lower lip and tense the muscles around your mouth. Repeat the exercise in reverse. Briefly cover your lower lip with your upper lip and proceed as before.
- Press your lips firmly together and feel the tension. Hold for 8 seconds and then repeat.
3. Facial Yoga: Goodbye Double Chin
We all know them, those pictures taken from the wrong angle that wonderfully highlight our double chin... this exercise declares war on your double chin!
- For a firmer chin, make a fist and position it under your chin. Then open your lower jaw while applying upward pressure with your fist. Hold this tension for 10 seconds.
- For a jaw relaxation exercise, lower your head and release your lower jaw. Repeat the movement up to six times.
- Alternatively, you can also sit upright and lengthen your neck. Look up. Focus and mentally push your lower jaw forward. Hold this position for ten seconds.
- Then release and relax. Repeat the process up to six times for best results.
4. Facial Yoga: Rosy Cheeks without Blush
- By targeting the contours of your cheeks with your knuckles, you can achieve firmer and revitalized skin.
- Form an inverted C with your index finger. Using the knuckles of your index fingers, massage the facial area, starting at the wings of your nose and working outwards along your cheekbones.
- Continue until the area around your cheeks looks full and has a healthy color.
5. Facial Yoga: Eye wrinkles are a thing of the past!
This yoga exercise is an excellent method to reduce crow's feet:
- Gently place your index and middle fingers on each of your temples.
- Now quickly blink your left eye, then your right eye, for about ten seconds.
- Perform the exercise five times in a row, pausing between each.
- It is ideal to perform this facial yoga exercise every day, for example, in the morning after brushing your teeth.
6. Facial Yoga: A wrinkle-free forehead, is that possible?
With Face Yoga, you can naturally tighten your forehead and reduce wrinkles in just a few minutes. Our forehead is also susceptible to wrinkles. Wrinkles often appear in people who frequently frown or scrunch up their noses. This yoga pose offers relief:
- Bring your eyebrows together and tense your forehead muscles. A deep wrinkle may form on the bridge of your nose. Stay in this position for about ten seconds.
- Afterward, quickly open your eyes and pull your eyebrows upwards. Hold this pose for ten seconds.
- Repeat the exercise five times. It is ideal to incorporate it into your daily eye exercises.
Facial Yoga – Patience, effects will become visible over time!
It is important to be patient with Face Yoga exercises and to prioritize your inner well-being over your outer appearance. Face Yoga does not offer a quick cure for wrinkles. Rather, it is a means to maintain the tone of your facial muscles and to keep your skin looking healthy and attractive in the long term. In addition, you should focus on exercise, a nutrient-rich diet, and a healthy lifestyle, as well as proper skincare. You can find out which treatment is suitable for your skin type here.
