Spotlight on…Facial Yoga

Look younger and even slimmer for free by toning your face muscles with these simple exercises – no crazy surgery or Botox needed!

Spending just 10 minutes a day on a facial workout can not only help strengthen the underlying structure of your face – the muscles that hold everything up – but can also help reduce fine line and wrinkle development.

In fact, a study earlier this year by Northwestern University found that women aged 50 were left looking two years younger after just 20 weeks of facial workouts.

It’s free, easy to do and anyone can try it in the comfort of their own home – so what are you waiting for? Try the ‘owl’, the ‘pufferfish’ and these other easy moves today!

What is facial yoga, and what does it do to your face?

Face yoga is a series of exercises that, as you might imagine if you’re a yoga fan, are designed to exercise, stretch and relax your facial muscles. It’s great for relieving tension, as well as numerous benefits to the way you look.

‘With a regular facial workout, you can promote glowing, vibrant skin and help prevent wrinkles, reduce puffiness and even streamline and define your features,’ says Inge Theron, founder of Face Gym.

Does face yoga work?

Just as toning the muscles in your body can help you look slimmer, stronger and healthier, facial exercises can change your face.

‘Regularly exercising your face helps you look and feel the best version of yourself, says face yoga expert Danielle Collins, from faceyogaexpert.

Can face yoga help your face lose weight?

‘The muscles become more sculpted, lifted and toned and the skin overlaying the muscles also becomes tighter and firmer so you get a smoother, more youthful appearance.’

Your 5-min face workout for younger skin

Try Danielle’s moves to keep your face looking taut and perky!

Facial Yoga

To reduce forehead wrinkles: Try ‘the owl’ face yoga move

Major muscle worked: Frontalis.

This move will help firm up your forehead plus reduce lines and wrinkles.

  • Make a big C shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
  • Place your index finger just above and parallel to your eyebrows and your thumbs on your cheeks.
  • Start to pull down with the index fingers while trying to raise your eyebrows and making the eyes wide like an owl. Hold this for two secs, relax and repeat.
  • Do the move three more times then hold this position for 10 secs.

Facial Yoga

For fuller cheeks: Copy a puffer fish with face yoga

This helps lift and firm your cheeks as well as increasing circulation through the tapping movement.

Major muscle worked: Buccinator

  • Puff out your cheeks as much as you possibly can.
  • Gently tap your cheeks for 30 secs.
  • Do this five times.

For reducing eye lines: get fluttering with face yoga

This move reduces hollows under the eyes, lifts the upper eyelids and also lifts the lower part of the face.

Major muscle worked: Corrugator.

  • Cover your teeth with your lips and make your mouth into an ‘O’ shape
  • Place your index fingers under your eyes, horizontally with the fingertips pointing towards your nose.
  • Look upwards and start to flutter your upper eyelids – this is the only part of your face that should move.

To reduce neck sag or wrinkles, try this face yoga turning move

  • Turn your head to one side and tilt it slightly
  • Keeping your mouth closed, repeatedly bring your tongue up to the roof of your mouth so you feel it working your under-chin area
  • Do this six – 12 times
  • Repeat on the other side

To reduce mouth lines try this tongue in cheek face yoga move

  • Place your tongue inside your cheek by the corner of your mouth
  • Bring your tongue up inside your cheek and along the area between your mouth and nose
  • Continue for eight rounds
  • Repeat on the other side
  • Now try these youth-boosting yoga moves!

Danielle has launched Face Yoga for Your Busy Life, available exclusively on Apple and Android for £9.99. The programme lets you choose between 15 real life situations made up of three quick Face Yoga and wellbeing solutions, broken down into two-minute sessions. Do them whenever you need in your busy day to help your skin look younger, smoother and healthier and your mind feel calmer and happier – or you can enjoy the whole programme together as a calming natural face lift.