First impressions last longer. And you only get to make that first impression only once. Your face, obviously, is the first thing people look at. If your face looks wrinkled, stressed out, drained and uncared for, you may miss that one chance to make a great impression. This is where Face Yoga comes into play.
What is Face Yoga?
Everyone has heard of ‘yoga’, but many are unfamiliar with the term ‘face yoga’. It’s not just another fad created by social media. You’ll be surprised to know that the roots of facial exercising in recorded history, extends all the way up to the 1700s! The world’s first face-exercising routine was published by the French facial exercise practitioner – Jeanne Sauval. But some people say that 2,000 years ago, the legendary Cleopatra herself practiced these techniques!
So, what is face yoga anyway? It’s a collection of facial muscle movements designed to relax and rejuvenate the muscles. It’s a completely harmless and a natural alternative to all artificial anti-aging remedies as well. Keep note that this is not related to ‘traditional yoga’ in any way though since none of the traditional yoga poses focus on the face, just body movements. And there are no rules and pre-set standard movements for face yoga either. There are only collections of facial movements created (or discovered) by the instructors or practitioners, who had practiced them and obtained results with.
What are the Benefits of Face Yoga?
Let’s look at some benefits of face yoga.
1. Strengthens the Facial Muscles
Most of our facial muscles are not exercised properly and their exercising is limited to the facial expressions we knowingly or unknowingly display in our day-to-day life. But with face yoga, we forcefully push these muscles to the limits, which stimulates and strengthens them.
2 Reduce Wrinkles
By stretching the muscles well for a long period, the appearance of wrinkles can be reduced. Hence face yoga is commonly known as an anti-aging technique.
3 Increases Blood Circulation
By stimulating the muscles on your face, blood circulation is increased.
4. Release Tension
Relaxation of facial muscles releases the visible tension stored on your facial muscles.
5. Firms and Strengthens the Facial Skin
Just like the facial muscles, exercising strengthens the facial skin as well.
What are the Methods of Face Yoga?
There are various yoga exercises for different objectives – to release stress, anti-aging, relaxation, etcetera, created by different individuals. Here are some of the common, generic but effective ones.
1. Blow Raspberries
Relax your face and start blowing loud raspberries. Make sure to vibrate the cheeks too, along with the lips as well. According to face yoga experts, lip muscles are some of the core muscles of your face and vibrating them tends to relax these muscles themselves, and the face as a whole as well.
2. Temple Massage
Use your index finger and the middle finger of both hands and gently massage your temples in a circular motion. Keep your eyes closed and keep your mind relaxed. Keep massaging the temples for a few minutes. This exercise is known to reduce stress and headaches.
3. Blinking Eyes
Open your eyes wide, to the maximum. Then shut them and squeeze them in. Again, open them wide and shut them tight. Keep doing this for a few minutes. This exercises the muscles in your eyes and the forehead. This exercise is known to improve eyesight.
4. Third Eye Massage
Press the index finger between the eyebrows. Apply light pressure in a rightward circular movement. Wait for a few seconds and do the same, leftwards. Continue this for a few minutes. This method is known to work as a stress-reliever.
5. Forehead Stretch Massage
Place your fingertips on your forehead, with the fingers facing inwards. Spread the fingers out, so that your whole forehead – from eyebrow to the hairline can be equally stimulated. Apply some light pressure and gently sweep the fingers outward, across the forehead. Repeat this 10 times. This exercise is known to reduce horizontal forehead wrinkles, over time.
6. Kissy Face Exercise
Smile widely and stretch your mouth to its maximum. Then press the lips tightly, pointing outward, as if you’re kissing the air. This exercise is known to stimulate the muscles around the lips and cheeks and brighten up the face.
7. Cheek Exercise
Breathe in and fill your cheeks with air. Make sure that the cheeks are fully-filled with air. Then release them. Repeat this for a few minutes. This exercise is known to strengthen the cheek muscles and prevents them from becoming hollow over time.
8. Chin Exercise
Keep both thumbs under the chin. Then start pressing the chin from the lower side and move your chin upwards, only with the help of the thumbs. This exercise is known to give you a nice jawline, as well as get rid of your double-chin, over time.
9. Eyes Up, Chin Down Exercise
Keep your head straight and look up, only with your eyes, so that you can feel the muscles stretching underneath the eyes. While keeping the head straight, point your chin down, while making an ‘oval’ with your mouth. Hold for three seconds and move only the upper lip inside the mouth. This exercise is known to fight eye-wrinkles.
10. Neck Exercise
Look straight ahead and keep your fingertips at the bottom of your neck. Stroke the skin downwards, lightly. Then bring the head downwards and stroke the skin. Then bring the chin upwards, while bringing the lower lip out and having the corners of the mouth, down. Place your fingertips on the collarbones and hold them, while having deep breaths.
Just like with regular yoga, or with any exercise method for that matter, you cannot expect immediate visible results, as you just start to face yoga. Experts say that to see the slightest visible change, you need to keep doing these exercises, at least 20 minutes per day, every day, for at least two to four months. But consistency would surely make you ‘a new you’.
Why don’t you give it a try today?
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