Yoga for the Face?

We've all heard of yoga for the body and the many health benefits and mindfulness techniques it gives, but is there such a thing as yoga for the face? The team at Goop seem to think so. They say that exercises for the face that specifically target the muscles below the facial skin and fatty layer and will help to bulk-up the muscles, which can "compensate for age-related volume loss".

Sound too good to be true?

Gary Sikorski, certified facial-exercise instructor and founder of Happy Face Yoga says, "Moving your limbs against oppositional weight either from your own body (yoga is an excellent example of resistance training), dumbbells, or elastic bands is one of the most strengthening and toning forms of exercise; the same principles are being applied to the muscles of the face."

As a Natural Lift Facial Massage practitioner I have seen first hand the benefits my clients experience when they come for a treatment, relaxation and rejuvenation being top of the list. Many remark on how different my facial is compared to other popular beauty facials which place the emphasis on the creams used. Whereas the Natural Lift Facial Massage places the emphasis on the massage techniques used to tone the muscles of the face and improve circulation.

However I have always been a believer that whilst a professional treatment is necessary to get you on track and boost your complexion, the real discipline is adopting facial massage techniques into your skincare regime at home on a daily basis. I have found that even just 5 minutes a day is beneficial, although 15 minutes is ideal.

Many of us are nervous about massaging our face, feeling that if we do we will somehow cause wrinkles. However the opposite is true. A neglected face is a face that will loose tone more quickly; consider the importance of daily exercise for our bodies, and this is also true of the muscles of our face.

Not sure where to start?

Embrace the motto 'Upwards & Outwards' and you can't go wrong. The following is a description of two quick techniques I use on a daily basis when I'm taking my makeup off with coconut oil at the end of the day:

SCISSORS:

Using the index and middle finger on my left hand (scissors) horizontally I push the index finger on my right hand between the other two fingers, whilst stimulating the muscles underneath. I perform this action across my forehead and along my jaw line.

CHEEKBONES:

I trace my cheekbones with my index fingers, pressing in and up firmly, beginning at my nose and moving out towards my temples.

Repeat both these exercises for between 5 minutes and 15 minutes at the end of each day. After a couple of weeks you should notice an improvement in skin tone.

Happy face massaging!