As you age, your skin naturally becomes thinner and loses elasticity, according to Dr. William Jaremko, a dermatologist in Olean, New York. As this happens, your face can develop dryness, wrinkles, sagging skin and under-eye circles, causing you to look older. You can keep your face young by toning your facial muscles. Exercising your facial muscles for 10 minutes a day may keep your skin appearing younger and can help you retain your facial beauty.
Lion Face
This facial yoga exercise will help tone, develop and strengthen facial muscles, dramatically improving the skin's vitality and elasticity, according to Marie-Veronique Nadeau, author of "The Yoga Facelift." Begin by taking a deep breath and clenching every muscle in your face. She also recommends clenching your fists. In other words, close your eyes tightly, clench your jaw, wrinkle your nose and tighten your mouth. Then exhale as you open your eyes as wide as possible, open your mouth wide, stick your tongue out as far as possible and say, "Ha!" like a roaring lion. Unclench your fists when you relax your face.
Brow Smoother
The brow smoother, a facial yoga exercise, tones the muscles around the eyes to help reduce or prevent fine lines from developing around the eyes, according to Annelise Hagen, author of "The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift." This exercise can also help reduce saggy eye-skin that causes under eye bags. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed at the ankles, the lotus position, during this exercise. Gently close your eyes and place your pointer fingers on the edges of your eyelids. Slowly pull your eyelids apart, stopping when you skin will stretch no further.
Cheek Puff
The cheek puff exercise helps to strengthen your cheek muscles. Strong cheek muscles may help reduce lines around the mouth and the formation of jowls, the skin that begins to hang off the side of the jaw as you age. Begin by taking a deep breath. Push air into your cheeks to puff them up. Keep the air in your mouth by closing your lips tightly. Press the air into your left cheek by tightening the muscles in your right cheek. Then press the air into your right cheek. You can breathe through your nose if necessary throughout this exercise. The Ohio State University Medical Center advises holding the air in each cheek for five seconds before moving to the next phase of the exercise. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Pucker
The pucker will strengthen the muscles around your mouth and in your jaw, helping to tighten facial skin. Start by puckering your lips as though you were going to whistle or kiss someone. Hold the pucker for five seconds, advises The Ohio State University Medical Center.. Now move the pucker to the left and right, using only your facial muscles. Keep your tongue still throughout the movement. If your muscles get tired, stop puckering and take a 30-second break. Try to perform 10 repetitions of this exercise.
References
- Dr. William M Jaremko, M.D.; Dermatology; Olean, NY
- "The Yoga Facelift"; Marie-Veronique Nadeau; 2007
- "The Yoga Face"; Annelise Hagen; 2007
- The Ohio State University Medical Center: Facial Strenthening Exercises
Member Comments