Pilates Face-Lift Exercises

Young woman resting with cucumbers on her eyes

Not everyone wants to pursue cosmetic surgery, botox and fillers as solutions to the appearance of wrinkles and a sagging jawline. Pilates face exercises promise a more youthful appearance, although any claim that they are equal to a facelift is dubious. What these Pilates-based facial exercises may do is tone the facial muscles and help promote blood flow to keep your skin more fresh and youthful looking.

Focus On Your Eyes

Bags under the eyes is not a good look. Cold eye masks, cold teabags or cucumber may offer a quick fix, but there is an exercise that claims to banish your bags, or at least shrink them. For the best results, do the exercise just before bed and use some of your favorite eye cream on the area immediately after. Widen your eyes as far as you can, as if you were extremely surprised and hold that position for 10 seconds. Try to keep the rest of your face relaxed while you do it. Repeat it four times. You can do the exercise at other times of the day as well.

Sleeker Jowls

The jawline really takes a battering during the aging process. The taut jaws of youthful celebrities are a reminder that things aren't what they used to be. But there is an exercise that aims to tone the neck and chin. To begin, stand or sit, but keep a straight back, and raise your eyes to look at the ceiling until your head is tilted back. You'll feel a lovely stretch in your neck. Then, place your tongue against the roof of your mouth and swallow. Now, keeping your head tilted back and your tongue against the roof of your mouth, roll your head to the left and swallow. Repeat this on the right. This technique may take a bit of practice. Repeat the sequence up to three times daily.

Swivel Lips

This exercise tones the lips and cheeks. Purse your lips and try to move them as far to the left as you possibly can. Hold them there for five seconds and release. Follow these steps again, but this time push your lips over to the right. Repeat this sequence -- to both left and right -- a total of six times. Do this and the other exercises every day and, hopefully, you will start to see changes in about eight to 10 weeks.

Give Yourself A Lift

Finish off your routine with a final lift. This exercise focuses on applying pressure to the temples to lift the eye area and the entire face. Lean back in a chair and place either the base of your palms or your finger tips on your temples. Push upwards and, at the same time, place your tongue against the roof of your mouth and push against it. Keep your back teeth closed together if possible while doing this. Hold the position for 10 to 20 seconds, then slowly release it and relax. Perform this exercise once at the end of each session. You should feel your lower face and neck tighten.