With the right exercises, you can actually work out your face, too. Since the skin is the largest organ of the body, it deserves a deeper, more holistic approach, which will allow your inner beauty to shine through.

Facial yoga, a series of exercises that strengthen and relax facial muscles, is gaining popularity as a natural way to look younger and feel fresh. The concept dates back to the ancient scriptures of Ayurveda- releasing energy pathways to naturally achieve better health and a great sense of well-being, while looking radiant. Facial yoga does to your face what yoga does to your body. It relaxes, tones and gives a natural boost to the skin, while simultaneously resetting your facial muscles. The idea is to stretch the 57 face and neck muscles to tone, firm and boost circulation, for a youthful appearance.

Facial exercises have been proposed as a non-invasive way to help enlarge and strengthen the muscles. This process may help give the face a firmer and toned appearance, counteracting age-related effects such as skin loosening and thinning fat pads.

British expert Danielle Collins popularised this practice with the vision of strengthening facial structures while also improving the perception of our own body. While most exercises focus only on the physical, facial yoga combines mindfulness, helping to calm the mind and support mental well-being.

Benefits

With regular exercise, facial yoga helps effectively strengthen facial muscles, smooth the skin, and reduce wrinkles and other fine lines. Its effectiveness depends on the frequency and time you spend exercising. A study from 2018 revealed that 30 minutes of daily exercise over a period of 8 weeks led to noticeable improvement in 20 facial features.

Among other benefits belong reducing a double chin and lymph flow improvement. Thanks to acupressure techniques which increase blood circulation and relieve tension, facial yoga also helps to prevent migraines and promote better sleep quality.

You can start your face yoga practice in the morning or at night as an extension of your daily routine.

Massage techniques

During these massage techniques, it is important to focus on your breathing and on each movement which shouldn’t bring you discomfort. Under your hands ,you should feel a gentle warmth.

1. No more dark circles under your eyes

First, place your index fingers just below the outer edge of your eyebrows, then gently run them under your eyes towards the inner corners. Try to lightly press for a few seconds and then continue in a circle under your eyebrows and back again. Repeat for 30 seconds to 1 minute


2. The cheek lifter - To help strengthen the cheek muscles

Form an "O" shape with your mouth. Curl your upper lip over your teeth and smile. Put your fingers on the top of your cheeks, under your eyes. Next release and smile again, lifting the cheeks back up. Repeat the process ten times, holding the last lift for 20 seconds

3. Cheek sculptor

Smile with your mouth closed and with the corners of your mouth, pooching your lips out until it starts to burn mildly. Press index fingers into the corners of your mouth, sliding and pushing against the muscle up to your cheekbones. Hold the muscle up for twenty seconds, continuing to smile with the corners of your mouth, then repeat three times.

4. Youthful jawline

Kiss and Smile

Push the lips out as much as you can, as if you are about to kiss and then smile broadly. Do at least 15 repetitions a day. This face exercise works on your cheeks and chin simultaneously.

5. Lift Your Eyebrows

Place the index finger of each hand 1cm above the eyebrows. Attempt to lift the eyebrows upward, while pressing them downward with your fingers. Repeat this 10- 12 times a day.

If you are looking for an enjoyable way of relaxation, while stretching your muscles, try facial yoga. An additional effect is reducing signs of ageing, smoothing wrinkles and improving blood circulation.

With consistent practice, facial yoga brings amazing results and improves overall appearance, without having to spend hours in front of the mirror.