We all know and love the benefits yoga offers to both our bodies and minds. But did you know that yoga can help your face as well? It sounds crazy, but yes, face yoga is a thing – it’s one of the more unusual types of yoga! Even weirder, many experts believe it works as a way to tone facial muscles. So what is face yoga, exactly?

Essentially, face yoga is a range of exercises and massage techniques that you perform using your facial muscles and hands. Facial yoga devotees claim it can help ease tension and stress, but also improve your appearance. If you’re keen to try it out, here’s everything you need to know about face yoga for beginners.

Does face yoga really work?

If you’re skeptical about facial yoga, that’s totally normal! It’s a bit of a strange concept and definitely not something many yogis have heard of before. Many people who commit to it for a few months do notice its benefits. However, very little scientific study has been done specifically on face yoga, so it’s hard to prove whether or not it has real benefits – the jury is technically still out on this one. But more and more people are getting into face yoga (including J-Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow), so if it’s interesting to you, it never hurts to give it a try!

You’ll probably get best results by combining face yoga with a healthy diet and regular exercise, whether that’s full-body yoga practice or something else you love.

Image by Sora Shimazaki on Unsplash: Many yogis are convinced that yoga isn’t just good for the body, but also for the face!

What are the benefits of face yoga?

Fans of face yoga are raving about its benefits. From an emotional perspective, it’s thought to help release tension, leaving you feeling less stressed and anxious. This can lead to fewer headaches and clearer sinuses. However, it can also help with your appearance, since less tension = fewer wrinkles and fine lines. Some even consider it a natural alternative to Botox!

Facial yoga techniques can boost circulation, improve lymphatics drainage, and help tone facial muscles, leading to less sagging or wrinkled skin. Proponents also say it can help tone the neckline, reduce undereye circles, and create more toned skin – sounds pretty good to us.

What are the best face yoga poses to try?

Okay, so how can I lift my face with yoga? You’ll want to begin with some of these poses. It’s best to start with clean hands and a freshly washed face. You don’t want to inadvertently transfer germs or bacteria from your hands onto your face, as this can cause acne.

1. Forehead

If you’re concerned about horizontal lines developing on your forehead, try out this technique. Start by putting your fingertips on the center of your forehead, then press into the skin and move your fingers towards your temples. Keep going for around 30 seconds each time. This technique is also great for relieving tension.

2. Jawline

If you’re concerned about the appearance of a double chin or you’d just prefer a more defined jawline, try tilting your head back and placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth, pointing your chin at the ceiling. Then, smile and swallow, repeating several times. It sounds weird, but this exercise can help to tighten your jaw muscles.

3. Crow’s feet

As we age, many of us start to notice wrinkles around the sides of the eyes, known as crow’s feet. Don’t worry, though – there’s a facial yoga pose to help! Use your middle and index finger to make a V shape. Place your index fingers on the outer edge of your eyes and your middle fingers next to the inside of your eyes, next to your nose. Then, look up and try to squint by moving your lower eyelids upward. Repeat around six to eight times.

4. Face tapping

Many facial yoga followers believe in the power of facial tapping. This can improve your circulation and help you feel less stressed. To do it, use your fingertips to tap your face, starting with the forehead and moving downward. Facial tapping tends to focus on pressure points, such as on top of the head, under the eyes, on the chin, and on the eyebrows.

Image by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels: Is facial yoga a natural way to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles? It certainly can be!

5. Puppet face

Our nasolabial folds are lines that go from the edge of the mouth to the edge of the nose. They become more pronounced as we get older. To treat this, you can try a face yoga move called puppet face. Make a big smile, showing your teeth, then place your fingers on your nasolabial folds and push downwards, creating resistance against your smile. This can strengthen your cheek muscles, helping you maintain a full, youthful face.

6. Eyes

If you spend most of your days in front of a computer screen at work, your eyes might experience tension and strain. When you’re in need of some relief, place your fingers on the outer corners of your eyes and gently give yourself a circular massage for 30 seconds. Then, go in the opposite directions.

You can do this on the inner and outer corner of your eyes to help when you feel a headache coming on, when you’re feeling agitated and need to calm down, or even to help yourself get back to sleep if you wake up in the night.

When will I see the results of face yoga?

Results don’t come quickly when it comes to face yoga. Just as if you were starting a new exercise routine, it takes time and dedication to see results. Daily sessions of face yoga of around 20–30 minutes per day are needed – after around eight weeks is when you should start to see results.

If you think you’d enjoy face yoga, why not give it a try? Even if you don’t notice big physical changes, face yoga can still be super relaxing, especially if you need a bit of personal time and mindfulness to unwind after a big day.

Featured image by Monstera on Pexels