How To Tone Your Face With Facial Exercises

If it's good enough for Anushka Sharma then it's good enough for us. Enter the face gym with these facial exercises designed to create firmer more radiant-looking skin.

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF FACIAL EXERCISES?

Your face contains over 50 different muscles and unlike most of the rest of the body, a lot of these facial muscles are rarely used. By carrying out regular facial exercises, you promote the circulation of blood to the different areas of the face, thus replenishing the oxygen supply in the muscles and the skin. This will result in a bright complexion and beautiful healthy glow.

Indulging in proper body care and performing face thinning and toning exercises frequently will keep your face looking fit in the long term. Furthermore, regular facial muscles exercises improve the blood flow and, thus, supply your skin cells with nutrients leading to a stimulation of skin cell regeneration and prevention of wrinkles.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU PERFORM FACIAL EXERCISES?

If you want to see results quickly, aim at performing these facial exercises 3-5 times a week from around 20 minutes each time before you apply your body care products.

5 BENEFITS OF ADDING FACIAL EXERCISES TO YOUR BODY CARE ROUTINE

Strengthens the muscles in your face
Reduces the appearance of wrinkles
Increases blood circulation
Releases any tension in the face and neck
Firms and tightens facial skin

DIFFERENT FACIAL EXERCISES TO ENHANCE YOUR COMPLEXION

Whether you're on the go or relaxing at home, add these facial exercises to your body care routine and perform them anywhere, anytime!

LIFT THE FOLDS AROUND YOUR NOSE

Smile as widely as you can and press your fingertips into the folds between your nose and lips. Lift up the muscles whilst pressing down your fingertips into the muscles for resistance. This will strengthen your cheek muscles to give you plump, round cheeks – a classic sign of youth.

TIGHTEN A SAGGING NECK

Your neck is often one of the first places to show signs of ageing. Use these facial exercises for your jowl and neck area. Simply press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Then look upwards with your chin to the ceiling, smile and swallow. Continue doing this for 30-60 seconds.

SMOOTH OUT YOUR FOREHEAD

To tighten forehead skin, first frown as hard as you can, attempting to bring your eyebrows over your eyes and closer together. Then do the opposite and lift your eyebrows as high as possible, opening your eyes widely. Repeat these movements five times.

WORK THE MUSCLES AROUND THE MOUTH

Sit down and tilt your head backwards. Tightly pucker your lips and push them forward. Hold for 8-10 seconds and repeat five times for a toned lip area.

FOR LIFTED CHEEK MUSCLES

Close your lips and gently smile, before sucking your cheeks in as far as you can. Hold this position for 8-10 seconds before releasing and repeat this exercise five times.

TIPS FOR DOING FACIAL EXERCISES THE RIGHT WAY

Performing facial exercises lying down is the most effective
Ensure your hands are clean before touching your face
Try to do your facial fitness routine at the same time every day so you don’t forget
Never pull or tug on the skin aggressively – this may accentuate wrinkles
Combine facial exercises with cardiovascular exercise to give your complexion the best possible boost

WHAT IS FACIAL YOGA?

Unlike some facial exercises, facial yoga is focused on relaxing and toning the face. In the same way that real yoga works areas of muscle tension in your body, facial yoga is intended to counteract the effects of strained facial expressions to care for both the muscles and skin, leaving them feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

An example of a facial yoga exercise is simply rubbing your hands together to warm them up before placing your palms over your closed eyes and leaving them there for at least a couple of minutes while you breathe deeply. This will relieve any tension from the eye area.

You can also use this to warm up your skin before applying your body care lotion. NIVEA's fast-absorbing Soft Light Moisturising Cream enriched with Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil leaves your skin feeling soft, moisturized, and supple all day long.

5 FACIAL EXERCISES TO TARGET THE EYE AREA

COMBAT FINE LINES UNDER THE EYES
Partially wink with just one eye, keeping the other open. Hold this position for one second whilst ensuring that you are contracting all of the muscles around the eye. Then release and repeat 20-25 times.

BANISH CROW’S FEET
This exercise is perfect for reducing the appearance of fine lines in the corners of the eyes. Firstly relax the face, then keep your eyes open and lift your lower eyelids without moving the upper ones. Hold for 1-2 seconds before releasing and repeating 20-25 times.

STIMULATE BLOOD CIRCULATION
Place your three middle fingers underneath each eye and gently pull downwards to open each eye further. As you do this, try to close your eyes, working all the muscles around them. Hold for a period of 8-10 seconds before releasing and repeating five times.

UPPER EYELID WORK-OUT
Start by using your fingertips to gently lift your eyebrows upwards and outwards. Then use your muscles to try and counteract this movement by pushing your brows back down, holding for 8-10 seconds. Repeat this exercise five times for a natural brow lift.

GENTLE TONING FOR THE ENTIRE EYE AREA
Press two fingers on each of your temples and rapidly open and close your eyelids in a blinking motion for a period of 8-10 seconds. Rest and repeat this five times.