In face yoga, the muscles, skin, and lymphatic system are stimulated through massage and exercises. It might ease tension, stress, and anxiety by strengthening and relaxing your facial muscles.

Face yoga may be a useful treatment for elevating your mood and strengthening and improving the structural look of your face.

Danielle Collins, the creator of Danielle Collins’ Face Yoga, says that a well-rounded face yoga practice incorporates acupressure, massage, and relaxation techniques in addition to exercises.

Despite the fact that face yoga has been linked to a number of advantages, it’s crucial to remember that there is little evidence to back up these assertions. Additionally, the findings of the current research are not entirely consistent.

To find out more about the potential advantages of face yoga and seven exercises to get you started, continue reading.

What Advantages Does Face Yoga Offer?

Face yoga could be a useful treatment for enhancing your face’s elasticity, strength, and structural appearance. Collins clarified that there are several ways in which the various facets of face yoga could support radiant, healthy skin.

“Face yoga reduces wrinkles by strengthening and lifting the muscles beneath the skin. Massage facilitates tension relief, lymphatic drainage improvement, and increased circulation. By increasing circulation and reducing stress, acupressure techniques can help avoid headaches, clear your sinuses, and improve the quality of your sleep.”

Additionally, the advantages of face yoga might go beyond superficial benefits. A 2018 study found that facial exercises may boost your mood and facial expression. Despite these findings, however, limited research has examined the effects of face yoga, and the results are mixed.

More extensive research is required to fully comprehend the advantages of face exercises for facial rejuvenation, according to the author of a 2021 review of 11 studies. In a similar vein, the authors of a 2013 review of nine studies on the advantages of face yoga and other facial exercises stated that the findings were ambiguous and subjective. They concluded that further study was required.

According to several face yoga practitioners, it might also be beneficial to:

• Regulate the muscles in the face

• Encourage healthy nasal breathing

• Lessen teeth grinding and rewire muscle memory

• Alleviate temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders

• Enhance facial symmetry

• Reduce sagging and dark circles under the eyes

Nevertheless, further investigation is required to validate these assertions.

Which Types of Yoga Might Be Better for Your Face?

Long periods of holding poses (asana) are a feature of slower styles of yoga, including Hatha, Yin, and restorative yoga. This could encourage relaxation by making you more conscious of your breathing and facial muscles. Your facial glow may also be enhanced by specific forms of movement.

“Forward folds bring fresh blood and oxygen to the skin, which promotes a healthy glow,” Collins said, highlighting the advantages of traditional sitting positions during yoga. While twists tighten the side of the face and relieve tension in the neck, backbending poses tone and strengthen the muscles in the front of the neck.

When performing traditional yoga poses, try focusing on your face. Check to see if you’re making facial expressions or holding onto any tension. Take note if you’re focusing so hard on relaxing your face that you end up raising or furrowing your brows.

Seven Facial Yoga Poses

Collins stated that you can use face yoga to target any part of your face, depending on your goals and concerns. To target a particular area of your face, like crow’s feet, forehead lines, or frown lines, you might be able to establish a routine. You can also concentrate on reducing anxiety and stress.

But Collins advised concentrating on your general health. “Getting enough sleep, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy diet are all crucial. Because taking care of yourself on the inside will show in your skin’s external sheen, holistic health and self-care are essential for glowing skin,” she said.

Try these seven face yoga poses. Work at your comfort level for each exercise. You shouldn’t feel any pain or discomfort, but you might feel warm or heated. Always remember to begin with your face and hands clean. To make it easier for your fingers to move over your skin without making it too slippery, you can also apply an oil, serum, or cleansing balm.

1. Reduction of Tension

Eye strain may be lessened by activating this acupressure point. It can help you relax during the day or right before bed.

• For 30 seconds, apply pressure to the inner corner of your eyes.

• Then, for 30 seconds, slowly circle in a single direction.

• Repeat in the other direction.

2. Circles Under the Eyes

This exercise may reduce puffiness and increase oxygen circulation. Make use of featherweight, light touches.

• Touch the inside of your eyebrows with your ring finger.

• Tap your fingers lightly in the direction of your eyebrows.

• For a few seconds, apply pressure to your temples.

• Keep tapping to the inner corner of your eyes, above your cheekbones.

• Keep going for 30 seconds.

3. Smoother Brow

The big muscle at the front of your forehead, the frontalis, may relax as a result of this exercise. This muscle is frequently overused, which can result in stress expressions, stiffness, and rigidity.

• With your fingertips pointing inward, place them in the middle of your forehead.

• As you move your fingers toward your temples, gently press them into your forehead.

• Let go of your fingers.

• Keep going for 30 seconds.

4. Massage of the Neck

Neck tension can be reduced and lymphatic drainage increased with a neck massage. Additionally, it may help tighten the sagging skin around your neck and jaw.

• Lean your head back a little.

• Put your fingers on the nape of your neck.

• Slide your fingers down to your collarbone and apply light pressure.

• Release your fingers after a few seconds of pressing into your collarbone.

• Keep going for 30 seconds.

5. Unlocking the Jaw

Your jaw and neck muscles may benefit from this exercise.

• With your thumb facing down, make a fist with your left hand and place it on the outside of your jaw while seated.

• Feel the side of your neck stretch as you turn your head toward your fist.

• Keep your hand still.

• Then, for a few seconds, press your jaw toward your hand.

• Release gently.

• On the other side, repeat.

6. The Breath of a Lion

This yoga breathing technique, also called Lion’s Pose, may help ease tension and relax the muscles in the face.

• Lean forward from a seated position to brace your hands on the floor or your knees.

• Take a deep breath through your nose.

• Spread your mouth wide, extend your tongue, and bring it up to your chin.

• Make a “ha” sound as you forcefully exhale across the base of your tongue.

• Breathe normally and relax.

• Repeat as many as seven times.

• Take one to three deep breaths.

7. Tapping the Face

Tapping may improve circulation and encourage relaxation.

• Tap your skin rhythmically with your fingertips, starting at your forehead.

• Proceed toward your jaw along the entire length of your face.

• Then tap across your shoulders and the front of your neck.

• Then proceed to your head by going up the back of your neck.

• Lastly, create heat by rubbing your palms together.

• Put your hands over your face and take a few deep breaths.