Facial Exercise

A Guide To The Muscles Of The Neck & Face

November 24, 2015 by Natalie Taylor

Image: Illya Zorya

The muscles of the face and neck are among the vital muscles of the body. Without them, movement and certain body functions like swallowing and chewing will be impossible. Hence, knowing what these muscles are and what they do is important as it can help us make better choices for both our health and body.

Muscles of the Face

The facial muscles is a unique muscle group. Unlike other muscles in the body that are connected solely to bones, most facial muscles connect the bones to the skin. This unique connection of muscles to bones and skin enable certain vital body functions. For example, the muscles zygomaticus major and orbicularis oris make it possible for us to make different facial expressions and move our cheeks and lips when we speak and eat.
The simple acts of biting and chewing also involves several facial muscles. These include the mastication, masseter, and temporalis muscles. The mastication muscles move the mandible while the masseter and temporalis muscles move the jaw during chewing.
Facial muscles are responsible for tongue movement. Four sets of extrinsic muscles work together to move the tongue into any direction.
Eye movement is also made possible with facial muscles. Six extrinsic eye muscles work together in great accuracy and speed to enable eye movement and rotation. Inside the eyes is another set of muscles that make it possible for us to dilate the pupils and focus on objects.
The facial muscles are not limited to those that can be found in the eyes, cheeks, and mouth; they can also be found inside the ears. Stapedius, the smallest muscle, controls the movement of the stapes to help control the amplitude of sound waves coming from the external environment.

Muscles of the Neck

The muscles of the neck play an important role in the gross motor movement of the head and neck. These muscles, the sternocleidomastoid and the trapezius, work together so we can move our head in every direction that we want.
By working in pairs, these muscles enable us to flex or extend our head and neck. And by working individually, these muscles enable head rotation or neck flexion either to the left or right.

Taking Care of the Face and Neck Muscles

Just like the rest of the muscles of the body, our face and neck muscles can also lose their elasticity and flexibility in the long run. And just like the rest of our muscles, they need to be ‘worked out’ to keep them from sagging.
It’s when the muscles of the face and neck start to sag that the signs of aging become more apparent. This is where facial exercise becomes beneficial.
Facial exercise is created out of a basic premise that the facial muscles are just like the other muscles of the body. If they are not ‘moved’ regularly, they can sag and make you look old.
Facial exercise advocates advise doing it for at least a minute on a regular basis (the earlier, the better) to make the most of its benefits.
For starters, here’s some examples of facial exercise routines that can be easily done at home:

Forehead exercise: Place your hand on the side of your forehead, just near your temple. Make sure that your thumb is positioned nicely at the lower hairline while the pinky finger at the end of your eyebrow. Use your pinky finger to gently pull your skin towards your hairline. While your skin is taut, move your eyebrows rapidly up and down.
Another way to exercise the muscles of your forehead is to raise your eyebrow as high as possible while you pull the skin taut. Hold it for 5 seconds then repeat gain. You can repeat this routine for 5 times each day.
Cheeks exercise: Start by placing an index finger on the middle of your cheeks. Then, start making small but firm outer circles. While you do this, make an “O” shape from your lips, extending it as far as possible. Pull your lips back and do it again.
Neck exercise: While tipping your head back, slide your lower lip over your upper lip. Hold it for 5 seconds then relax. Repeat it for five times.

The facial gestures and head movements we do each day may seem so simple but behind them is a network of muscles working together to make them possible. So take care of them. Simple routines like the ones outlined above can benefit not just your facial muscles but as well your skin.

Myths and Facts About Your Sagging Face

November 10, 2015 by Natalie Taylor

Let’s face it. Change happens in our body and on our skin as we age. Some of these changes can be a great source of annoyance especially for us women. And one of these annoying skin changes is facial sagging.
While the internet has provided us with tons of resources on how to prevent it, it’s also filled with fallacies that keep us from doing what is right.
It’s time to put an end to these myths and find out what’s really true about our sagging face.
Here’s the myths and truth about facial sagging:

Running leads to facial sagging

MYTH: Running causes the body to bounce up and down but it’s least likely to cause facial sagging. Sagging skin is an age-related problem brought about by the loss of collagen. Collagen is what makes your skin elastic. And as we age, we start to lose it. It’s when we start to lose collagen that our skin begins to sag.
So keep on running. It’s good for both your health and skin.

Unprotected sun exposure can lead to facial sagging

FACT: If you running outdoors under the intense heat of the sun, then you’re more likely to suffer from premature aging.
Staying outdoors for long perios without any form of skin protection can expose you longer to UV rays which can eventually break down your collagen. When you lose your collagen, your face starts to droop.
The solution? Slather up with broad-spectrum sunblock if you head outside even if you can’t see the sun. It’s also best to avoid prolonged sun exposure especially between 11 am and 2 pm, when the sun is strongest.

Tummy sleeping causes facial sagging

MYTH: Sleeping on your abdomen or any other sleeping position doesn’t cause your face to sag BUT it does result in sleep wrinkles. These are the fine lines you see on your face when you wake up. This isn’t a problem if you’re young as the skin is elastic enough to bounce back easily. However, when you’re older these lines can stay for long.
You don’t have to worry if you’re a big fan of tummy sleeping as there are sleeping devices these days that promote sleeping on your back. An example is a sleep pillow which is a specially formulated pillow that minimizes the contact between your face and the pillow each time you roll on your side.

Weight loss causes your skin to sag

FACT: There are two main causes of skin sagging. One is the loss of collagen which promotes skin elasticity and the other one is the loss of facial fat.
When you gain weight, all the skin on your body stretches. So when you lose weight and starts to age, you will notice skin sagging in the form of eye bags and a slack jaw. It’s the result of both the loss of collagen and facial fat.

Facial exercises can reduce skin sagging

FACT: Facial exercises can reduce skin sagging as they increase the size of the facial muscles and hence, can help get rid of expression lines.
There are facial workout moves that are shown to be effective in preventing jowls or skin sagging around the jawline. These include moves like lifting the lower lip over the top lip, sticking out the tongue and pointing it toward the ceiling, lifting the head upward, and putting pressure on your chin as you open your mouth and lower your jaw.
Facial sagging may be inevitable as we age but there are certainly a lot of ways to prevent or minimize it. If you’re afraid of needles and don’t want to go under the knife, then facial exercises can be a good option. It’s easier to do and it’s less expensive than cosmetic surgeries and treatments.

Image: Pedro Simoes

3 Facial Exercises & Tips For A Beautiful Smile

October 27, 2015 by Natalie Taylor

The popularity of photo-sharing apps makes you want to be always ready for instant photo ops. When it comes to taking pictures, one thing will always stand out – your smile. So whether it’s a selfie or a groupie, you always want to give your best smile. If you think you aren’t the best when it comes to the smile department, there are ways on how you can improve it.
Facial exercises are not just surgery-free alternatives for achieving young-looking, radiant skin; they can also help you improve your smile. The following facial exercises can help you achieve a more beautiful smile:

Silly Rabbit

The silly rabbit is a good facial exercise for improving the tone of your cheeks and increasing the flexibility and control of your smile.

This exercise will make you look silly (hence the name) so if you find it hard to control yourself from laughing, then it’s best to do it away from the mirror.
You begin the silly rabbit by smiling as wide as you can. Initially, you aim for the widest smile, preferably an ear-to-ear grin without opening your lips. You’ll then move your nose like a rabbit until you feel your cheek muscles are starting to engage with your smile. Hold this pose for 5 seconds before repeating it again. Do this 10 times.

Smile Line Eraser

Also known as the fish pose, the smile line eraser is effective for reducing the fine lines around your lips. This contributes to a more youthful look and more brilliant smile.
This facial exercise begins by puckering up, that is, pursing your lips with your cheeks sucked in. While on this pose, you try to smile until you feel the mild aching sensation surrounding your mouth. Release the pose and do it again the following day. You only do this once to avoid too much strain on your facial muscles.

Smile Exercise

The smile exercise is a simple facial exercise that allows you to have better control of the facial muscles directly involved in smiling.

To begin with the smile exercise, your face and lips should be in their most relaxed state. You then begin stretching the corners of the mouth without opening your lips. After holding it for 10 seconds, you expand the stretch until you expose the edge of your teeth. You hold this for another 10 seconds and then you stretch further until you expose half of your teeth.
On the last round of smile stretching, you smile as wide as you can until you are showing all of your teeth. Hold this pose for 10 seconds before you release it. Repeat the process but this time, you begin with your widest smile then gradually reducing the stretch.

More Tips For a Beautiful Smile

While facial exercises can help you achieve that beautiful smile, there are other things you can do to achieve it.

Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables

Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables isn’t just good advice for maintaining good health; it can also do good for your pearly whites. Fruits like strawberries are natural teeth whiteners, helping you get rid of plaque. Other good sources of natural teeth whiteners are crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples and celery.

Don’t smoke

You’ll do your health a favor by quitting smoking or avoiding it on the first place. Aside from the risk of developing lung cancer, smoking can also lead to gum and teeth problems like gum diseases, teeth staining, and bad breath.

Floss daily

We’ve all heard of this advice but how many of us do actually do this on a regular basis? Flossing may seem like a simple hygienic practice but it does a great job in preventing dental problems. It can get rid of food particles and plaque that regular brushing can’t.

Minimize your sugar intake

Every time you eat or drink anything with sugar, you are increasing your teeth’s risk of developing tooth decay. So minimize your sugar intake including those that you usually have between meals.

Be confident

Oftentimes, it’s just all about confidence. If you’re confident with yourself, it’ll show up even in the way you smile.

Most of the best things in life are free and smiling is one of them. It’s a simple way to connect with another human being and an expression of happiness and gratefulness for this life. So go ahead and show your best smile! Try these tips and facial exercises and let the world see the happiness in you.

Image: Rory MacLeod

7 Simple Facial Exercises & Skin Care Tips For Busy Women

October 13, 2015 by Natalie Taylor

Jennifer Lopez, Martha Stewart, Jane Fonda, and Halle Berry – these women shared something in common. Aside from having an amazing career, these women don’t look like their age! It’s because these women make sure that they take care of their skin no matter how busy they are.

Facial Exercises: An Option for Youthful Glow

For years, facial exercises have been believed to contribute to youthful appearance. Hence, it’s no longer surprising why facial yoga has become a huge hit among women who wanted to look younger but don’t want to go under the knife.
Facial yoga is a series of exercises that involve stretching or moving different areas of the face. Its proponents believed that facial muscles are just like any other set of muscles in the body. If they are not used, they would lose their elasticity and sag, giving you wrinkles and other facial signs of aging.
The good thing with facial exercises is that anyone can do them anywhere even within the comfort of one’s home. It can be learned through video tutorials or under the guidance of an expert.

Easy Facial Exercises and Skin Care Tips for Busy Women

In contrast to what some women believed, facial exercises can be done even if you only have a few minutes each day for your skin care ritual. Here are some simple facial exercises and skin care tips for busy women like you:
1. Stay Hydrated
This may sound simple but you’ll be surprised to know that two-thirds of Americans are not drinking enough. This is alarming considering the role of water in keeping normal body processes and in maintaining healthy-looking skin.

Skin is just like any other organ in the body. It’s made up of cells that require water for proper functioning. If it’s not receiving the right amount of hydration, it will appear dry, flaky, and tight. And these make the skin more prone to wrinkling.
Being busy is not an excuse not to meet the required amount of water each day. By taking regular small sips all throughout the day, you can meet the required hydration for both your skin and overall health.
2. Use Sunscreen
Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between UV, sun exposure, and visible aging of a woman’s face. Unless you’d like to look like 60 even when you’re still in your 40s, then applying sunscreen before heading outside is a smart choice.

For better protection, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen preferably with an SPF of 30 or higher as it protects your skin both from UVA and UVB rays. When you’re wearing makeup, it’s also best to choose varieties with SPF.
3. Try The V
The V is an example of a facial exercise that is good for drooping eyelids and eye puffiness. This can be a good alternative to Botox or eye surgery. To do the V, press the inner corner of the eyebrow using the middle finger and the outer corner using the index finger. While looking up, raise the lower eyelids upwards then relax. Repeat six times for 10 seconds.
4. Smooth The Brow
Smooth the brow is another easy-to-do facial exercise for a youthful look. This targets the forehead lines and can be a good alternative to Botox.

To smooth the brow, start by placing both hands on your forehead with fingers spread out between your eyebrows and hairline. Sweep your fingers across your forehead, moving outwards. Apply light pressure while doing this. Repeat 10 times.
5. Do The ‘Giraffe’
The ‘Giraffe’ is good for loose skin on the neck. To do the ‘Giraffe,’ look up and using your fingertips, stroke lightly your neck’s skin downwards. Bring your head down to your chest then repeat.
6. Know Your Skin Type
Knowing your skin type allows you to easily pick products that you can stick with. This is important especially that you don’t have the luxury of time to try every friend’s suggestion.
7. Opt For Multi-Purpose Products
There are a lot of things going inside your head so why would you settle for 3 products if one product can do the moisturizing, anti-aging, and concealing at the same time? Multi-purpose skin care products are the smart women’s tools for getting healthy-looking skin in a snap.
Whether you’re a full-time mom or a career woman, taking care of yourself should be one of your priorities. You can use these tips to look good each day even if you have the most hectic schedule.

Image: Lauren Hammond

Are Facial Exercises a Real Alternative to Cosmetic Surgery

September 23, 2015 by Natalie Taylor

For years, people particularly women, have been obsessed in looking younger that many are willing to spend thousands of dollars just to gain back the youthful look. Cosmetic facial surgeries like botox injections and dermal fillers have become increasingly popular in response to this growing need.
But for a group of women who can’t tolerate invasive procedures and who find it impractical to spend thousands of dollars to look young, facial exercises have become the next best option.
Facial exercises are no longer new. They have been practised by French women, like Madame Ninon de L’Enclos in 1700s for the same belief that they can help women like her maintain her young-looking skin. However, the practice of moving the facial muscles only started to make a name in the beauty department when Senta Maria Runge published her book Face Lifting By Exercise in 1960s.

What are Facial Exercises

Facial exercises pertain to the routinary movement of the facial muscles with the belief that doing so regularly can help lift, tone, and firm the skin, preventing the development of wrinkles and other signs of aging.
According to the proponents of facial exercises, the facial muscles are like all the other muscles of the body. If you don’t work on them, they’ll end up sagging. But if you take time to move them, you can eventually tone and tighten them, leading to better skin tone and less skin tension. And that’s what gives you a youthful look.
Examples of facial exercises include puckering your lips while sucking in your cheeks, inhaling and holding your breath then moving the air back and forth from one cheek to another, pressing down your forehead as you try to lift your eyebrows, and looking up at the ceiling while puckering your lips out.

Advantages of Facial Exercises

There are a lot of reasons why facial exercises are a sell-out. For one, they are so easy to do. DVDs and free videos online can easily teach you how to do them on your own. While there are pop-up boutiques that cater to the facial exercise needs of people, one can easily do them in their own home.
Another reason why facial exercises are so popular is because they are non-invasive. For people who can’t bear the fact that they need to go under the knife to look young again, facial exercises, which basically doesn’t require you to put something on or in your skin, have become the next best option.
Lastly, facial exercises are cheap. You can do it within the comfort of your own home for free! There are a lot of free videos online where you can learn for no cost at all.

The Effectiveness of Facial Exercises

Proponents of facial exercises claim that this form of exercise is effective in helping you attain a younger-looking skin as movement of your facial muscles can improve the oxygen and blood supply to your skin, which promotes collagen production and prevents fine lines from developing.
Annelise Hagen, the author of The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift, said that facial muscles are no different from all the other muscles we have in our body.
If we don’t move them, they will end up getting flabby. And just what yoga can do to the body, facial yoga can also help in toning the facial muscles.
For Eva Fraser, a facial fitness instructor who is often mistaken for being 20 years younger than her actual age, the only way to find out if it works for you is to try it. She recommends trying it out 10 minutes a day for 6 months.
Science doesn’t seem to agree though with the claims of these women and all other facial exercise enthusiasts. In a study conducted regarding the effectiveness of facial exercises for facial rejuvenation, it was found out that the evidence is not enough to prove that this form of exercise can actually help in facial rejuvenation.

In Summary

There may be in congruence with what women and science are saying regarding facial exercises on facial rejuvenation but as what Fraser has said, the only way to find out if it works for you is to try it. It also helps to do it together with other healthy skin practices like applying sunblock before sun exposure, not smoking, and having a healthy and balanced diet.