12 Tips For Face Exercises

Face exercises are a natural alternative to restoring and maintaining a youthful appearance. Below are 12 tips to ensure you get the most out of your face exercise routine.

1. Always make sure your face is relaxed before you start.
2. Clean your face and apply a light cream or oil, which helps to minimize any stretching of the skin.
3. Warm up (see below) the muscles before you begin to exercise them, particularly if you are exercising a “problem area” regularly.
4. While you are getting used to the exercises, place a mirror at head height so that you can comfortably follow the moves and watch your face as you exercise.
5. Never pull the skin: in resistance exercises, it is the muscle that must be moved, not the skin.
6. If you feel any pain, stop.  It probably means you are using the wrong muscles.
7. In exercises for muscles that mirror each other on either side of your face, exercise each side equally.  Symmetry is one of the fundamental principles of bodily beauty.
8. Exercise every day if possible: as with other forms of bodily toning, a little regularly is more effective than a bumper session once in a while.
9. Take time over each exercise: there is more benefit in doing one exercise properly than 10 in passing.
10. Relax between exercises.  The relaxation period should be as long as each exercise period.
11. Focus on your breathing and do not hold your breath.
12. Even if you feel tired or in a hurry, follow the “cool down” (see below) routine afterwards.

Warm up.  Standing or sitting upright, extend the arms out to the sides at shoulder height.  Make 10 small circular movements forwards with the whole arm, rotating from the shoulder sockets.  Do the same moving the arms backwards.  Repeat three to five times each way, increasing the size of the circles with each repetition.  This helps loosen up the whole throat and neck area, improving blood flow.

Cool down.  Repeat the procedure for the warm-up, then slump forward with your head almost touching your knees.  The whole upper body should be limp with your arms hanging like pendulums.  Breathe in and out deeply.

For more information on face exercises and proper technique, check out Carole Maggio’s Facercise DVDs.