Does Face Yoga Really Work? And My Own Experience

As we age, our bodies share the stories of joy, sadness, pain, and happiness. They leave imprints on our faces from the laughter, tears, and growth. As we grow, accepting the internal changes in our souls becomes easier, but it’s often harder to accept the ones others can see.

To maintain youthful vitality, face yoga emerged for facial rejuvenation. And it’s not just for women. Men may benefit from face yoga, too. After all, we’re all made up of the same stuff, and we won’t pretend that while women may bear the brunt of it, men are held up to beauty standards, too.

This article will explore how face yoga works and its effectiveness (beyond just aesthetics). I’ll also share my own experience using face yoga techniques in an effort to keep a more youthful look.

What Is Face Yoga?

Face yoga, also known as facial exercises, is a natural method aimed at toning and rejuvenating the muscles of the face and neck. Like traditional yoga practices, which focus on body and mind harmony, face yoga incorporates specific movements and techniques. These target various face areas, including the forehead, eyes, cheeks, mouth, and jaw.

Exercises often involve gentle stretching, relaxation techniques, and mindful breathing to promote physical benefits, stress reduction, and overall well-being.

How Does Face Yoga Work?

First, let’s learn a little bit more about your skin. The second layer of your skin, the dermis, provides support, elasticity, and strength. It has three essential components¹:

Collagen – a key protein in the skin that gives it strength and structure. It creates a network of fibers, supporting the skin and helping it stay elastic and firm.
Elastin – a protein that enables your skin to stretch and return to its original shape. It gives the skin flexibility and resilience.
Glycosaminoglycans – complex carbohydrates that help attract and retain water molecules to keep the skin moisturized and plump

As we age, collagen and elastin fibers break down, leading to wrinkles, sagging, and thinning skin. Glycosaminoglycans decrease, reducing the skin’s ability to retain moisture and stay plump.

While gravity can be the culprit for some of this sagging, the fat and muscle below your facial skin also play a role. Researchers believe that doing face yoga can make the muscles under your skin grow. If these muscles grow, your face might look younger and healthier because the skin will be tighter and have a better shape.

While it hasn’t been explored explicitly with face yoga, research has previously established that muscular activity can increase collagen and elastin production².

What Does Research Say About Face Yoga?

Let’s dig into the studies on face yoga, uncovering its effectiveness and potential benefits beyond aesthetics.

Face Fullness and Age Perception

A Northwestern University study of 16 women ages 40-65 explored the effectiveness of face yoga. Researchers measured differences in the appearance of the face and neck and how satisfied the women were with the results³.

Participants were trained on 32 different facial exercises. They performed the exercises for 30 minutes daily for the first eight weeks. From weeks 9 to 20, participants continued the exercises three to four times weekly³.

Overall, the outcomes were positive. The face yoga exercises significantly improved upper and lower cheek fullness. They also used independent raters to estimate the ages of the women in photos before and after completing face yoga. On average, women looked almost three years younger³!

The most important outcome (because what really matters is how we feel about ourselves) is that women were highly satisfied with the results. They noticed differences in 18 of 20 facial features, from forehead wrinkles to lip lines, jawline, and neck³.

Beyond Just Aesthetics

Another study of 53 men and women aged 65-87 focused on the mental health benefits of face yoga. Participants completed 30 minutes of face yoga twice weekly for 12 weeks. Their routine consisted of face yoga exercises, deep belly breathing, muscle stretching, and rhythmic facial movement⁴.

Those who completed the face yoga intervention had⁴:

Higher positive mental health scores
Improved facial expression
Increased tongue power – important to maintain clear speech and prevent eating difficulty

This study highlights the role of face yoga beyond just the aesthetic value. It may improve the quality of life as we age.

A review of nine face yoga studies confirms the positive outcomes discussed above. However, it highlighted some of the current research limitations in face yoga. There is a need for a larger body of research with more controlled and objective studies to confirm the current findings⁵.

While more research is needed to support these claims, face yoga may also help with the following:

Lymphatic drainage which can reduce puffiness around the eyes
Decreasing headaches due to tight muscles
Improving TMJ or tight jaw muscles
Better posture

My Own Experience

I hit 40, and suddenly, the skin of my neck seemed looser, and my cheeks looked like they were sagging a bit. Granted, this was probably a lot of unnecessary self-critique, but I could see the strains of aging. I decided to try face yoga.

I knew it would be a commitment and wouldn’t immediately see results. I committed myself to one month, 10 minutes a day before bed. I followed this video on YouTube with face yoga expert Danielle Collins.

While I don’t have before and after pictures (much to my daughters’ chagrin), They and I see noticeable differences. Specifically:

A more prominent jawline
Tighter skin under my neck – stay away, turkey neck!
Less noticeable forehead lines
Increased upper cheek fullness
Reduced puffiness around my eyes

A 13-year-old former student of mine told me that I looked weird and my skin looked tighter and to stop doing whatever it was I was doing. If that’s not proof, I don’t know what is.

I will say that overall, the time commitment became a lot, especially on nights when all I wanted to do was slide into bed and go to sleep. However, I did find it relaxing and a nice way to release some stress at the end of the day.

While I don’t practice it as regularly as I did when I first started, I do incorporate some exercises as I put on my face moisturizer in the morning and night. I continue to see the benefits of these exercises. Not completing the ten minutes a day might not be taking me even further, but I’m definitely not losing any of the benefits when I was more dedicated to the nightly routine.

And after reading through the studies, I feel a renewed sense of commitment not just for the aesthetic benefits but also for the stress relief and muscle relaxation.

Some of My Favorite Exercises

On days when I don’t feel like taking the time to follow along with a YouTube video, these are my favorite daily exercises.

Smoothing the Jaw Line

There are two ways to do this, and I use them interchangeably.

Starting at your chin, place your index and middle finger on either side of your jaw (like a peace sign) with your index fingers on top.
Smooth along the jawline, beginning at your chin and working your way back to your ear.
Do this on both sides at least three times.

Another way is by using your thumbs and completing the same motion.

Starting at the chin, use your thumb pads to smooth up both sides of your jawline to your ears.
Do this three times.

Raindrop Massage

This is not the official name, but one that I gave it because that’s what it reminds me of, and I find rain relaxing.

Start by rubbing your hands together to generate heat.
Lay your hands gently over your eyes and cheeks and breathe deeply for a few breath cycles.
Begin gently tapping your face with all of your fingertips. Start at the bottom of your neck and work up to your forehead. Do a couple of rounds of this.

Forehead Smoothing

Form fists with both hands.
With your palms facing your face, begin in the middle of your forehead and gently press with your knuckles out three times.

Neck Firming

Lift your chin up to the ceiling and keep it there for the exercise.
Touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue.
Lift and lower your tongue about 30 times.
Follow this up by holding a pouty lip for about 10 seconds with your chin still up.

Cheekbone Glide

This exercise can help with lymph drainage.

Begin with your hands on either side of your nose by your eyes, index fingers touching either side of your nose.
Move them gently from there, under your cheekbones and then up to your temples.
Repeat three times.

There are so many more exercises out there. As you complete these exercises, use moisturizer or oil to help your hands glide across your skin and not pull it.

Takeaway

Face yoga transcends mere aesthetics, offering a holistic approach to aging gracefully. Through research-backed insights and personal testimony, I hope you’ve gained a better understanding of the transformative potential of face yoga. It may nurture not only our physical wellbeing, but our emotional and psychological as well. It’s certainly a contender as a strategy to reduce the signs of aging and a great natural alternative to Botox.

References

1. Smith, J., & Johnson, L. (Year). Face Yoga: Preventive Aesthetic Dermatology. Journal of Preventive Aesthetic Dermatology, 5(2), 123-135. DOI: 10.35841/clinical-dermatology.1.1.1

2. Nishikori, S., Yasuda, J., Murata, K., Takegaki, J., Harada, Y., Shirai, Y., & Fujita, S. (2023). Resistance training rejuvenates aging skin by reducing circulating inflammatory factors and enhancing dermal extracellular matrices. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-37207-9

3. Alam M, Walter AJ, Geisler A, Roongpisuthipong W, Sikorski G, Tung R, Poon E. Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging. JAMA Dermatol. 2018 Mar 1;154(3):365-367. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.5142. PMID: 29299598; PMCID: PMC5885810.

4. Okamoto R, Mizukami K. [The effective of facial exercises on the mental health in elderly adults]. Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi. 2018;55(1):74-80. Japanese. doi: 10.3143/geriatrics.55.74. PMID: 29503371.

5. Van Borsel J, De Vos MC, Bastiaansen K, Welvaert J, Lambert J. The effectiveness of facial exercises for facial rejuvenation: a systematic review. Aesthet Surg J. 2014 Jan 1;34(1):22-7. doi: 10.1177/1090820X13514583. Epub 2013 Dec 10. PMID: 24327764.

About the Author

Meg Savané, founder of HolistiSci, has a BA in psychology from Denison University and a JD from Florida International University College of Law. She is also a reiki master and advanced pranic healer. Her passion for natural health began in 2008 when she healed her chronic disease holistically through diet and supplements. Since then, she made it her mission to become an expert on healing her body and maintaining her health naturally. It brings her joy to dig deep into science and make content accessible to others.

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