Good news for beauty lovers chasing the fountain of youth: Science just confirmed what aestheticians and dermatologists have known all along—doing these facial exercises regularly can actually make you look as much as three years younger.
The science behind the moves
You may not need to run straight for the first Botox-filled needle at your dermatologist’s office, because a new study conducted by Northwestern University just revealed that 30 minutes a day of facial exercises, or at least a few times a week, results in a younger appearance with fuller and firmer upper and lower cheeks. That’s great news for people who are seriously committed to natural beauty and saving loads of cash on pricey beauty products.
Do face exercises work for the average woman, though? You’ll be pleased to know the women who took part in the study looked an average of three years younger after 20 weeks of exercise, as rated by dermatologists. If you’re eager to give face exercises a whirl at home, they’re pretty simple, and we spoke to Heidi Frederick, the founder of FaceLove, a beauty business specializing in facial fitness.
Exercise 1: Eye-firming cheek plumper
1. Place both hands horizontally just below your lower lash line and on top of your cheekbones. Index fingers should be under your lashes, while your little fingers are just under cheekbones. Press your hands on the surface of the skin to hold muscles in place.
2. Squint your eyes while squeezing cheeks up toward eyes—like making a squishy sour face. Hold for five counts and repeat three to five times.
Exercise 2: All-over face tone
- Create a resistance platform under your chin by putting your hands together in a flat fist. Squeeze every muscle in your face, squint your eyes, pucker your lips, and tuck your chin to your chest while the platform provides resistance under your chin. It’s helpful to keep your arms and elbows tucked. Hold this for five counts.
- Alternate with the opposite exercise of expansion instead of contraction. Release your platform, lift your eyes up, arch your eyebrows up, open your mouth wide, and slightly lift your chin. Hold for five counts.
- Repeat both movements three to five times.
Do facial exercises work? Only if you do them at least most days of the week, and the all-over face tone is a good one to practice until you memorize it perfectly.
Exercise 3: Jawline defined
- Create a resistance platform under your chin by putting your hands together in a flat fist. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth with your lips while tucking your chin to your chest. Repeat this for five counts holding on the fifth count for five additional counts.
- Alternate this exercise with an open mouth, dropping your chin and jaw to your DIY platform. Repeat for five counts holding on fifth count for five additional counts.
- Repeat three sets, alternating each movement.
