Natural alternative to Botox with Face Yoga

If you have been part of Sana Naturals Tribe for a while you must know by now that I'm not really an 'anti-ageing' crusader. I'm more a proponent of gentle and nourishing skincare products and practices that encourage healthy glowing skin. Although I'm an advocate for the gentler approach, I completely understand the appeal of looking youthful. So how do we get rid of lines without Botox or strong skincare products that may be harsh for the skin?

I have recently discovered Face Yoga at Face and Body Yoga and I'm totally hooked. It not only enhances youthful look by helping shape up face muscles and smooth lines, but also has many other benefits, including relaxation and supporting body wellness.

And you can do an online Face Yoga class with Face and Body Yoga on Zoom without leaving your house, no matter which part of the world you live in, and this is just so handy. 

Let's be honest, we all want to look youthful, glowing and our best and Face Yoga helps achieve exactly this in a gentle and non-invasive way, with some extra benefits.

Read the science behind Face Yoga in a recent interview with Simona, the founder and teacher at Yoga Passion Dublin.  

Q&A with Simona Klime, the founder and teacher at Face and Body Yoga

What is Face Yoga?

Face Yoga is a natural way of looking and feeling younger and healthier with an added sense of relaxation and wellbeing. It is a combination of face exercises, face massage, face acupressure and face relaxation.

Many techniques in Face Yoga are rooted in Eastern philosophies and practices which have been used for thousands of years in India, China and Japan. These practices have been passed down through generations and proven time and time again to be helpful for both aesthetics and health.

The practice is also very much based on modern research and techniques which look at the science of the face, how it is composed and how it should be treated.   

Can Face Yoga slow down ageing?

Face Yoga practice can slow down the aging process and the most recent and most significant studies were carried out in January 2018 by Northwestern University in the USA.

Participants did 30 minutes of Face Yoga, the majority of which were facial exercises, for 20 weeks and were assessed by a team of skin and medical professionals. For those that did it daily, it showed an almost 3 year age decrease in the 20 weeks.

The lead author Dr. Murad Alam, vice chair and professor of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine dermatologist said “Now there is some evidence that facial exercises may improve facial appearance and reduce some visible signs of aging. The exercises enlarge and strengthen the facial muscles, so the face becomes firmer and more toned and shaped like a younger face.”

When talking of the specific exercises participants performed daily he added “Facial exercises that may be beneficial include those that entail puckering and squeezing the cheeks,” Alam said. “There are many muscles that collectively allow movement of the cheeks, and our study showed that building these up makes the upper and lower cheeks look fuller.”

Could you explain how anti-ageing face yoga work? 

Just as your body needs regular exercise to stay toned and firm, the 57 muscles in the face and neck also need to be exercised. As they become stronger through exercise they are lifted and firmed and the skin attached to the muscles is also lifted and tautened, therefore reducing lines and wrinkles. As the muscles are much smaller than those in the body, it takes a lot less time for them to increase in strength and tone. 

Regularly massaging the face using anti-aging Face Yoga techniques, you will increase the circulation, lymph flow and remove toxins. This will reduce poor skin tone, puffiness and dark circles and allow the skin to look healthier and more youthful. The massage techniques will also increase the collagen and elastin, the natural plumping agents which will mean a firmer and healthier complexion. 

Who is Face Yoga for? 

Face Yoga is for everyone. Face Yoga is very useful if you want to reduce signs of ageing and tension. Whether you are starting to see the first signs of ageing or if you have deep set lines and wrinkles, the exercises and techniques will be beneficial for you. It is never too late to start improving the health of your face.

How does Face Yoga affect your skin?

All the exercises in anti-aging Face Yoga work the hypodermis or the lower layer of the skin (the muscles and fatty tissue), the dermis or the middle layer (the connective tissue) and the epidermis or the upper layer (the cells). By working all these layers correctly it will increase the blood circulation, allowing more oxygen and more nourishment to reach the cells of the skin (upper layer).

The result is a clear, healthy complexion with a beautiful glow which has less toxins and has a better ability to absorb moisture. 

How fast can one see the first anti-ageing results?

You will see and feel some difference straight away. Your muscles may feel they have had a good workout (just like with body exercise), you will see and feel less tension in the face and you will have a rosy glow.

Everyone has different faces so the time it takes to see changes varies from person to person. As a general rule you will start to see more of a long term improvement in your face and neck after 2 weeks. After 2-4 months, you will notice you have less fine lines and less tension and people will notice you look healthier and more energised. Within 6-9 months people have reported that they look and feel many years younger and feel more relaxed within themselves.

What are other benefits of Face Yoga beside the anti-ageing effect?

Anti-aging Face Yoga helps not only reduce lines and firm face muscles, but also helps to relax, it can do wonders for your overall health and happiness.  Taking time to relax, do something for you, and knowing you will look and feel better as a result may mean you also notice yourself feeling calmer and more energised as well as looking younger and healthier. What happens on the inside, radiates on the outside.

How does a Face Yoga class at the Yoga Passion Dublin look like? 

I teach one hour long anti-aging Yoga Class and we always start the practice with relaxation and breathing exercises to center ourselves, to feel more present and to calm down the mind. Then we move to Upper Face and Lower Face workouts to firm the face muscles and skin attached to those muscles. 

We finish the practice with face lift massage, acupressure and relaxation. 

To discover more about Face Yoga and Yoga in general visit Face and Body Yoga website

 

 

 

 

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