From face fillers to botox, there are so many ways in today's world for us to reshape our faces. But what if there was a way to liven and tone our skin without going under the needle? We already know about the magical benefits that a gua sha tool can have, but luckily for those who still haven't gotten around to purchasing the stone, there is a way to get similar results by using your hands (and even your tongue). Let's see if facial exercises are really worth the hype...
Expert facialist, Abigail James, had an "ah-ha" moment nearly 15 years ago where she realized that her Ayurveda lymphatic massage practice could also work on the face. And ever since, she has worked with hundreds of clients, helping them get that glowy, healthy plump we all want. James explained, "In our face, not all of the muscles are connected bone to bone, some of them are actually attached to each other so that we can express. We still get tension in those muscles – you can look at someone's face and immediately see if they're stressed, happy, or upset." The facialist is a firm believer in using the touch of our own hands over using tools like a jade roller or gua sha. "Where you've got tight muscles, you're going to have fluid that won't be able to pass through as easily because there's tension. With massage, you can work along stretching out those muscles to release that tension."
By doing facial exercises, we help the tight muscles get loosened up and in turn, we look snatched! The technique has been used for a while, but only now has mainstream media gotten a hold of it thanks to the wellness obsession TikTok influencers have. There are even experts when it comes to face yoga, including Danielle Collins, who said, "Facial massage is about helping to boost blood circulation, and when we do that we bring fresh blood and nutrients up to the skin surface." Her process uses a mix of both massages and facial stretches. Yes, stretching... just like we do with our back and leg muscles during yoga! "It also works on lymphatic drainage, helping to remove the toxins from our skin and ease any tension."
Sponsored
One person even created the FaceGym. "When you're actually pulling and pushing your muscles, you get an exhaustion, and the muscle is strengthening because it's working out," Inge Theron, skincare specialist, explained. Stay tuned for more beauty hacks!
