Karin Velikonja, founder of Glowinface (a facial yoga treatment at The Beauty Oasis Spa) discusses the benefits of face yoga
Face Yoga?
Face Yoga is a workout for lifting and toning the muscles on the face and neck. There are 57 muscles on just your face and neck, all closely connected together. Combined with facial bones and fat, face muscles are responsible for creating form and structure to your face.These muscles are similar to those on the body except that they are much smaller in size and so, if they are worked out properly, give visible and fast results. The fact is that through life more than half of facial muscles are not being used and in that way get atrophied. Atrophied muscles sag under the influence of gravitation faster and are causing sagging and wrinkling of the skin, lack of blood circulation and blocked lymph flow. Due to emotions, stress, imbalances in the internal organs (everything shows up on the face), and lack of control over the muscles, their movement often create mimics. This represents fast, uncontrolled muscle movements that drag and wrinkle the skin above it and in that way create wrinkles. The fact here is that even though the muscle is active the person most likely does not have the feeling over it and in that way is not aware and can’t control the muscle movements. With the right technique of muscle activation face exercise brings awareness and control over the muscles and in that way reduces mimic wrinkles.
Face yoga is in that way crucial for muscle activation, lifting and toning of all facial muscles. It is the best natural technique for lifting and returning volume to the face, while at the same time erasing wrinkles. With the right technique of muscle activation face exercise brings awareness and control over the muscles and reduces and prevents mimics. The face workout increases blood circulation in your muscles, skin, brain, and glands, which nurtures your skin from the inside out. Exercise also helps with collagen and elastin production, which gives your skin more elasticity and strength. But you should know that face yoga is not just a regular beauty regimen for the face. It is a potent technique for combating headaches, improving concentration, energy boost and balancing the hormones as it is responsible for improving blood circulation oxygen and nutrients to the internal glands and brain. Face exercise can be used as prevention for sagging and losing volume. At the same time, it can be used as a cure for those who suffer from sagging muscles and skin, lost facial features (the double chin, saggy jawline, nasolabial folds and lack of volume in the cheeks) and wrinkles.
Why has it suddenly become so popular?
Face yoga actually dates all the way back to the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Some historians claim face exercise kept her jowls at bay. . Today many celebrities swear by face exercises, including Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford and Meghan Markle, for example. In January 2018, the first medical study done in Chicago (USA) about face workout was published proving that face exercises can make your face more toned and lifted, help to reduce wrinkle and improve skin structure. This is when Face Yoga started gaining major visibility, becoming more and more known and popular in the aesthetic world.
Are there prominent results and benefits?
By practicing face yoga you will notice a difference, as your face will look more toned, with face muscles lifted, wrinkles reduced, and improved skin elasticity and complexion. I call it a holistic workout as it also helps you concentrate, balances your hormones, and gives you an energy boost. You can see and feel the results after only one practice. You are going to feel more awake, full of energy and your face will look and feel radiant. Permanent results start to appear after approximately 3 weeks and get better with time. The key to achieving great results with face yoga (as with any other exercise) is persistence.
The most important thing when it comes to face yoga is to learn the right technique and sequence of the exercises. You should start slowly, step by step activating every muscle of the face (you first have to activate and get the feeling over the muscle), secondly you should know that due to face muscle anatomy all facial muscles should be activated in order to get the best results possible. Doing only 1 exercise for one particular part of the face you want to improve is useless, as all face muscles are so closely connected together that they influence each other. If you want to lift and tone your cheeks you should first start by activating the muscles on the sides of the face.
How many minutes a day do you need to allocate?
If you know the right exercises and follow the right program it will only take you 10 minutes per day and 30 minutes once per week. In your daily workouts you are concentrating on particular areas of the face you want to improve, while the 30 minutes long face yoga serves for activation of all facial muscles. You can do your 30 minutes workouts at home (by following our online program) or at the spa where a spa therapist is performing our signature Glowinface face yoga facial treatment.
Any tools we need to use to help boost the facial yoga benefits?
I always say that the true power lies in our hands. No tool can replace the potency, energy, warmth and precise movements of our hands, palms, fingers. There is no need for any other tool. The only thing you have to do is to learn how to use your hands properly. The only other thing that will boost the benefits even more is to apply a good skin product after the treatment. Because of improved blood circulation and flow, everything will be absorbed better and your skin will as a result get nurtured from the inside out and from the outside in.
Two face yoga exercises to try at home:
CAT EYES
This exercise tones and lifts the sides of the face (temples) – where there is also the best access to our glands and to our brain. It is concentrated on the upper part of the face and prevents wrinkles from forming around the eyes as it lifts the upper eyelids, opens the face and eliminates stalled lymph from the lower eyelid. It also helps to reduce the nasolabial wrinkles. By putting pressure on this area, we improve blood circulation all over the skull, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the cells. It also helps to improve vision, balances the hormonal system, reduces headaches and brings energy.
Put your palm ends onto the temples (temporalis muscles) and with your fingers embrace the head – the palm ends have to cover the end of your eyebrows. Press into the muscle first with your palms, and then press also backwards and up (we want to create ‘cat eyes’ and lift the face). Close your eyes intensely and feel the resistance (you have to squint with your eyes). Your neck, shoulders and other facial muscles must be relaxed. Take deep breaths and hold every position.
TOTAL FACELIFT
This exercise rejuvenates, lifts and tones all 57 muscles on the face and neck. It also balances the most important glands in our body; hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal gland, thyroid and thymus, and revitalizes the skin incredibly on the face, neck and décolletage. Do this to give your skin radiance. The exercise is based on Chinese medicine, and it nurtures all five major internal organs that can be seen on the face (liver, heart, lungs, spleen, kidneys). The best time to implement this exercise in your routine is in the morning, because it boosts your energy, wakes you up and clears your mind.
Breathe deeply, lift the corners of your mouth and smile by making a long and narrow “O” with your mouth. Do this pose for a few seconds, breathe and feel the muscles stretching. Then pull strongly your upper and lower lip inwards (over your teeth) and hold it make sure that your “O” is still long and narrow and that your lips are not closed). Lift your cheeks up (as you would do while smiling) – you have to pull the smile from the corners of your mouth and up (be careful not to create wrinkles around the eyes). Hold the previous steps, close your eyes and rotate them backwards (this will strengthen the lower lid and activate hypothalamus). Make your “O” even longer, lift your cheeks up and lift your head up and back. Place your fingers onto the temples and press into the muscles and up (to prevent wrinkles around the eye area. Breathe deeply and repeat at least 3 times for 30 seconds.
Glowinface is brought to the UAE by The Beauty Oasis Spa, a homegrown luxury concept spa founded by Sara Al Murad. The spa, nestled in Ajman, features a luxurious three floor facility combining a fully functional spa, salon, nail area, gymnasium, as well as a fully enclosed wet area comprising of a pool, steam and sauna rooms, along with a healthy eatery all in one. The ‘Glowinface’ treatment is available with prior booking at The Beauty Oasis spa, all through Saturday to Thursday from 9AM – 9PM. Dhs300-450, contact 06-7466677 or visit www.thebeautyoasisspa.com
