If you’re unfamiliar with anti-aging facial exercises, you may have instead heard them called facial yoga. Because yes, facial yoga is indeed a trend that could help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, and the like. The goal of implementing facial exercises into your day-to-day skincare routine is that, combined with some of your anti-aging product go-tos, you can combat signs of facial aging.
The “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” adage fully applies when it comes to skincare. It’s much easier to prevent wrinkles than to get rid of them once they’re already formed. And ridding yourself of wrinkles with natural skin products, luxe facial treatments, and facial exercises can be a desirable alternative to a surgical route.
Whether you’re working on preventing crow’s feet or you’re keen on getting rid of the forehead lines, these anti-aging facial exercises can be done at home or on-the-go while traveling.
To tone (and firm) cheeks
Standing up straight, inhale deeply and hold your breath with your cheeks blown out. With your cheeks inflated, slowly move the air from one cheek to the other. Repeat this 10 times, seven days a week.
The perfect product to follow this exercise: Sunday Riley’s Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment, $158, sephora.com
To correct laugh lines
You’ll start by smiling as widely as possible, with your lips closed. While smiling, wrinkle your nose. Keep your nose wrinkled, close your smile and pucker your lips. Holding this position with your face, pull your chin down with your fingertips. For this exercise, you’ll want to hold every position (first the smiling nose wrinkle, then adding the lip pucker, then adding the element of holding your chin down) for five seconds each. So one complete iteration of this exercise should take 15 seconds. Repeat this ritual 10 times.
The perfect product to follow with this exercise: La Mer’s The Renewal Oil, $245, neimanmarcus.com
To smooth brow lines
Start by putting the tips of your fingers on your forehead between your brows and your hairline, near where your widow’s peak would be. Your palms should be facing outward, away from each other. Gently press your fingertips into your forehead, and move them slowly out toward your temples. Repeat this about 10 times, up to six times a week.
The perfect product to follow this exercise: Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream, $74, sephora.com
To firm skin that’s starting to sag
First, put your lips over your teeth, such that your teeth aren’t at all visible, and form an “O” shape with your mouth. Keeping your lips here, extend the corners of your lips, so your mouth goes from an “O” to an east-west oval. Continuing moving your mouth from the “O” to the oval and back again about six times.
The perfect product to follow this exercise: Marc Jacobs Beauty’s Youthquake Hydra-full Retexturing Gel Crème, $59, sephora.com
To prevent crow’s feet
Make two peace signs with each hand, and flip them onto your face so your middle fingers are sitting at the point between where your eyebrows and nose begin. Your index fingers should be sitting between the outer edges of your eyebrows and your temple. Gently use your index fingers to apply slight pressure to the space near your temples. Looking up, raise your lower eyelids toward the upper lids, which should culminate in a squint. Then release. Repeat this motion about six times, finally squeezing your eyes closed to seal in the exercise for about 10 seconds.
The perfect product to follow this exercise: Caudalie’s Premier Cru Anti-Aging Eye Cream, $99, sephora.com
