The Science Behind Facial Yoga

Gua sha, jade rolling and ice rolling are being taken to the next level with the latest face-improvement trend: facial yoga. 

The best part is that there’s no additional purchase needed, just time. All it takes is a few simple stretches each day, like eye circles and forehead lifts, to slowly improve circulation and lymphatic drainage and release overall tension in the facial glands and muscles, according to an article by Vida Glow. 

Though facial yoga as a term is currently trending, the strategies and movements used in facial yoga are nothing new, especially in Eastern medicine techniques. And it’s not just something that may make you feel silly while looking in the mirror — it’s backed by board-certified dermatologists around the world. 

Much like how rubbing your temples relieves a headache or how stretching into a Sun Salutation in the mornings improves your cardio-respiratory health, these facial yoga techniques are just another way to boost circulation and work on the muscles we wouldn’t normally think to show some love.

The stretches and moves stimulate the muscles, improving tightness and tone. It’s never too early to get a head start on anti-aging and wrinkle methods, right? 

A 2018 study surveyed a group of women over the age of 40 who did facial exercises for 30 minutes each day for two months. In the end, these patients looked about three years younger according to the participants’ “satisfaction questionnaires.”

As health.com put it, facial yoga is a low-risk, natural option with similar results as botox or cosmetic surgery. So while there may not be instant results, like any stretch or exercise, it’s a slow and steady process that celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Meghan Markle swear by.

Markle attributes her sharp jawline and slender face to her daily combination of exercises following aesthetician Nicola Joss, who Markle says “basically sculpts your face from the inside out.”

Here are a few facial yoga techniques and moves you can start incorporating into your daily routine. Experts recommend repeating each move about 40 to 50 times, or for 45 seconds.

brighter eyes 

  • Create a binocular shape with your hands and place them over your eyes 

  • Lift your eyebrows, but not so much that your forehead wrinkles

  • Squint, then lift them again

  • Experts say to repeat this 40-50 times in a routine

smoother forehead

  • Place your hands in fists on your forehead, knuckles touching

  • Press your hands gently against your forehead as you inhale

  • As you exhale, move your fists outward toward your temples

sculpted cheekbones

  • Widely open your mouth, with your lips covering your teeth

  • Lift your cheeks in this open-mouth position, but avoid squinting in the process

  sculpted jawline

  • Pinch your chin with your thumb and index finger

  • Slowly move your fingers up your jawline towards your ears

  • Repeat on each side, alternating 

less of a neck sag or double chin 

  • Slightly tilt your face upward then over one shoulder, holding for three seconds. 

  • Return to the center, then repeat to the other side, still facing slightly upward at a 45-degree angle 

smoothing smile lines

  • Slightly separate your lips

  • With your fingers, pull the corners of the mouth back and down toward your neck

  • Pull back, keeping lips in a parallel position

Or, follow along with this quick five-minute video that walks you through moves like “The V” and “The Smile Smoother.”

We’d love to hear what you think of this trending regimen. Have you tried facial yoga yourself and noticed the results already? Or are you inspired to give it a shot? Tell us all about it @theedgemag on Instagram.