Face yoga expert Danielle Collins tells you why you need face yoga

We do everything we can to keep our bodies in shape, our minds healthy. But we often neglect our face until those lines can no longer be neglected, and those wrinkles can no longer be concealed. And then, out of desperation to look younger, we consider expensive surgery procedures and cosmetics that promise to fade those lines away. But they aren’t the only solution to our face problems.

There is face yoga to your rescue that can diminish these signs of ageing, learns Kriti Saraswat from a leading face yoga expert Danielle Collins.

What causes ageing of the face?
There are a variety of causes that can lead to ageing of the face like the weakening of the face muscles, lack of sleep and exercise, poor circulation, and external factors like the weather, stress, excessive usage of cosmetics, etc.
How does face yoga help one tone their face?
Just as our bodies need regular exercise to stay toned and firm, the 57 muscles in our face also need to be exercised. When we do so, they are lifted and firmed and the skin attached to the muscles is also lifted and tautened which reduces lines and wrinkles.
The benefits of regularly doing face yoga are reduction of lines and wrinkles, improved skin tone, reduced headaches and eye strain, release of tension, an energetic appearance and a healthy glow on the face. Face yoga also gives a holistic feeling of well-being which can benefit the mind and body.
What kind of methods do you incorporate in your face yoga?
There are a number of facial exercises that I teach for toning the face. In addition to this, my face yoga methods include regular massaging to improve blood circulation, remove toxins, and reduce puffiness and dark circles. The massage techniques also increase collagen and elastin that are natural plumping agents. The relaxation method helps reduce deep set of lines and wrinkles that are caused by stress and frequent squinting. Also, acupressure is used to increase circulation, boost energy, which reduces headaches and tension. The combination of these methods yields great results, giving a youthful appearance.
How often should one exercise the face?
I recommend the readers to do it for 20 minutes, six days a week. After following it regularly, you will start to see a reduction in lines and wrinkles and have a more lifted, toned and youthful appearance. Just like any other exercise, you need to do it regularly to see results. One session is great but doing it daily is when you start seeing a real difference in your face.
In addition to face yoga, what else can we do to keep our face fit?

Positive thinking, correct nutrition and visualisation are few tips that add to one’s well-being, thereby reducing stress and ageing of the face. One should also use a natural moisturiser, a good sunscreen and reduce alcohol and sugar in one’s diet.