I Tried Face Yoga: Here's What Happened
A personal account of trying face yoga and its effectiveness
My Experience with Face Yoga
I had intended to do 30 days of face yoga to see whether it would tone and tighten my face, as promised by various targeted ads. But as I learned on day 1 of face yoga, I hate it. Spending 10-15 minutes stretching and pinching the delicate skin of my face and neck was a disconcerting, uncomfortable experience that made me feel like human Silly Putty. As a result, I only completed 14 non-consecutive days of face yoga.
But maybe you will be one of the people who love it! Like Meghan Markle or Gwyneth Paltrow. The Kardashians once worked with face yoga expert Koko Hayashi, who charges $350 for a 50-minute private online session. So if the famously beautiful are into it, what is this wretched mortification of the flesh exercise all about?
What is Face Yoga?
Face yoga is a series of exercises, massages, and stretches for the face. What they accomplish is unclear. The Cleveland Clinic says that massaging your face can relax facial muscles, release tension, and "stimulate blood flow that makes your face 'glow.'"
Trying to manipulate and sculpt facial muscles is a practice "as old as time", says skincare expert Sofie Pavitt. "It's one of those things that gets trendy, and then goes away for a while, and then gets trendy and comes back."
How Does Face Yoga Work?
On the app, every day has a theme. Day 1 was a "Jowls Reducing Facial Workout". Day 9 was "Forehead Mobility Training". The exercises are demonstrated by angelic models with perfect skin and posture who smile beatifically from the screen while a voice over directs you. Much of it involved massaging the face - around the forehead, over the jawline, down the sides of the neck. Sometimes you stretch the skin away from the centerline of your face; sometimes you pinch it between two fingers.
According to research, face yoga may offer some modest improvement in facial appearance. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that a 30-minute daily or alternate-day facial exercise program sustained over 20 weeks may have some positive effects on middle-aged women's faces. However, committing to the required time and effort can be challenging for many people.
Does Face Yoga Really Work?
While face yoga may have some benefits, there are also potential downsides. Massaging and exercising the face can exacerbate certain skin conditions, such as cystic acne, hormonal breakouts, redness, rosacea, or sensitivity. Additionally, being too aggressive in manipulating the skin can worsen wrinkles and cause stretching and loosening of the sensitive tissue around the eyelids.
However, there are cases where facial exercises and massage can be beneficial, such as promoting healing after surgery, reducing scar tissue, promoting lymphatic flow, and improving circulation. Overall, face yoga doesn't need to be a part of one's daily routine, but can be done occasionally or as-needed to address puffiness.
