Reveal Your Youthful Glow: How Women Over 40 are Faking a Face Lift with Face Yoga
Alright, gather round, beauties, because we need to talk about the elephant in the room. You know, the one that's slowly taking up residence on our faces. That's right, I'm talking about sagging skin, turkey necks, and jowls. Fuuuuun times, amirite?
We aren’t throwing in the youth towel yet! I have a secret weapon to share with you: face yoga. Yessssss, I said face yoga. No, it's not a fancy name for just making silly faces in the mirror (although that is a pretty sweet perk if you don’t take yourself too seriously). It's actually a series of exercises designed to tone and strengthen the muscles in your face, which can help reduce wrinkles and sagging skin. And the best part? You don't have to shell out your life savings on expensive treatments or go under the knife. You can do this from the comfort of your own home, in your pajamas, with a glass of wine in hand. Now, that's my kind of workout.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "This sounds like some new-age, woo-woo nonsense." Trust me, I was a skeptic too. But after doing some research (and seeing the results for myself), I'm a believer. Face yoga can actually improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. Who knew? Desperate times call for desperate measures!
Speaking of desperate times, let's talk about perimenopause / menopause BS. Just when we thought we were done with all the fun stuff our bodies like to throw at us, we get hit with another curveball. As if hot flashes and mood swings weren't enough, our skin decides to play a little game of "sagging skin whack-a-mole."
I mean, we might as well give this face yoga thing a shot. We’re gonna take this journey together, I’m new to all this too! I’ll keep digging up some info and goodies to get use started and eventually we will do this TOGETHER, live in the community. Laughter is the best medicine, until you pee a little. (Thanks Big M!)
So, let's get to the good stuff: the exercises. Here are a few beginner face yoga poses that target common problem areas:
The V
Make a V-shape with your index and middle fingers, and place them on your temples.
Push upwards with your fingers while pulling the corners of your mouth down.
Hold for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat.
This pose helps tone the cheekbones and lift sagging skin around the mouth and jawline. And yes, you will look ridiculous doing it.
The Giraffe
Tilt your head back and look up at the ceiling.
Place your fingertips on your collarbone and lightly stroke your skin downwards.
Hold for a few seconds, then release and repeat.
The Giraffe pose can help reduce the appearance of a "turkey neck" by stretching and toning the neck muscles. Bonus points if you make a weird noise while doing it.
The Smile Smoother
Smile as wide as you can while keeping your teeth together.
Place your index and middle fingers on the corners of your mouth and lightly smooth outwards towards your ears.
Hold for a few seconds, then relax and repeat.
This exercise can help reduce fine lines around the mouth and lift sagging skin. And if anyone catches you doing it, just tell them you're practicing for your next Joker audition.
Busy life, check! Who has time for anything these days, let alone adding another item to our already overflowing to-do lists? But hear me out: we need to prioritize ourselves, especially as we age. So maybe instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media for the umpteenth time, we can bust out a few face yoga poses while catching up on our favorite show. Or maybe we can practice driving down I-30, might as well entertain the masses.
And don't forget, hydration is key. So chug that water like it's your job, and don't skimp on the moisturizer.
P.S. try to avoid making certain facial expressions that can exacerbate wrinkles, like squinting or frowning. Or, you know, just embrace your inner grump and let those wrinkles fly. They're a sign of a life well-lived, after all.