Working out and exercising to keep your body fit is not a new concept with people inclined towards achieving a collective fitness goal. However, as much as skincare is important so is the need for face yoga that helps in sculpting the face, reducing fine lines, and preventing premature aging of the skin.
VW(Vanity Wagon) in conversation with Ms. Vibhuti Arora – Professional Face Yoga Expert & Founder, House of Beauty, we will learn all about Face Yoga, its importance, and how it helps in exercising the muscles of the face. Ms. Arora also enlightened us with a few signature techniques, the use of tools in facial massage, and how often one should practice face yoga.
VW: What is face yoga?
Vibhuti: Face yoga is facial fitness that involves exercising the muscles of the face. Aging and gravity are always pulling the skin down and hence our facial muscles also need stimulation. At House of Beauty, the signature techniques combine traditional face yoga poses, facial massage, face stretching(facial cardio) and cool down (breathing techniques + Pranayama) with facial tools. The combination of all four is what I would like to call face yoga which gives accelerated results.
VW: What is the importance of face yoga?
Vibhuti: The first and foremost importance of face yoga is anti-aging, facial skin tightening, and fine line reduction, but it also touches on deeper beauty wellness goals. Face yoga helps you glow inside and out. Face yoga brings blood flow to the surface which helps in reducing facial puffiness, acne/cystic acne, pigmentation, etc. It touches base on acupressure points by amalgamating the best of skincare, Yoga, and Ayurveda for high-performance stimulation of the skin. Face yoga improves the efficacy of the skincare products and tools used for skin care.
VW: How to practice face yoga?
Vibhuti: Face Yoga is a lifestyle and is not something that you do for a month and forget. I recommend starting small with a few massage techniques for your face types. House of Beauty has monthly classes to help you learn the techniques. It is important to wash your face immediately after waking up and before starting the face massage. We wait and wash our face which is not the right way as the sebum accumulated throughout the night might clog the pores. Once you have washed your face, just do the face massage for a minute which helps in reducing puffiness and drains the lymphatic fluid.
VW: What are the tools needed for Face Yoga?
Vibhuti: Not every tool applies to everybody.
- If you wake up all puffy, our 24K face massager is ideal for facial tightening, reducing fine lines, and lymphatic drainage.
- If somebody has a lot of fine lines, especially around the eyes which is a delicate region, the collagen roller is perfect as it goes deep into fine lines
- If somebody has a double chin, we recommend Gua Sha as it helps in sculpting the skin.
- If somebody has mature skin, sagging happens and it requires plumping making facial cupping an important tool.
VW: Are there any precautions to be taken care of while using these tools?
Vibhuti: If you have acne or cystic acne, never use a Gua Sha as it is a strong tool that causes friction and ends up bursting the acne. Instead of Gua Sha, you can use a 3D massager that can be used to sculpt and chisel your face without damaging the acne. There are many internet videos where people are squishing and squeezing the face and tapping on the skin claiming it makes skin healthy. This is not correct because face yoga is meant to reduce lines and not create them. It is important to do your research and always connect with certified professionals before starting.
Also, never do upward massage on the neck as accumulates lymphatic fluid under the chin. Instead, massage the neck downward or sideward. Using a collagen roller acts as face reflexology that helps in reducing issues like facial paralysis or nerve disorder. For people with vertigo, we do not recommend bending the back of the neck.
VW: How often one should practice face yoga to see the results?
Vibhuti: My signature technique is a 1-minute face massage which is something that can be done ideally every day and you will notice the difference within 21 days. The full in-depth cardio is a 28-day cycle that includes 12 sessions. The techniques are practiced 3 times at home as your muscles also need to relax. Cupping or Gua Sha can be used twice or thrice a week and a 3D massager can be used every day.
VW: What is your signature method?
Vibhuti: For my signature technique, I divide my face into 5 zones. It is a very structured and science-backed approach at Face Yoga School.
- Zone 1 – It includes the fine jaw and jawline region and targets concerns like droopy lips, jaws, and double chin.
- Zone 2 – It includes the apple of the cheek to the Zygomatic Muscles. These muscles help in face lifting.
- Zone 3 – It includes the eye region that addresses concerns like an under-eye circle, puffiness, wrinkles, etc.
- Zone 4 – It includes the forehead region.
- Zone 5- It includes the neck as a collective region.
VW: How do facial expressions or emotions impact the muscles of the face? How can face yoga help reduce it?
Vibhuti: Facial expressions make a huge difference. If you are in the habit of frowning, it starts creating lines and it will only deepen. We all frown and the best way to reduce fine lines is to immediately iron out the fine lines using a tool. Facial yoga train muscles to unlearn wrongdoing.
VW: What are some face yoga exercises you recommend?
Vibhuti: There are a few exercises you can start:
- Tapping piano facial exercise is effective as it gives shock treatment, boosts blood circulation, and helps in lifting muscles.
- Cupping is another effective face yoga exercise for Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3 for reducing fine lines and tightening muscles.
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