Many of us may have woken up this morning feeling – and seeing – the effects of December’s indulgences on our skin. After weeks of eating chocolate for breakfast and drinking every day, it’s no wonder all of that sugar has made our faces appear puffy and blotchy.
But you don’t have to let a puffy face kickstart an early bout of January blues. We have just what you need here to start the new year with toned and glowing skin. Enter, facial yoga.
Loved by the likes of Jennifer Anison and Gwyneth Paltrow, it involves massage techniques and exercises that stimulate the muscles, skin, and lymphatic system, resulting in – many claim – lifted and toned skin over time. Facial yoga is also perfect for de-puffing post-Christmas skin, smoothing out fine lines, evening out skin tone (goodbye, blotchiness) and helping reduce the appearance of jowls.
Liking the sound of it? Camilla Bankes, co-founder ofLuminous Face Yoga, has shared five free exercises that take just 15 minutes in total to perform, to help get your complexion looking and feeling its best. Remember, the best results come with regular repetition, so practise these moves daily for long-term, lifted results.
Ready?
Exercise 1: The Owl
Targets: forehead lines
How to: Make a big C shape with your thumb and index fingers. Place your index finger just above your eyebrows, and your thumbs on your cheeks. Gently pull down with the index fingers while trying to raise your eyebrows, widening the eyes. Hold for two seconds, relax and repeat again. Do this three more times then hold this position with eyes wide for ten seconds.
Exercise 2: The V
Targets: eye bags and crow’s feet
How to: Put your middle fingers together between your eyebrows then apply pressure to the outer corners of your eyes with your index fingers. Look up and start to squint. Feel your lower eyelids move up as much as you can. Relax, then repeat a total of ten times.
Exercise 3: The Puffer Fish
Targets: bloated skin
How to: Puff out one cheek as much as you can, then place your fingers just above your top lip to smooth out any fine lines and wrinkles created as you do the exercise. Firmly tap your cheek fifteen times. Switch cheeks and do the same on the other side.
Exercise 4: The Smile Smoother
Targets: laughter lines and jowls
How to: Make an ‘O’ shape with your mouth, wrapping our lips around your teeth. Keeping your lips as tense as possible, smile wide. Go back to the ‘O’ shape and repeat ten times. Then hold the smile shape and place your index finger on your chin. Start to move your jaw up and down as though you are scooping something up, tilting your head slowly back as you do so. Relax and repeat twice more.
Exercise 5: The Giraffe
Targets: the neck
How to: Look straight ahead and place your fingertips on the top of your neck. Gently smooth the skin down as you tilt your head back. Bring your head back down and repeat this five times. Push your lower lip out as far as possible, place your fingers on your collarbone and point your chin up high and pull the corners of your mouth down. Hold for four deep breaths.
If these exercises work for you, find more onluminousfaceyoga.com, where annual memberships start from just £78 (currently on sale for £62.40)here.
READ MORE
Click here for today's top showbiz news
‘This has worked wonders!’: Best face masks to brighten winter skin including £8 bargain
Lisa Armstrong starts the new year with a new cropped hair makeover
Love Island's Ekin-Su asks ‘who needs a hairdresser?’ as she shares results of DIY fringe chop
Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter
Source: Read Full Article