Many people seek to keep their face as free from wrinkles as possible as they grow older. Unfortunately, facial skin, just like all other skin, becomes less taut and wrinkles as time goes on, leading to sagging and lines that many people pay a lot of money to fix. But what if we told you that there was a completely free and natural way to make your face look younger? We’re talking about face exercises.
These types of workouts have been touted by sports and fitness celebrities for decades, claiming to help keep the face slim while providing anti-aging effects. This is great because people generally want to appear as young as they can.
A lot of people find this very idea to be bogus – but guess what? Science supports it! That’s right – research has indicated that facial exercises can have a positive effect on appearances and anti-aging. While more research still needs to be done, there’s more than enough to indicate that they work and are worth doing.
When you think about it, it makes sense; facial muscles need working out, just like every other bodily muscle. So which ones work best, and how do you do them? Read on to find out!
11 Face Exercises That Reduce Wrinkles And Make You Look Younger
1. Remove Forehead Lines
Wrinkles on the forehead can be the most upsetting for many people trying to fight aging. Luckily, there’s a great exercise you can do to reduce them. Here’s how.
- Step 1: Take both of your hands and press the fingertips into your hairline, pushing upwards.
- Step 2: As you do this, morph your expression into a slight frown. Make sure you’re not actively wrinkling your forehead – only frowning enough to provide some downwards resistance to your fingers.
2. Strengthen Your Temples
Your temples are located on either side of your forehead; while they don’t typically get wrinkled, a lack of face exercises can cause them to become tenser during stress. This can lead to pain, less positive thinking, and an older feeling and look. Here’s how to make them stronger.
- Step 1: Start by smiling widely.
- Step 2: Rest your fingers against your temples.
- Step 3: Press down with your fingertips and clench your teeth with a closed and tight jaw. Move your chin upwards as you do this. This will create muscle tension.
- Step 4: Focus on your temples mentally. If you need help, imagine you’re attempting to get your ears to shift backward.
- Step 5: Hold your clenched teeth in their position for approximately a count of ten.
- Step 6: Clench your back teeth specifically and hold for approximately a count of ten. You should be able to feel your temples flex as you do each move.
- Step 7: Repeat the entire process thrice.
3. Reduce Under-Eye Bags
Eye bags don’t just make you look tired; they age you significantly. When you look and feel exhausted, your years begin to show and pile up. Here’s how to reverse that.
- Step 1: Look upwards, using only your eyes. Do not tilt your head skyward or move it in any way – rely only on your eyes.
- Step 2: You will feel a strained sensation, and it may feel like you are attempting to look inside your eyebrows. You might also feel some fluttering of your eyelids – do not be alarmed; this is due to the usage of a muscle you don’t often employ.
- Step 3: Breathe deeply as you continue to look up.
4. Lift Your Upper-Eye
When your upper-eye areas are drooping downwards, you look sleepy and, often, more tired. Having them well-lifted creates a more positive overall appearance, making your eyes look bigger, more alert, and more youthful. Here’s how to do so.
- Step 1: Take the three fingers in the center of either hand – your index, middle, and ring fingers.
- Step 2: Press these fingertips against the tops of your eyelids, near the lower point of your brow line. Do this with one hand on either eye.
- Step 3: Gently press inwards, then push your upper-eye up gently. As you do so, add some resistance to the muscles by frowning; your eyebrows will give the upper-eye a good work-out.
5. Lift The Apples Of The Cheeks
A good smile makes you look brighter and younger, and strong muscles for smiles prevents wrinkles from forming. In fact, a study has found that training the muscles used in smiles can help boost overall facial muscles while providing positive effects on confidence in patients who went through dental surgery! Here’s how to exercise your cheek apples.
- Step 1: Make sure your hands are clean.
- Step 2: Take a hand and pinch at the corresponding side of your mouth, around the area where a smile line might form.
- Step 3: Smile as widely as you can. If you feel some muscle tension and pull, you’re doing it right.
- Step 4: Pinch down sufficiently that you feel resistance when attempting to smile. Make sure, though, that you don’t hurt yourself!
- Step 5: Repeat on the other side of your mouth and with your other hand.
6. Erase Nose And Lip Lines
Lines tend to develop between your upper lip and nose, and they can really make you look a lot older than you are. To prevent this, just follow these steps.
- Step 1: Make sure your hands are clean.
- Step 2: Rest your thumbs inside your mouth, close to your gums and against your upper cheek.
- Step 3: Smile wide. As you do so, push your upper lip downwards as though closing your mouth, putting pressure on your thumbs.
7. Smooth Your Smile
A lot of people become insecure about smile lines around the mouth. If you’re one of them and you’re not looking for fillers or a surgical facelift, this is among the face exercises that will help. It helps prevent lines and sagging. Here’s how to do it.
- Step 1: Pull your lips back so that they hide your teeth. Open your mouth up wide so it is in an “o” shape.
- Step 2: Smile as widely as possible without revealing your teeth, making sure to keep them concealed.
- Step 3: Do this again six more times.
- Step 4: Put one of your pointer fingers on your chin, still holding your wide open smile.
- Step 5: Shift your jaw upwards and downwards, moving your head backward into a tilt slowly.
- Step 6: Relax, then do it again two more times.
8. Lift Your Jowls
The jowls are essentially the areas around your jaw, which may sag or lose their definition over time. This can give you a tired, puffy, or even wider appearance. To keep them firm and lifted, just do this exercise.
- Step 1: Start by lifting your chin upwards. Continue tilting your head further back until you reach a point where the skin beneath your jaw is pulled tight.
- Step 2: Turn your head to the right and then to the left as you push your lower jaw outwards.
9. Lift Your Chin
Many people aim for a V-shaped chin or one that is more defined. As you grow older, though, your chin may not be as tight and firm as it was before, causing the shape to change. Here’s one of those face exercises that will remedy that issue.
- Step 1: Start by rolling up your lower lip so that it slides over your teeth and conceals them.
- Step 2: Take your tongue and press it between that lower lip and your teeth, pushing down on your tongue with that lip at the same time.
10. Tightening Your Neck
Yes, we know that your neck isn’t part of your face. But having a strong, toned one can do wonders for anti-aging. It prevents sagging so you don’t wind up with loosening skin as you age. Here’s how to do this exercise to avoid a “turkey neck”!
- Step 1: Start by lifting your chin upwards. Continue moving to tilt your head further back until you reach a point where the skin beneath your jaw pulls tight.
- Step 2: Push your lower jaw outwards. As you do so, move your tongue against the line of your lower gums and press forward. Finally, push your bottom lip forward.
11. Full Face Exercise
If you need an exercise that is going to give you the best results for your entire face all at once, here are the steps to this full-face exercise.
- Step 1: Start by putting your closed fists together and pressing them against each other. Rest them beneath your chin; this will provide some resistance.
- Step 2: Squeeze all of your facial muscles at once. You should pucker your lips and narrow your eyes together in a squirt to contract the muscles.
- Step 3: As you do so, keep your chin tucked against your chest as your fists continue to push up into your chin. If you have trouble maintaining the position, tuck your elbows and arms.
- Step 4: Hold this position for a count of five.
- Step 5: Now, move on to expanding the muscles. Drop your fists away and remove all resistance.
- Step 6: Adopt a wide open facial position: eyebrows arched upwards, mouth wide open, eyes and chin slightly lifted.
- Step 7: Hold this position for a count of five.
- Step 8: Repeat the entire process again, between three and five times.
Final Thoughts On Some Face Exercises That Reduce Wrinkles And Make You Look Younger
Face exercises are a great way to keep wrinkles at bay while giving your appearance a natural lift. Just 30 minutes of these exercises daily can help keep you looking young and chipper, fighting the aging process and doing so in a graceful and completely free way.
There are plenty of other things you can do that will also help you stay young in appearance and reduce the risk of wrinkle development. Eat well – especially whole and raw foods – and steer clear of sugars, processed meals, and refined carbs. Exercise regularly and get a good amount of sleep.
At the end of the day, there is no “quick fix” to getting your face to look younger. But with effort and positive thinking, you’ll soon be able to reap the rewards of regular facial exercise and conscious living.