A Guide to Face Yoga for a Healthy, Sculpted Glow

Does Face Yoga Actually Work?

Experts say that face yoga can work as it stimulates your facial muscles. “Unlike body muscles, which are frequently engaged through physical activity, facial muscles often remain underused,” Edyta Jarosz, master esthetician at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue, explains. “Face yoga specifically targets these muscles, potentially improving their tone and firmness over time.” Hadley King, MD, New York City-based board-certified dermatologist agrees but says that results depend on consistency and it might not be suitable for everyone (more on that later).

When to Start Face Yoga

To start your own face yoga practice, York recommends @faceyogamethod for short instructional videos and incorporating exercises “as an extension to your wash-and-moisturize regimen” in the morning or at night. After applying a face oil or moisturizer for a bit of slip, “you can kick off your face yoga practice by doing a little warm-up and treating yourself to tapping and self-massage,” she says. “Rather than using fingers, tap with your finger pads and flat hands,” she says, emphasizing that the movement should be delicate and “not a slap.” Begin at the clavicles, move out to the shoulders, up to the jaw, sides of the neck, and continue tapping down the back of the neck. “Go to the hairline and tap down to the brows, then you’ll very, very lightly tap the under eye area.” She notes that this, along with gentle facial massage, helps with lymphatic drainage “and makes the skin more pliable for movement.”

How Long Does It Take to See Results?

According to a study done by JAMA Dermatology, it showed that subjects that practiced face yoga daily for 30 minutes showed signs of results in about 20 weeks . But it can all be dependent on the person, skin type, lifestyle habits, and how consistent you are with the exercise. “Consistency is key,” says Jarosz. “Like any exercise regimen, face yoga requires regular practice to see and maintain results.”

A Beginner’s Guide to Face Yoga Poses

Here, Hagen and Lewis share tips for improving posture, stretching muscles, and releasing tension to guide beginners through a few basic poses.

The Coronation

Hagen developed this pose to encourage holding the head over the spine and shoulders in a “neutral position,” since many common facial issues are “symptoms of bad posture.” For the pose, she suggests that you actually “wear a crown or put a book on your head and practice an excellent, regal posture,” and practice cultivating a “mysterious smile” that gently flexes the mouth without squinting the eyes. “This will elongate the neck, drop the shoulders, and lift the chin.” She suggests this for anyone spending a lot of time leaning over tech devices.