Gravity can take a toll on your face. As you age, your facial skin loses elasticity. Aside from fine lines and wrinkles, your skin starts sagging and drooping; jowls may start forming and your cheeks lose their plumpness and definition. Instead of resorting to costly, risky and time-consuming cosmetic surgery, use facial exercises to tighten up your face and cheeks. Similar to exercising the muscles in your body, exercising your facial muscles results in a vibrant appearance and firmer skin.
Firming Your Cheeks
Sit down or stand up and look straight into a mirror
Place the fingers of your left hand on your left cheek, and place the fingers of your right hand on your right cheek.
Push your lips forward as if you're about to kiss yourself in the mirror. Exaggerate the pouting motion and hold it for 10 seconds before relaxing your cheeks. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Firming Your Forehead
Look into a mirror while you stand up straight or sit in a chair. Relax your face.
Lower your eyebrows and frown. Aim to bring your eyebrows as close together as possible. Allow wrinkles to form in between your brows. Hold the frown for five seconds before relaxing your face.
Reverse the frown. Open your eyes wide and lift your eyebrows as high as you can. Allow wrinkles to form on your forehead. Hold this position for five seconds before coming back to a relaxed facial expression. Repeat the exercise five times.
Firming the Eye Area
Sit in a chair with your eyes close.
Lift your eyebrows up as high as possible while pushing your eyelids down. Hold this position for five seconds before relaxing your face.
Look as far down as you can while your eyes are still closed. Hold the downward look for two seconds. Look up as far as possible. Hold this for two seconds. Repeat the exercise five times.
Firming the Jaw Line
Look straight into a mirror while your sit in a chair.
Tilt your head backward and to the left to lightly stretch the right side of your neck going into your jaw line.
Place the fingers of your right hand on the tip of your chin. Push the skin upward as you slide your fingers over the jaw line, up toward your ear.
Lift your hand away from your skin. Bring it back to the tip of your chin and repeat the rubbing motion again. Complete the exercise five times before switching to the other side of your face.
Tip
Set aside a time every day to perform your facial exercises so you're less likely to skip them.
Use firming facial creams or lotions on your face on a daily basis. Look for products with ingredients, such as vitamin A, alpha hydroxy acids and vitamin C.
References
Writer Bio
Kimberly Caines is a well traveled model, writer and licensed physical fitness trainer who was first published in 1997. Her work has appeared in the Dutch newspaper "De Overschiese Krant" and on various websites. Caines holds a degree in journalism from Mercurius College in Holland and is writing her first novel.