If anyone could make us believe in the power of facial yoga, it's baby-faced Taiwanese host Dee Hsu. In addition to her good bone structure, the glib-tongued host is also blessed with facial contours and her face always looks toned.
It seems her youthful, chiselled visage can be credited to facial exercises. If you scroll through the 39-year-old's Instagram account, you would see that she is quite fond of working out her facial muscles with facial yoga.
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Just like how you would hit the gym to work out your thighs to make them firmer and leaner, facial exercise is founded on the belief that stretching out your face muscles will tone, lift and boost volume.
Facial exercises works on your facial muscles to increase their strength. The stronger the muscles underneath the skin, the firmer and tighter it looks on the surface. By doing so, you are actually re-contouring your face.
As we age, we experience a loss in collagen which in turn results in sagging, drooping and wrinkles. When you build up your facial muscles, you are plumping up the spots that would normally see a reduction in collagen such as your cheek area.
So if you're starting to obsess about the little creases on your face and are contemplating to go under the needle or knife, here are some fun facial yoga moves to combat those wrinkles-in-the-making.
Chin up buttercup
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lk3XcYq6iA[/embed]
What it does: Tones neck muscles to prevent sagging and the formation of double chin
How to do it: Slightly move your chin forward. Curl your lower lips over your teeth and smile. Lift up the corners of your mouth and tilt your chin upwards. Push your tongue against the roof of your mouth and hold for ten seconds.
Smooth operator
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWhozrgfwv0[/embed]
What it does: When your fingertips push into facial muscles, the muscles will push back, this makes them stronger and fuller so it doesn't become slack
How to do it: Place your fingertips on your hairline. Relax your shoulders and take a deep breathe. While breathing in, lift your fingers up (to touch your hairline) and look down. Breathe out. Move your fingers, breathe in, and lift your fingers up before looking down. Breathe out. Place your fingers on your jawline, lift your fingers up before looking down and breathe out.
Pucker up
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0weKi6WjVo[/embed]
What it does: Tightens cheek muscles and slim down the face
How to do it: Place your index, middle and ring finger on your jawline. Breathe in from your nose and move your fingers towards your ears. Puff out air from your mouth. Repeat this step ten times. It should feel like you're blowing out candles.
This article was first published in Her World Online