Facial workout guide: Look younger with these 10 exercises | Health - Hindustan Times
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Facial workout guide: Look younger with these 10 exercises

Hindustan Times | By, Mumbai
Oct 06, 2015 10:16 AM IST

Experts say that incorporating a facial workout in your daily fitness routine can help you look younger; we list 10 such exercises that you can try.

While maintaining overall fitness is the need of the hour, and exercising different parts of the body is essential, people often ignore the facial muscles.

Experts say that incorporating a facial workout in your daily fitness routine can help you look younger; we list 10 such exercises that you can try.(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
Experts say that incorporating a facial workout in your daily fitness routine can help you look younger; we list 10 such exercises that you can try.(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

There are several facial exercises that act on the muscles of the face as well as the layers of skin, thereby increasing the blood circulation. They help in reducing lines and wrinkles, and result in youthful looking skin. In fact, these exercises are also easier and safer alternatives to cosmetic therapies or Botox injections.

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Here, we list a few exercises that you can do five days a week, in just about half an hour.

1 Surprise, Surprise

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Scrunch your forehead gently by raising both your eyebrows as if you are surprised. This strengthens the forehead muscles, and prevents wrinkles in the long run. Do this three to four times a day.

2 Frowning glory

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Scrunch your eyebrows as if you are frowning, and then relax the forehead. This is especially effective in dealing with crow’s feet. Do this three to four times a day.

Also read: Lose weight with sit-stand desk

3 Blink and miss

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Consciously and rhythmically blink your eyes for about three to four seconds. This keeps your eyes well-hydrated, and soothes the muscles around the eyes.

(Exercises 1, 2 and 3 must be done in that order.)

4 Chew, Chew

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Act like you are chewing gum. This works on flaccid cheek muscles, as it helps make them less chubby and more shapely.

5 Balloon Blowing

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Blow the cheeks as if you are inflating a balloon, and then hold your lips together as if you are whistling. This exercise helps reduce laugh lines. This also firms muscles of the lips. This should be done for a few seconds, at least four to five times a day.

Also read: Kitchen remedies for dark circles

6 Jaw Drop

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Sit up, drop your lower jaw, and push your jaw outwards, as far as it can go until you feel a tension build up in your cheeks, near your ears. Hold this position for 10 seconds, and then draw your jaw inwards. Repeat this 10 times. This can help you define your jawline, and get rid of your double-chin.

7 The Stretch

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Contracting and relaxing the neck by pulling it upwards and sideways helps tone the neck and the chin. Do this only for a few seconds, three to four times a day.

8 The Shocked Stare

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Stare at a distant object with wide eyes, as if you are shocked at what you are witnessing. This increases blood circulation to your eyes. This also helps in reducing eye bags and puffiness around the eyes. It also reduces non-genetic dark circles. Do this for five seconds to begin with, three to four times a day.

9 The Fishy Pout

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Pout like the mouth of a gold fish. This one is especially useful for the chin and the cheeks. Try this at least three to four times a day.

10 Kiss Miss

(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)
(Illustration: Shrikrishna Patkar/HT)

Emulate the gesture of a flying kiss with a poker straight face. This is a highly effective facial exercise. It strengthens the muscles around the mouth, and prevents sagging. Do it four to five times without a break.

(With inputs from Aankush Gupta, fitness personal trainer and Dr Amrapali Patil, yoga guru and founder of Trim N Tone, Powai)

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Susan writes on beauty, wellness, food, music and travel for HT Café. She has studied electronic and online journalism.

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