Forehead facial exercises

The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method is a natural way of looking and feeling younger and healthier with an added sense of relaxation and wellbeing. It is a combination of face exercises, face massage, face acupressure and face relaxation. It also focuses on wellbeing techniques for the mind, body and soul.

Danielle’s philosophy is that we should all have the opportunity to look and feel the very best we can for our age and to have the tools and knowledge to look after the health of our faces, just like we do with our bodies.

Danielle Collins, the world leading Face Yoga expert, has created The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method. The programme has come from years of research and development into techniques which have been used for thousands of years in the East and current studies into the face and overall health. Danielle combined her research with 15 years of experience with clients of all ages and her training in holistic therapies. Her programmes are enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.

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There are five aspects to The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method and here is how they work:

Face Exercise: Just as your body needs regular exercise to stay toned and firm, the 57 muscles in the face and neck also need to be exercised. As they become stronger through exercise they are lifted and firmed and the skin attached to the muscles is also lifted and tautened, therefore reducing lines and wrinkles. As the muscles are much smaller than those in the body, it takes a lot less time for them to increase in strength and tone. A recent study by doctors at Northwestern University showed that daily Face Yoga can make you look up to 3 years younger 

Face Massage: By regularly massaging the face using the techniques from The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method, you will increase the circulation, lymph flow and remove toxins. This will reduce poor skin tone, puffiness and dark circles and allow the skin to look healthier and more youthful. The massage techniques may also increase the collagen and elastin, the natural plumping agents which will mean a firmer and healthier complexion.

Acupressure: This age-old technique works by pressing on certain points on the face. This can increase the flow of the subtle energy or prana in the face. This therefore reduces tension, increases circulation and gives a healthy glow to the skin.

Relaxation: By learning to relax tension in the face this will help to reduce and prevent the deep sets lines and wrinkles caused by stress, squinting or grimacing. The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method allows you to relax the face correctly giving it a more open, youthful look.

Wellbeing: Remember that taking time to do the Wellbeing aspect of The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method will also do wonders for you overall health and happiness. Taking time to relax, do something for you, and knowing you will look and feel better as a result may mean you also notice yourself feeling calmer and more energised as well as looking younger and healthier. What happens on the inside, radiates on the outside.

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Exercise you can do for a smoother, more relaxed forehead

The Palm Stroke

1 Start by making sure your forehead is completely relaxed and you are not lifting your eyebrows. Your eyes can be open or closed, whichever you prefer.

2 Place the palm of your hand on the middle of the forehead and slide it across. Then lift it off and use the palm of your other hand and slide this hand the other way.

3 Keep this going for 1 minute by alternating hands for each stroke, being careful not to drag your skin too much.

BENEFITS

This massage is excellent for relaxing tension in the frontalis muscle in your forehead. By relaxing this muscle you are less likely to create expression lines in the area, or get tension-related headaches. The massaging action is also excellent for improving circulation, which helps to brighten your skin.

TOP TIP

Take a moment to notice how your forehead muscles feel when they are completely relaxed. Then, at certain points in your day, check whether you are still maintaining this relaxation. If not, take a minute to do The Palm Stroke.

Frown Line Smoother

1 Make your index fingers into little hook shapes. Then, using your knuckles, stroke upward along your procerus muscle between your eyebrows. Start from the little dip at the top of the nose and stroke all the way up to your hairline at the top of the forehead. Keep doing this massage motion, only moving in an upward direction, for 1 minute.

BENEFITS

Massaging this area helps to encourage the muscle between your eyebrows to relax, meaning you are less likely to furrow the brow and therefore reducing lines. It also helps to smooth any existing lines and brighten your skin by improving the flow of fresh blood, nutrients and oxygen to the area.

TOP TIP

Be intuitive with the pressure you use here. You don’t want to press so hard that you drag the skin too much but you don’t need to keep it too soft. Find a pressure somewhere in between which feels comfortable yet energising.

The Forehead Walk

1 Evenly space the index, middle and ring finger of both hands on your eyebrows. Press and take a deep breath, in and out through your nose. Move up your forehead, 1cm at a time to the hairline, taking a deep breath, lasting 10 seconds, with each press. Repeat a second time. This exercise should last around 1 minute.

BENEFITS

This technique helps to brighten your forehead area and balance your mind. It presses on lots of acupressure points which has been shown to reduce stress, insomnia and tension headaches. The gentle pressure also helps to relax tense muscles, reducing expression lines.

TOP TIP

After the exercise you may see a little redness in your forehead. This is because you have improved blood flow to the top layer of skin. Never press too hard though; gentle pressure is sufficient to see good results.

Danielle Collins' Face Yoga is published by Watkins, and available on the Saga Bookshop.

Informative, in-depth and in the know: get the latest news, interviews and reviews with Saga Magazine.