Exercising facial and neck muscles gives you a natural lift, smoother skin and a more youthful appearance. When face and neck muscles lose tone it is more visibly noticeable than when skeletal muscles loose tone. To tighten the face and neck and to achieve results in as little as two weeks, it is necessary to do a five- to 10-minute face and neck exercise routine daily.
Happy-Sad Face
The happy-sad full face exercise helps tone and tighten the whole face around the cheek muscles. To do this exercise, sit upright and look straight ahead, and relax the forehead, eyes and mouth while taking deep breaths. As you inhale, clinch your teeth tightly together and smile as wide as you can, holding for five seconds. Slowly exhale, changing your smile to a frown, holding this position for five seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 to 20 times daily.
Eye Muscle Exercise
The fragile skin around the eyes can begin to droop as you age, giving the face an older appearance. Exercising the muscles around the eyes can naturally lift the skin for a younger look. Using a mirror to gauge the exercise, begin by partially closing one eye while lifting the opposite eyebrow, hold this for five seconds, relax both eyes and repeat on opposite sides. Tom Hagerty, creator of the Shape Your Face website, recommends repeating this exercise a total of 25 to 50 times on each eye everyday.
Chin and Throat Stretch
Sagging skin on the neck can cause the appearance of what many refer to as a double chin. Exercises that tone and firm the front and side muscles of the neck should be done to help create a tighter neck, according to the website Chinese Holistic Health Exercises. The chin and throat stretch is one of the most effective exercises for the neck. Begin standing or sitting upright, place your lower lip on your upper lip. Inhale slowly, lifting your chin toward the ceiling until you are looking directly up, hold this position for a few seconds and then slowly exhale while lowering your chin. Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times.
About this Author
Based in Malibu, Calif., Shannon Sukovaty has been writing health-related articles since 1992. Her articles have appeared in “Colorado Health” magazine, “Health and Fitness Journal” magazine, eHow, Associated Content, Word Press and other prominent websites. Sukovaty is a certified personal trainer with undergraduate studies in exercise physiology and credentials from IDEA, ACSM, AFAA and IPPA.
