Ageing is a natural and unavoidable part of life, yet many of us are keen to find a solution to help us look our best. Treatments and products play a big part, and facial fitness is the latest technique designed to slow down the natural signs of ageing.
FaceToned® Facial Fitness was created by Pilates teacher Carme Farré. It is based around the theory that we work out the muscles in our body regularly, yet the muscles in our face tend to get forgotten. FaceToned® is a natural facial Pilates routine that tones the muscles to lift and rejuvenate your overall facial appearance.
Carme says: “By toning the facial muscles, we start to reduce fine lines and loose skin. The technique focuses on the four most common concerns: the neck, cheeks, eyes and forehead. With FaceToned®, after week four you can start to see the benefits, and after six weeks friends will start asking you: ‘What are you doing and why do you look so well?!’ FaceToned® is all about embracing ageing whilst exercising your face, in the same way we exercise to maintain a healthy, functional body.“
Four facial exercises to help lift and tone the face.
Before you begin cleanse your skin and apply a serum to moisturise and at the end, apply oil to massage. For the massage, I recommend using a Gua Sha or Face Roller as it helps to increase the blood circulation and improve the results of the exercises.
Core Lift – Tones the core, neck and lips
Lengthen the neck, bringing the tip of the tongue between the top lip and teeth, pressing against each other. Keeping the pressure constant, circle the tip of the tongue right, down, left and up four times and then change direction. Perform three times.
Triangle Toner – Tones the ‘youth triangle’ of the cheeks and lower eyelids
Lengthen the neck, place both index fingers next to the outside lower area of the eyes and slightly pull to the sides up towards the temple. Keeping this position, squint and relax as you pulse the lower eyelid eight times, making sure that the upper eyelid does not move. Then keep the squint for eight counts and relax. Perform three times.
Forehead Smoother – Tones the forehead, softening wrinkle lines
Place both index fingers just above eyebrows and hold them firmly in place. Pulse the forehead up and down eight times, while resisting with your index fingers. Then keep the lift for eight counts and relax. Perform three times.
Lower Facelift – Advanced exercise that tones the neck, cheeks and jowls
Lengthen the neck upwards and bring the chin up slightly holding your collarbones with your hands, and slightly pulling down. Now bring the chin forward and slightly up so to hold the top lip with lower teeth, then try to touch the tip of the nose with your lower lip. Now, lift up the corners of the mouth and pulse up and slightly down as if smiling for eight counts. Hold this position for eight counts and then relax. Perform three times.
FaceToned® offers online programmes including free live webinars, and is also available as an app. Using special techniques, demonstrated by Carme, the programme shows how to work deep into the core facial muscles and then more superficial ones surrounding your face, creating natural definition and a more taut and toned appearance.
A recent survey of FaceToned® members (5×15 minutes for 8 weeks) found they noticed:
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- A more toned and defined overall look to their face
- Volume in their cheeks improved, with reduction in laughter lines
- Wrinkles in their foreheads reduced significantly and their skin looks more taut
- Improvement and definition in the jaw and jowls – the number one concern of women
FaceToned® gives structure to the face and tones up the ‘core’ muscles of the face, leading to a more defined jawline, lessening of double chins, fuller cheeks, and smoother ‘laughing lines’ and softer wrinkles in the forehead. After only several workouts, skin will appear glowing, fresh, healthy, young and relaxed. Combining the exercises with the right diet and skincare routine, you will see improvement in muscle tone and volume, and will smooth out the wrinkles above the muscles you have worked out.
