38 Issue 111 Winter 2015 InternatIonal therapIst www.fht.org.uk

Beauty |Facial yoga

Skincare expert Dr Katerina Steventon discusses how facial yoga

and massage can be a beneficial addition to a client’s skincare regime

Chin up The quest for new skincare products and

the latest anti-ageing technology to delay signs of ageing never ceases. However, clients often do not take into consideration that facial expressions also contribute to the overall ageing of the face, and that facial exercise and relaxation can have anti-ageing benefits.

Beautiful skin comes not only from a delicate balance of daily skincare and diet, but also natural anti-ageing methods that lift and define the facial muscles.

Vital impact of touchTouch is vital for our emotional and physical health. Each application of day and night moisturising creams, serums and oils should consist of a brief facial massage that induces skin movement and mechanical stimulation.

In addition, beauty therapists should guide their clients on how to go beyond gentle massage and engage in light facial exercise as part of their daily routine. Like skincare application, facial exercise also has to be tailored to the individual’s skin type and specific facial zone.

Benefits of facial exercise Even a short facial massage and exercise have a physiological benefit on the skin. They encourage shedding of superficial, dead skin cells and increased production of new skin cells. A more even and plump complexion is promoted and relaxed facial muscles help to offset lines and wrinkles.

Deeper skin layers benefit from increased blood flow, and tensional forces induced by deeper mechanical stimulation force dermal cells to produce more collagen. Superficial massage and light stretching allows for stimulation of the lymphatic system (lymphatic drainage).

Increased benefits between facial treatmentsBeauty therapists can show clients how to massage their faces and engage in facial exercise correctly, so that they gain the most benefit in between treatments. Daily, repeated facial massage and exercise will have some cumulative anti-ageing effect with time.

As part of a skincare application, a short

facial massage and exercise routine not only has benefits for skin physiology, it also promotes a calming influence on the psyche. There is a strong relationship between the skin and brain, and both facial massage and exercise help to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and even reduce anxiety or insomnia. Clients can be encouraged to perform a short facial massage and exercise routine as a daily ritual that mindfully closes down the activities of the day. Research into

well-being suggests momentary positive emotions are important.

Different schools of facial yogaThere are many schools of facial exercise, including facial yoga, facial fitness and the more recent FaceGym™, which is a purposeful move away from traditional soothing facials.

The protocol of FaceGym was created by Inge Theron, who combined the original

InternatIonal therapIst www.fht.org.uk www.fht.org.uk InternatIonal therapIst Issue 111 Winter 2015 39

Facial yoga | Beauty

Dr Katerina Steventon has a phD in skin science and more than 20 years’ experience in skin research and the beauty industry. having travelled the world to pursue her passion for

skincare, she worked with three of the leading pioneers of skin research – shiseido (Japan), la prairie (switzerland) and smith and nephew (UK). FaceWorkshops, an independent skincare consultancy business established in 2009, provides personalised skincare consultations and anti-ageing treatments to private clients and advanced training courses for beauty therapists. www.faceworkshops.com

Exercise: Kiss the ceiling Many facial exercise experts use the ‘Kiss the ceiling’ exercise to firm the jaw, throat and neck muscles. l the client sits down and tilts their

head back.l looking up at the ceiling, the client

puckers up as though they are trying to kiss the ceiling.

l the client stretches their lips as much as they possibly can, and feels the muscles in their neck stretching at the same time.

l the stretch is held for 15 seconds.l this exercise is repeated three times,

twice a day.

Exercise: SCM firmingl Work on the sternocleidomastoid (sCM)

muscle in the neck.l Milk the sCM using long strokes pinching

with the thumb and index finger and follow with the flat of the palm.

l repeat 10 times on each side.

As part of a skincare application, a short facial massage and exercise routine not only has benefits for skin physiology, it also promotes a calming influence on the psyche. There is a strong relationship between the skin and brain, and both

facial massage and exercise help to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and even reduce anxiety or insomnia

Sarah Chapman face ‘gymnastics’ with the advice of Alexandra Soveral, acupuncturist Robert Klein, and spa consultant Lisa Knowles.

It is a facial work-out involving a warm-up with knuckle kneading, moving through cardio pinching, then on to strength – with long deep strokes – and finishing with soothing sweeps.

Exercising the faceClients understand exercising at the gym lengthens the muscles and initiates profound changes in the body. I apply the same principles to the face, advocating a gentle approach to facial exercise that is tailored to seven zones on the face. The structure of bones and muscles and the skin barrier integrity and sensitivity are different in each

distinct facial area.The facial yoga routine I developed, called FaceWorkshops, involves a number of steps. Change in the rhythm and variation of the depth of the strokes is defined by the facial area:

l The pressure points are massaged to relax the face.

l The muscles in the shoulders are relaxed and encouraged to lengthen, and the muscles in the neck are stretched. Long, deep strokes with the flat of the palm are used to massage the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle in the neck. In addition, gently pressing down on the upper chest area and patting beneath the clavicle encourages lymphatic drainage in the area.

l Each of the seven facial zones is massaged and exercised in an upwards direction, firming the neck, defining the jawline, plumping the cheeks and lips, and reducing lip lines. The muscles are gently warmed, stretched and relaxed.

l The eye region is brightened and expanded, using light strokes moving

outwards to lift the eye area, reduce frown lines and relax worry lines on the forehead.

l Inner mouth work (from the edge of the nose to the edge of the lips, and the area in between) is getting more popular and, subject to clients’ preferences, can deliver great anti-ageing results. The sensation is both stretching and decompressing; movements are slow and controlled. Relaxing the jaw and the masseter muscle is as important for people who carry tension in their faces or grind their teeth at night.Clients participating in facial yoga feel

their muscles working in ways they haven’t felt before, like going to a new gym class. Regular workouts tone and lift their face as the skin and muscles get pushed, pulled, pumped and flicked.

The end of any facial yoga routine should always involve deep breathing and relaxation with closed eyes. It is important to assess how flushed and glowing the face has become individually, with each client, and encourage them to apply a rich, nourishing moisturiser (where appropriate).

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