Do face exercises actually work? | 85 of 90
Hey guys!
A couple weeks ago, I asked you guys on Instagram if you wanted me to try out “face workouts” and an overwhelming number of you were like YASSSSSS. (I didn’t know you guys knew it was a thing!) So, I’ve been diligently testing some facial exercises out for the past 2 weeks. Want to know what happened?
Well, let me tell you exactly what I did!
I performed the same routine everyday at night before I went to bed. I used Olay Retinol24 night serum that was sent to me for this post to help me glide my hands across my face better. It is REALLY IMPORTANT to add serum or moisturizer on your face to create a slick, frictionless surface. You don’t ever want to pull your skin!
Also, on the topic of Retinol – I haven’t used any Retinol products since I had severe acne as a teen. It used to dry out my pimples but unfortunately, also my entire face – leaving it red, itchy and flaky. When Olay came out with their Retinol24 products, the combination of vitamin B3 plus retinoid complex promised hydration as well as brighter, smoother skin with less visible wrinkles. So I was curious to give it a shot!
Helpful Tip: Since you will be using a little more moisturizer or serum than you normally would without performing the facial exercises, try to get a quality serum that won’t break the bank. Olay is affordable so it makes skin health accessible.
Here’s my before pic (eew lol):
THE FACE EXERCISES
Here were the moves that promised to lift my cheekbones and tone by jawline! Oh and before I started, I pressed lightly into the divots of my collar bones 20 times. I’ll tell you why later.
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- Temples to neck x 6
- Third eye lift x 20
- Cheek lift x 20 ea cheek
- Jawline shaper x 8
- Mini jaw circles x 20
- Face Lifters x 6
- Smilers x 6
The entire routine takes about 5-7 minutes depending on speed!
THE INSPIRATION
These moves were a combination of exercises that I found most enjoyable and effective after testing out a ton of face exercises on YouTube. There were a lot of questionable videos out there…but I was able to find a celebrity facial expert, a doctor, and an old Japanese massage “method” that seemed reliable. Here are the videos I drew inspiration from:
Dr. Mona’s Anti-Aging Face Lifting Massage:
Celebrity facialist Su-Man’s two-minute skin rejuvenating self-facial:
The Japanese Asahi Massage Method:
5 Minutes Japanese Facial Massage – Get Rid You of Wrinkles in 30 Days
HOW DO FACE EXERCISES WORK?
Face workouts are supposed to be all about decongesting the lymph nodes near your face and neck. Apparently, clogged lymph nodes can lead to acne, dull skin, puffy skin, and dehydrated skin.
So, to perform lymphatic drainage on your face, you’ve got to first open up the lymph nodes by your collarbone – this is where everything will drain! So before I went into the exercises above, I pressed lightly into the divots of my collarbone about 20 times! The experts say to make sure you do this or else the lymph has nowhere to drain to.
THE VERDICT
A couple things before I give you my final verdict.
#1. Nutrition has a lot to do with it.
I made sure to stay super hydrated – like no less than 100 fl oz of water a day. I also limited my dairy intake and sugar intake. Since I’ve been on my 90 day journey, my meals have been generally low carb, so lots of veggies and lean protein. I stayed away from highly processed foods.
#2. The type of moisturizer you use matters.
I used the the Olay Retinol 24 Night Serum consistently for 14 days. It has a blend of Vitamin B3 + retinoid complex that’s supposed to hydrate my skin for 24 hours while reducing fine lines and wrinkles and giving my face a smoother complexion, a brighter look, and smaller pores.
Here’s my before and after.
SO DID IT WORK??
My skin is very smooth and super soft!! It does also look brighter! COOL! I think the Olay Retinol 24 Night Serum definitely played a role!
Now, the facial exercises. Let’s just be clear that these weren’t really exercises. It felt more like a facial massage. However, I must say that it felt REALLY good and relaxing. The “face workout” was lovely to do at night before bed. It helped my body and mind slow down and prepare for sleep.
Another thing is that it made my face feel like it was alive! My muscles even felt a little sore, but in a good way like after a massage! I’ve never had sore face muscles before. It was an interesting and new sensation.
Now, let’s talk physique.
Is my jaw more toned? Are my cheeks higher? Honestly, I can’t really see a huge diff but then again, I’ve only been doing it for 14 days. If my face looks slimmer at all, I’m going to credit it mostly to my 90 day journey and the effects of the overall fat loss. But maybe…JUST MAYBE…14 days isn’t enough for significant face exercise results! Who knows.
YAY OR NAY ON FACE WORKOUTS?
I mean, if it brings you a level of relaxation, then yes, by all means do it! Additionally, having a routine of any kind brings consistency into your life, which might help you feel calmer. But if you’re looking to ACTUALLY slim down your face, no face exercise will ever outdo a bad diet and lack of physical whole body exercise. If you want to lose fat on your face, you’ve got to start thinking about fat loss as a whole. You cannot spot reduce your face, or any part of your body for that matter.
Can face exercises lift your cheekbones though? Actually, maybe.
I went to a facialist once who performed some pretty intense moves on my face and behind my ear (painful, but in a good way), and when I looked in the mirror afterwards, my cheekbones did look higher!!! Specifically, she took her knuckle and performed quick, deep, circular motions behind my earlobe area near my neck/head (whatever you call that area) and pressed in pretty hard. I almost wanted to cry. But she did it only for about 1 minute each side, so it was doable. I’m 100% not sure how that worked, but she said it had to do with loosening the tension I held in my jaw (due to stress) that was pulling down my cheekbones. CRAZY! Try it!
What do you think? Will you be trying face workouts?!! And if you already do them, do they work for you?
Now, back to regular programming! Here’s yesterday’s recap!
YESTERDAY’S RECAP:
LUNCH:
17% carbs, 52% fat, 30% protein
538 calories
Miso soup.
Sashimi salad with avocado.
Blistered shishito peppers.
Low carb sushi roll.
DINNER:
15% carbs, 44% fat, 41% protein
695 calories
Half a rotisserie chicken, green beans, and BBQ sauce at the airport.
SNACKS:
94% carbs, 1% fat, 5% protein
205 calories
Red mango frozen yogurt!
Blueberries.
A Mango electrolyte drink from Nooma. My friend Ro gave me one for after my flight (she was taking care of George) and I ended up drinking Sam’s too 🙂 SO GOOD!!
All in all, I came in at 1,558 calories and 99g carbs (27%), 65g fat (41%), and 114g protein (31%). Okay the Popflex Powergirls are here and we are ready to drive to the woods! I gotta go!
And once again, big thanks to Olay for sending me the Retinol24 collection to try out! If you guys want to try, it out, click here!
Are you more or less curious about face workouts now?
Love,
Cassey
14 thoughts on “Do face exercises actually work? | 85 of 90”
There are Array14 comments posted by our users.
Hey Cassey! Love your stuff. I’m a professional flutist and I can actually attest to “facial exercises.” After years of playing, and meticulously studying embouchure, I went from looking like I had no cheekbones to fairly defined cheekbones and tones facial muscles. My face continues to look as young as I was when I was 18, but more defined. 😉 There’s lots of “workouts” I recommend my flute students, and they would work for casual face workouts, too.
Amazing
Just a sponsor post sadly.
I’m still trying to understand what’s so “eww” about your before pic. Sure, your skin could look better but it looks pretty good to me, could be worse! I’m not really interested in trying to change the way my face looks but these face exercises seem great for relaxing purposes.
Hi! I want to try this out but I’m just wondering if you NEED to purchase the serum you used. Can you use regular moisturizer in place of the serum? Thank you so much and great job on the journey
Love your bunny ears headband, BTW… !!!
Yes! LOVE facial exercises. I’ve been doing the Face Yoga Method by Fumiko Takatsu and I can see a huge difference, especially under my chin/neck area. When I look down either reading or with screen time over long periods, I get that sagging neck area. It really, really does work. I saw results in just two days of doing it. It’s been six months of using face yoga and I no longer have that issue and my overall look is lifted. I know I would love to see any face exercises from you Cassey! 🥰
wow, I have never really heard of facial exercises but I’m definitely intrigued. I’ll probably use this as a self-pampering / spa day!
Could you post a picture or video of the spot you mentioned for releasing jaw tension?
I’m in! Just watching your video, it looked so relaxing. Stress is a huge age inducer. Can’t wait to add this to my bedtime routine. Thanks again Cassey for another great blog.
I’m quite sure there isn’t a notable difference through the massage, but your face looks more even. Could be a matter of the day though. However, if you continue to do the massages, would you report if it’s working in maybe a few months? This topic is really interesting and you’re the most reliable source on this yet 😀 thank you for this post.
I didn’t see any notable difference. I thought you looked pretty good before, not sure what improvements could have been made.
I agree that the results are probably due to the retinol. I have recently started using a retinol cream and noticed similar results. One thing though is that maybe your lips look slightly fuller and perkier? I dunno. Lol. You look great as always anyway.
Thanks for the links. Good luck Cassie! Have a fun, stress-free time hopefully! (Crosses fingers).