As the winter months encourage a more sedentary lifestyle, many are looking ahead to spring and summer, seeking ways to revitalise their appearance. According to regenerative aesthetics doctor Dr Hansel Misquitta, a consistent routine of specific facial exercises, often dubbed "face yoga," started in January can lead to noticeable improvements by the warmer seasons.
What Facial Workouts Can and Cannot Achieve
Dr Misquitta provides a grounded perspective on the benefits. "By summer, if someone starts now and is consistent, the realistic outcome is improved muscle tone, slightly better facial posture and a fresher look at rest," she explains. The primary advantages stem from enhanced circulation, lymphatic drainage, and subtle muscle conditioning.
However, she is unequivocal about the limits. These exercises are not a miracle solution. "Facial exercises do not rebuild collagen, replace fat loss or reverse gravity. You can’t out-exercise biology," Misquitta states. They will not remove wrinkles, tighten skin significantly, or lift sagging tissue. The analogy used is clear: "At best, you’re toning the scaffolding, not rebuilding the building."
This underscores why a diligent skincare regimen remains crucial. "Skin quality decides whether muscle tone looks good or just looks tense," she notes. Misquitta advises using a daily broad-spectrum SPF, like La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Fluid SPF50+, and a barrier-supporting moisturiser such as BYOMA's Barrier+ Repair Treatment to complement any facial routine.
The Best Exercises and a Realistic Timeline
Forget dramatic grimacing. "The best exercises are boring, controlled and unsexy," says Dr Misquitta. She warns against pulling faces or scrunching skin, as this can train wrinkles rather than muscles.
She recommends three key movements:
- Gentle Cheek Resistance: With a soft smile, place fingertips on the fleshy part of your cheeks. Lift the cheeks into the smile while using your fingers to create slight resistance. Feel the muscle work without creating deep creases.
- Tongue-to-Palate Press: Rest your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth while gently lengthening your neck. This improves lower-face posture.
- Controlled Lip Resistance: With lips together, place two fingers lightly over them. Press lips together gently while your fingers offer subtle resistance, avoiding puckering.
A commitment of five to ten minutes, four to five times a week, is sufficient. "More is not better. Overdoing facial exercises is like overdoing crunches," Misquitta cautions. Expect subtle changes from six to eight weeks, with more visible results appearing around the three to four-month mark—perfectly timed for summer.
Tools, Tech, and Important Warnings
The market is flooded with beauty gadgets, from gua sha stones to microcurrent devices. Misquitta explains that some at-home microcurrent tools can offer a temporary lift, "like a good push-up bra for the face," but they do not create structural change. More advanced in-clinic technologies like EMFACE show early promise for muscle tone but are not a substitute for surgery.
Critically, face yoga is not for everyone. "People with active inflammatory skin conditions, significant jaw joint problems, recent facial surgery or recently placed fillers should avoid facial exercises or get proper medical advice first," she warns.
Overtraining is also possible, with warning signs including jaw pain, headaches, and deeper expression lines. "Facial ageing is often driven by chronic tension, not weakness," Misquitta concludes. "If your face feels tighter, more uncomfortable or permanently clenched, that’s not progress. That’s your face asking you to stop."
