5 Exercises for a Firmer Face and Neck

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By Marni Andrews

Most people don’t start taking care of their skin as early as they should, and they are eventually faced with the challenge of trying to look younger by getting rid of wrinkles, sun damaged skin, and age spots with the latest anti-aging skin care treatments. But applying expensive products is not the only anti-aging skin care regimen you should turn to. There are some facial exercises you can do to help you get firmer, younger looking skin on the face and neck.

Dozens of facial muscles that, like the rest of the body, lose elasticity and flexibility with age. So, the earlier you start exercising these muscles, the easier it will be to look younger. You will see better results over time, especially with less noticeable wrinkles on the forehead, vertical creases between the eyes, a double chin, and sagging cheeks.

If you want to look younger naturally, do these exercises for at least a minute (unless otherwise indicated), for at least once a day for a month. Not only will you look younger, but your skin will appear and feel much healthier.

Sagging or wrinkly neck: 1) Tip your head back and look up to the sky with lips closed. Once you’re looking up, make an “O” shape with your mouth, and then slowly mouth the letter “E”. Repeat 10 times. 2) Still with your head tipped back and looking upward, keep your lips closed, and slide the lower lip up and over the top lip as far as you can. Hold for a count of five. Relax and repeat five times.

Overall toning exercise (The lion face):This is one of the best facial exercises to look younger. Close your eyes and inhale slowly as you scrunch your face as tightly as you can. As you exhale, stick your tongue out as far as possible (try to touch your tongue to your nose), open your eyes wide, and raise your eyebrows.

Forehead exercise: There are two exercises for your forehead that can make you look younger.1) Place one hand on each side of your forehead (near the temple) with fingers spread apart, thumbs at the back of the head near the lower hairline, and pinky fingers at the end of the eyebrow. Using your pinky fingers, gently pull the skin on your forehead back toward your hairline (till the skin is taut), while moving your eyebrows up and down rapidly. 2) While still holding the skin back, raise your eyebrows as high as possible, and hold for five seconds. Repeat this exercise five times.

Vertical frown lines between the eyes:Getting rid of these lines can instantly make you look younger. Frown and look towards the vertical lines between your eyes. Then, place each index finger above the midpoint of each eyebrow, and pull outwards so that you’re smoothing out the lines while still frowning. Hold it for a couple of seconds, and then repeat the action.

Sagging cheeks: This is another sign of aging that, when reversed, can make you look younger by years.1) Place your index fingers on the middle of your cheekbones, while looking straight ahead. With your fingers, make small, firm outer circles. 2) While making the circles with your fingers, extend your lips outward as far as possible to make an “O” shape, then pull your lips back into a wide smile.

Continue these exercises daily and you’ll start to look younger in no time.

Marni Andrews is holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario. Throughout her editorial career, she has done extensive research in the area of healthy living and longevity and has written a wealth of material on anti-aging, health, and wellness. She has also developed several different magazine concepts and edited a wide range of publications. Marni has always had a passion for staying ahead of the curve when it comes to anti-aging. She’s spent many years blogging about the latest skin care and lifestyle trends for women.

This article originally appeared on Agein.com.