Shape Your Face

• Discussion Forum
• Facial Exercises
• Facial Map
• Elaboration of Map
• Exercise One
• Exercise Two
• Exercise Three
• Exercise Four
• Exercise Five
• Expression Lines
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Feminine Delicacy

Some women might think that the exercises I advocate are a little too energetic and strenuous - not at all ladylike. These women would probably prefer "exercises" like face tapping (tapping certain areas of the face with the middle finger) or applying an even pressure with a finger or two to the temple area.

The problem with these dainty exercises is that they are completely ineffective. They do nothing to tone up or strengthen the facial muscles. The health and youthful appearance of the skin is largely determined by the tone and strength of the underlying facial muscles.

The Model

So who is this guy making these strange faces at you? It's the creator of this website, Tom Hagerty. I'm 74 years old and have been doing facial exercises for a long time. I think the exercises I'm going to show you have postponed some of the effects of aging, like the loose skin at the front of the neck and the lines that often develop under the eyes and around the mouth.

I would have preferred a young woman to model these exercises, but most young women don't usually like to look ridiculous. Carol Burnett would not have minded making these faces. Her appearance in front of a camera commands a lot of cash though.

The photos you'll be looking at in the next sections of this site will give you a good idea of how the exercises should be done. But after you learn them, don't feel you have to do them exactly as I say. Do some experimentation - be creative. Vary the exercises often or you'll become bored.

And please don't think of me as a guru who has all the answers about how to keep your face looking young and expressive. We're all learning new things every day. I'm sure I'll get suggestions from some visitors to this site that will be valuable. When I do, I'll share them with you.

Exercise One - Muscles Under Eyes

The exercise for the muscles that surround the eyes looks deceptively easy. The basic exercise is easy. It's done by just partially winking one eye at a time, and holding the wink for a second, and then repeating the movement. I suggest 50 repetitions. (I do two sets of 50 repetitions.) There is no need to scrunch up the skin in the crow's feet area when doing this exercise, but there is the need to contract firmly both the orbicularis oculi muscles around each eye and the nasalis muscles that are on each side of the nasal bone.

There is an advanced version of this exercise that is more effective but you have to gain control of the occipitalis muscle at the back of the head to do it. I discuss gaining control of this important muscle when I describe exercise 5 for the scalp muscles. I'll tell you how to do the advanced exercise then.

I put this exercise first among the five exercises because the first indication that we are getting older is those lines that form in the skin around the eyes. (The skin around the eyes is the thinnest and most delicate of the whole body.) This exercise will definitely not eliminate the fine lines but it will make them less noticeable.

Before doing any facial exercise you should apply some lubricant to the area around the muscles being exercised. I splash some water on my face before doing the exercises. You may want to apply a film of mineral oil or some other moisturizer to your skin before you start. Don't do any of these exercises with a dry face.

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Exercise One, Part B

This exercise for the muscles around the eyes might be even better because you will feel these muscles contract strongly when you do it right.

1. Press your fingers onto your temple area and slightly pull them back. This puts tension on the muscles that surround the eyes, and it also prevents lines around the eyes from forming as you do the exercise.

2. Now, with your fingers giving resistance to the muscles around you eyes, close your eyes tightly. You will feel these muscles working strongly as you hold the contraction perhaps a second or even more . Do as many repetitions as you feel comfortable with. I usually do three sets of twenty reps.

This exercise will get rid of any bagginess around the lower eyelids and will probably get rid of any hooded upper eyelids too. But improvement will take time. Don't believe those optimistic statements about rejuvenation in a few weeks. Muscles and skin take time to respond.

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Continue to - Exercise Two