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Yoga, a holistic well-being practice deeply rooted in ancient traditions, focuses on the harmony between mind, body, and spirit. Within its broad is a unique branch known as face yoga, which specifically targets the muscles of the face.
According to Japanese face yoga expert Koko Hayashi, face yoga’s methodology is anchored in the belief that facial muscles, like those in the rest of the body, require exercise to tone, lift, and enhance them, leading to maintained vitality, symmetry, and youthfulness.
This is Hayashi’s goal as she pioneers her face yoga program. She offers resources to educate individuals to understand and apply the magic of face yoga in their facial wellness journey. From on-demand courses to innovative products like Sleep Tape, Hayashi promotes a natural and non-invasive method for achieving a more youthful and radiant appearance.
Discovering the path to natural beauty enhancement
At 27, following an unsuccessful plastic surgery, Hayashi explored the natural avenues for facial rejuvenation. In Japan, she discovered face yoga, a method pioneered by Fumiko Takatsu. Immersed in this practice for over a decade, Hayashi mastered the technique and began sharing her knowledge in 2018, equipped with a CIDESCO certification—recognized globally as a mark of proficiency in aesthetics and beauty therapy.
Hayashi underscores the ability of natural techniques to activate and elevate facial muscles without resorting to surgical interventions. By doing short facial exercises, individuals enhance muscle tone, improve circulation, and increase blood flow to achieve a healthier complexion. Additionally, it alleviates the tension in facial muscles often caused by stress, promoting not only physical but also mental well-being.
The Koko Face Yoga method
Hayashi’s face yoga method is a refined approach to facial wellness, blending traditional yoga principles with targeted facial exercises. This acknowledges that facial muscles, much like those throughout the body, can diminish in volume and tone over time.
By concentrating on both underutilized (‘sleeping’) muscles and those that are overexerted (‘over-working), Koko Face Yoga delivers a twofold advantage of lifting and firming the facial contours while smoothing out wrinkles by alleviating muscle tension.
Hayashi mentions, “Face yoga is more than just a series of exercises but a holistic approach advocating for natural rejuvenation, where renewal and relaxation are intertwined.”
Beyond face yoga techniques, Hayashi encompasses more comprehensive facial wellness, including teachings on proper face posture and tongue posture (or mewing), alongside guidance on everyday habits like eating, drinking, speaking, smiling, yawning, and eliminating harmful facial expressions. These practices, often performed unconsciously, can contribute to facial stress. Such a practice not only enhances the physical aspects of face yoga but also incorporates a lifestyle perspective, mitigating the daily stresses that impact facial appearance and setting new standards for skin care.
Consistency is key
The true power of face yoga is in its series of targeted exercises, designed for repetition and consistency, which ultimately lead to firmer muscles and smoother skin. Hayashi emphasizes the accessibility and simplicity of face yoga exercises, highlighting their adaptability to any time and place, making it easier for individuals to integrate this practice into their daily routines.
However, the effectiveness of face yoga significantly depends on the individual’s dedication to the practice. This is where the results vary. Guidance from an experienced instructor like Hayashi is invaluable in this situation. It offers beginners the correct techniques to start their journey and provides long-term practitioners with advanced exercises to enhance their results. This personalized approach ensures that everyone, regardless of their starting point, receives a much-needed boost to stay consistent and experience better physical and mental well-being through face yoga.
