I’m Finally a Face Yoga Teacher!

Well, hallelujah, at the ripe old age of 53 ½ I’ve qualified as a Face Yoga Teacher. I spoke a bit about it here recently and I’m delighted and I’m so excited to see where this new learning will take me. I also think now is the perfect time to tell you why I am now a Face Yoga teacher and explain how it all started…

Through all of the lockdowns (who’s counting?) most of us were feeling as if the rug of our actual lives had been snatched out from under our feet, and instead of standing on that comforting, well-worn surface we were used to, in its place was a pot-holed, jagged terrain that we hadn’t before experienced. How we reacted to it was in the hands of the individual and really, anything went – there is no judgement when you’re navigating a pandemic.

Mostly, we were either shell-shocked into complete inactivity – frozen with disbelief that this was now our new way of living, or battling against the unknown. There were those wild dreams that took up space in our heads at night, leaving us like walking zombies the next day, and then we’d dive into new experiences in a bid to get something positive from this gut-wrenching, unbelievable period of time. Often, we flailed between the two – giving banana bread a go, learning a few words in Spanish on Duolingo and then slumping on the sofa with exhaustion to watch yet another series on Netflix as a way to anaesthetise the brain from this scary new reality called ‘life in Covid times.’ 

How I handled First Lockdown

I was like a whirling dervish in first lockdown, under the mistaken illusion that Covid (or Corona as we liked to call it at first, remember?) was going to be a short-lived affair and we could take from it positive learning experiences for when the world opened again. It could be a good thing. Oh, poor naïve me! So, while I fervently exercised, ate like a nutritionist’s dream, read inspirational and motivational books and got into the strongest and best shape of my life physically, I was ready for the big reveal – for the world as we knew it to come back…12 months on and I’m still waiting.

When my Priorities Changed

Somewhere in between second and third lockdown, my body told me to stop, chill out and take a long, hard look at the situation I was in. There was no ‘positive thinking this away’ any time soon. I was locked-down for the long haul and although I knew that the tools I used like working out, meditation and reading were good for me and my mental health, I felt myself softening and questioning and really listening to what my mind and body needed. I started to think about what it was that really bought me inner joy and balance and not just what I thought I should be doing.

As a beauty journalist who has been very lucky to have had my fair share of facials and pampering in salons, I started to yearn for a therapeutic touch and that feeling of inner wellbeing and relaxation that comes after a really well delivered facial or massage. So, I joined in zoom facial massage classes, I watched Instagram posts and videos of skincare experts discussing how to do an at-home facial. Many of these things came like second nature to me as I already know a lot about skincare and how to care for my complexion. But it made me realise, even though I can give others advice and help on beauty matters, I very rarely take time to put it into practice myself. I started learning about the ancient Chinese wellness method of Gua Sha to heal and rejuvenate and using all of the beauty products I have in my cupboards to revitalise my skin. Bath time was taking longer and longer while I preened and pampered and anointed myself with lots of love and soothing ingredients. It felt fantastic!

Hello Face Yoga!

Then I came across some Face Yoga tutorials and started incorporating a few facial exercises into my skincare regime and that’s when I really felt something inside me start to shift. I’d recently switched my usual high energy workouts for gentle yoga sessions, lighting candles by my mat and relishing in the connection I began to feel with my body and mind. It wasn’t the same endorphin rush that I got with a heart pumping HIIT workout – it was much gentler than that, but at the same time, so much more compelling and addictive. That said, I won’t be giving up a good old mood-boosting training session or boogie round the kitchen anytime soon, but this new-found love for a slower, more mind-body connected type of workout was a real eye-opener and the feeling of wellbeing that I got from a good Face Yoga session was just as addictive.

I found that the Danielle Collins Face Yoga Expert method really aligned with my way of thinking. It’s a holistic approach using exercises to strengthen the facial muscles which, in turn lift and tone the attached skin, along with acupressure, relaxation and face massage techniques. The fact that overall the improvement in your wellbeing is just as important as the aesthetic result is what attracted me to study using this method. It is the ideal fit for my pro-age, look-good, feel-fabulous values as I’ve always believed that beauty on the outside, begins on the inside – as does Danielle Collins herself and I feel that this form of Face Yoga reinforces that.

What Does Face Yoga Do?

Just as the muscles in the body need toning through exercise, so do the 57 muscles in the head, face and neck. By using a combination of specific muscle strengthening and firming exercises along with techniques in wellbeing, acupressure, massage and relaxation, Face Yoga will:

• Lift and tone facial muscles to improve sagging
• Boost circulation to give the skin a healthy glow
• Improve lymphatic drainage to remove toxins, preventing puffiness and dark circles
• Soften wrinkles and help counteract new ones from forming
• Stimulate production of collagen and elastin which act as the skin’s scaffold and plumping agents.

I like to tell clients, it’s not about wiping the years away, it’s about looking like a fresher, happier and more glowing version of yourself. Over time, with consistent Face Yoga practice, you will see positive results – I know that I have!

 How can I help you?

So now, here’s the exciting part. I passionately believe that we have a choice to do whatever we want to make us look and feel wonderful, and if that, for you, is Botox and fillers or natural aromatherapy massage, or a combination of all of these things – then I applaud you. You do you! For me, at this moment, I am enjoying natural ways of looking after my skin with massage and face exercise but that doesn’t mean I will be giving up salon facials and aesthetic treatments in the future – my view is that, practiced professionally and safely, all beauty options can work well together and it’s important that we have the choice. 

If you think learning more about Face Yoga is something you’d be interested in, then I would love to teach you how to get the best from it. It’s a great practice to complement your skincare and beauty routine and is something you can do yourself – anytime, anywhere – to keep your face glowing and refreshed. So, I have the following class options for you below:

Face Yoga Lessons and Prices

One to one Zoom sessions or one to one in-person (from 12th April 2021) location to be decided. If you would like to make a group booking, I am happy to teach up to 10 people on zoom or 4 in person.

1. Glow and Go! – £17.00 each (group of 2 or more) £20 (1:1)

This express 30-minute class will introduce you to a few basic Face Yoga techniques that you can do yourself every day. You’ll learn a 10-minute routine that fits into any busy lifestyle, and if you like what you see, you may then want to discuss adding bespoke exercises to your Face Yoga repertoire in the future.

2. The Face Glowga Special – £30 each (group of 2 or more) £40 (1:1)

For 45 – 60 minutes, we will work on the whole face and include exercises for upper and lower areas. Massage, acupressure and relaxation will make sure that your face feels fabulous. For one to one bookings we can address any skincare and beauty concerns you have too.

3. Bespoke Glow

You may have a particular area of the face or your wellbeing that you want to work on and lots of questions about your current beauty and skincare routine that I can help you with. We can discuss your individual needs and work out a class just for you. From 30 – 90 minutes, price tbc.

TO BOOK: If you’d like further information, or want to book a lesson, please email me at lisa@glowology.co.uk with your lesson choice in the subject line and let me know how many people would like to attend and I will send you a consultation form. Alternatively you can direct message me here on Instagram