Complete guide · Beginner
Getting started with face yoga, step by step
What it is, what you can expect from it, the golden rules and a realistic pace for your first twelve weeks.
- 12 min read
- 5 chapters
- Updated
Chapter 01
A gentle workout for your face
Your face has around forty muscles. Unlike those in the rest of the body, many of them attach directly to the skin: they are what shape your expressions. Face yoga works them through contractions, stretches and massage, always in step with your breathing.
What you can expect
A feeling of a more relaxed face, especially around the forehead and jaw.
Greater awareness of your expressions: you notice a frown or clenched teeth more quickly.
A break that encourages circulation and often leaves your complexion looking fresher after the session.
Effects vary from one person to another and take regular practice. Face yoga does not replace skincare, sun protection or a professional’s advice.
Chapter 02
The five golden rules
- 1Clean hands, clean skinWash your hands before each session.
- 2Gentle pressureThe skin on your face is thin: glide, don’t pull.
- 3Relaxed foreheadCheck that it stays smooth, except when it’s the area you’re working on. A mirror helps a lot at first.
- 4Smooth breathingBreathe in through your nose, breathe out slowly. Never hold your breath while holding a position.
- 5Never any painA feeling of effort is normal, pain is not. Stop if anything bothers you.
Chapter 03
The six areas and their movements
Forehead
Fingertip smoothing and release for an area that tenses up without you noticing.
Eye area
Light tapping, gentle pressure and breathing: a real break for your eyes.
Cheeks
Face yoga and massage for toned cheeks and a brighter complexion.
Mouth
Targeted movements around the lips to relax a very busy area.
Jawline & contour
Gua sha, drainage and release for a jaw often clenched by stress.
Neck
Gentle stretches and massage for the often forgotten neck and décolleté.
Chapter 04
Your pace over 12 weeks
It’s the small, repeated sessions that count. Five minutes every day is better than an hour on Sunday.
- Weeks 1 to 3
Get started
Five minutes a day, five to six days a week. You learn the movements and build the habit.
- Weeks 4 to 8
Settle in
Five to ten minutes a day. You alternate areas and types of session: face yoga, massage, drainage, relaxation.
- From week 9
Go deeper
You add advanced sessions two or three times a week, keeping gentle sessions on the other days.
Keep at least one rest day a week from the most intense sessions.
What time of day?
- In the morning
Drainage and wake-up sessions help de-puff your features and give your skin a glow.
- At the office
Quick breaks release tension in the forehead, eyes and jaw.
- In the evening
Massage and relaxation ease the tension of the day and get you ready for sleep.
If you miss a day
It doesn’t matter. Pick up again the next day, without trying to catch up with a session twice as long.
Tracking your progress
Take a photo in the same conditions every two to four weeks, rather than going by how you feel that day. Our tips for comparable photos.
Chapter 05
When to avoid or adapt
- Irritated skin, lesions, inflammatory acne breakout: avoid massaging these areas.
- Jaw or neck pain: reduce the range of movement and ask a healthcare professional for advice if it persists.
- After a cosmetic procedure (injections, laser, peel): wait for your practitioner’s go-ahead.
- Pregnancy: gentle exercises generally remain possible; if in doubt, talk to your doctor or midwife.
Before your first session
Elumea builds this pace for you
A 12-week programme based on your goals and areas, with a new guided session every day, a timer and voice guidance.
Download on the App Store