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You use anti-aging products and regularly undergo a course of procedures with a beautician. You are sure that you are doing everything to preserve youthful skin. And yet you miss one step. Which? French cosmetologists Marie Pierre Il-Sylvester and Joel Siocco answer.
To achieve a visible effect of facial skin rejuvenation, one application of serums and creams is not enough. After all, our skin is attached to the muscles, which cannot be reached by any, even the most advanced, means. You can influence them only with the help of massage and gymnastics for the face. It is advisable to do them every evening after applying the usual means. It doesn’t take long, but with regular use it will give excellent results.
Marie Pierre Il-Sylvestre is a French dermatologist, author of the book “50 exercises for the face” (“50 exercices pour le visage”, Flammarion, 2004), is considered the guru of facial gymnastics. Her complex of exercises helps to maintain skin tone, prevents sagging of the face oval and the appearance of deep wrinkles.
1. Strengthen the neck
Tilt your head back, straighten your shoulders, bend a little, connecting the shoulder blades, lift your chin up so that you feel the tension in the neck muscles. Look at the ceiling. In this position, open and close your mouth, feeling the tension in the neck muscles. You can put your hand just above the collarbone to feel how the ligaments work.
2. Smooth forehead
Keep your head straight. Look ahead. Rest your elbows on the table and place your fingertips on top of your forehead at the base of your hair growth and pull the skin up as if trying to smooth out wrinkles on your forehead – imaginary or existing. Slowly “lower” your eyebrows, but do not frown, just squint, as if you can’t see well and peer into the distance. Close your eyes, still pulling the skin of your forehead up. Open your eyes. Repeat 5-6 times.
3. Relax eyelids
Attach the base of the palms to the upper eyelids just under the eyebrow, open the fingers in a “fan”, the fingertips should be in the hair. Look down while raising your eyebrows with your hands. Try to cover your eyes with only the upper eyelid. Hold this position for a count of 20. Relax. Do two more sets.
4. Restore skin tone
Pronounce the vowels:
- Open your mouth wide and mentally say A. Then smile slowly to open your mouth even more. Shut your mouth.
- Place your head between your palms, pronounce the sound E, stretching your lips, while the hands that hold the cheeks should offer resistance.
- Pronounce the i sound in the same way.
- The head is still between the palms. Open your mouth wide and say O.
- Tilt your head back, slightly stretching your neck. Puff out your cheeks and make a U sound.
Facial massage according to the method of Joel Siocco
The star of French cosmetology Joelle Ciocco, the founder of the Joelle Ciocco beauty institute, ex-consultant of the L’Oréal Paris brand, pays special attention to the careful study of the muscles of the face during the massage. Creating her technique, she was inspired by the traditional Asian technique of Kobido. This is a facial massage that stimulates lymph flow in the tissues of the face and neck.
In accordance with the principles of traditional medicine, massage takes into account the location of the meridians and acupuncture points (tsuba) to relieve muscle tension that leads to the formation of wrinkles. Massage should be done with oil or a nourishing face cream.
1. Neck massage
Place both hands under your chin, clasping your neck with your thumb and forefinger. Move your hands from top to bottom, slightly pressing on the neck. Then slightly bend your fingers and massage the neck from top to bottom with their tips, acting on the tissues on both sides of the trachea.
2. Lip massage
Place both hands on one side of the mouth and pinch the cheek muscle with your thumb and forefinger, without touching the lips. Changing hands, make pinching movements along the lips, but without touching them. Continue from left to right, then right to left.
3. Massage to relax facial muscles
To relieve tension in the muscles of the face, place the fingertips of both hands on the wings of the nose. Swipe across the face with the upper parts of the index fingers in the direction of the cheekbones. Then smooth the skin, moving up to the temples. Repeat the movements six times.