Face Yoga as a ‘Mind-Body’ Practice
When women first discover face yoga, they’re usually drawn to it for the visible benefits—the more lifted appearance, improved skin tone, reduced lines, etc. That was certainly me.
But here’s something interesting I’ve noticed: The longer someone practices face yoga, the more they talk about benefits that have nothing to do with how they look.
Face yoga is one of those rare practices where the “side effects” might be even more valuable than the intended results.
🍃 Here are some of the mind-body benefits my students (and myself) consistently experience:
🍃 Reduced stress and anxiety Those few minutes of face yoga (I recommend 10 to 20 minutes most days, but even two minutes can yield results!) become a pocket of calm in a busy day. The combination of conscious breathing, gentle touch, and mindful movement activates your parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s “rest and digest” mode. Many students tell me they sleep better and feel more centered after adding face yoga to their routine.
🍃 Increased body awareness Face yoga creates a stronger mind-body connection. You begin to notice tension patterns not just in your face, but throughout your body. One client told me, “I used to clench my jaw all day without realizing it. Now I catch myself doing it and can release that tension before it causes a headache.”
🍃 Relief from TMJ and jaw pain Speaking of jaw tension—so many women suffer from TMJ issues, teeth grinding, and related headaches, myself included. The relaxation techniques in face yoga can provide significant relief for these conditions. I’ve had several students reduce or eliminate their need for night guards after incorporating regular face yoga.
🍃 Enhanced mood and confidence There’s fascinating research on how our facial expressions can actually influence our emotions (not just the other way around). When you consciously relax tension in your face and practice expressions associated with joy and openness, it can genuinely shift how you feel. Plus, there’s something empowering about taking an active role in your wellbeing.
🍃 Improved breathing patterns Many of us are shallow chest-breathers without realizing it. Face yoga incorporates deep, diaphragmatic breathing that increases oxygen flow throughout your body. Better breathing means better energy, clearer thinking, and improved overall health.
🍃 More expressive communication As you become more aware of and in control of your facial muscles, many people find they become more expressive and effective communicators. Your facial muscles become more free to better reflect what you’re actually feeling, creating more authentic connections with others.
When my client Laura first joined The Beauty Garden, she came for the promised aesthetic benefits—specifically hoping to address some deepening "smoker lines" (She never smoked, by the way. Most of us get them as we age.) around her mouth.
But a few months later, she told me, “I joined your face yoga group for my looks, but I keep doing it because it just feels so good! Those ten minutes are one of the best parts of my day now." She told me she looks forward to her practice in a way she never thought she would.
This holistic effect is why I believe face yoga isn’t just another beauty practice—it’s truly a wellness practice with beauty benefits.
In our often-fragmented approach to self-care, we tend to separate practices that are “for appearance” from those that are “for health.” But face yoga bridges that artificial divide, reminding us that our inner state and outer appearance are deeply interconnected.
When we approach face yoga from this more holistic perspective, the experience shifts from one of “fixing flaws” to nurturing our whole selves. We move away from criticism toward compassion. And that shift itself creates a kind of beauty that no product could ever replicate.