YOGA FACIAL TONING – ELLE MAGAZINE APRIL 2009,
written by Petra Kocjančič
Even as a child I would often scrunch up my face, collecting a whole lot of tension in those
wrinkles. My mother would always be reminding me to relax. I would try for a while to control my
facial muscles and keep them relaxed – without success. It wasn't until my first visit to the
beautician for a full facial that I felt the tension beginning to melt away as she gently massaged it
out of my facial muscles. After that massage, I felt as good as new again. Later, during yoga
classes, I could hardly wait to do the exercises for skin stimulation and facial relaxation; so when I
found out there was finally a form of facial yoga available in my country too (I live in Slovenia), I
made up my mind to enroll right away...
...Only to find that here there was no soothing relaxation while pulling funny faces accompanied by
peaceful music. Instead, we were all subjected to a regimen of very specific (and quite difficult)
exercises. Even hours after the first workshop I could still feel an ache in every muscle I had taxed
more than it was used to. Some of the ladies even complained of the kind of aching muscles only
athletes can get after training. This is because, as I soon found, Yoga Facial Toning (YFT) is
more like fitness training than yoga, as it works on the principle of encouraging the facial muscles
to work by creating resistance. This not only firms the muscles, but also stimulates the glands,
detoxifies the body, and revitalizes the internal organs. Although it can be strenuous, on the whole
it has a relaxing effect. The system was developed by Rose Tran, an American teacher and
certified yoga instructor, based on years of research and close cooperation with the medical
profession, facial therapy specialists, plastic surgeons, and experts in the field of beauty
alterations. There are to date only seven licensed instructors for the YFT method in the world, and
Savina A. Ritter is at the moment the only one working in Europe.
These exercises are designed to work your facial muscles, firming, smoothing, lifting and
rejuvenating your face. Yoga Facial Toning is especially designed to stimulate the 57 (fifty-seven)
muscles, which construct our face and neck. This yoga for the face is a simple, non-invasive way
to erase fine lines and wrinkles, reduce sagging skin and restore a radiant, youthful look to your
face and complexion.
The program is easy to learn and works for anyone who uses it, regardless of age, fitness level,
gender or ethnicity. These highly specialized exercises lift, firm and tone all 57 muscles of the face
and neck, literally turning back the hands of time and restoring a firm, smooth, glowing facial
appearance.
I wasn't really in such a good phase of my life when I attended the course and rarely did my
homework, although our instructor recommended we do most of the exercises we learned each
week on a daily basis. Already during the course, I found I had begun to master the muscles in my
forehead, which was starting to become less wrinkled. Still, when I saw the “before & after”
photos, I was delighted. I had managed to bring back firmness and tone to a number of the
muscles in my face, my skin was more radiant and my face looked just a little bit slimmer – and
more attractive.
Visibly turning back the clock:
“Using the YFT system, this can be done without plastic surgery, simply through exercising
(literally, not just figuratively) a bit of love for ourselves, with the aim of enhancing our inner
beauty and letting it shine outwards. These exercises are empowering – particularly for women,
placing at our fingertips the ability to determine the image we show to the world, enabling us to
take our fate into our own hands (as it should be), without fear of what the years may bring,” says
Savina, adding that there are many techniques and programs to help us relax our bodies, but if we
don’t include the face as well, we risk all the tension we’ve excised gathering up there. “I’ve
noticed that although there are many more people who are physically active or into sports these
days, their facial muscles are nonetheless in a poor state.”
The program also stimulates and balances the functioning of the glands. “This precise
exercise program has a direct and beneficial influence on the functioning of our glands, which
plays a key role in the rejuvenation process, helps us to maintain our vitality and energy levels and
ensures that our bodies are in optimum working condition. As an added bonus, Rose’s program
also helps our bodies to detox and by stimulating both brain hemispheres at the same time, puts us
in touch with our inner selves, enabling us to develop a higher level of awareness,” says our
instructor – a fact that I can only confirm in view of the way I feel after every exercise session.
An alternative to cosmetic surgery. A face-lift shortens the muscles to give lift to the face, and
pulls the skin tight to lessen lines and wrinkles, but does nothing to tone and firm the muscles to
give a lasting result.
During the time when a muscle is “frozen” (as for example following a Botox treatment), the flow
of nourishment is impeded, which only weakens it further. Nor do faces that have undergone such
treatment look natural. The facial mimicry and even the sensation in the face are altered, whereas
the only “side effect” of practicing Yoga Facial Toning is a firm, smooth, glowing facial
appearance. When proper facial exercise involving the scalp, face and neck is started at any age,
the muscles still have the ability to be restored to good tone and give a firmer, younger appearance.
“There are even exercises for fuller lips and nose-lifts, which, at the same time, enhance your
entire well-being,” says Savina regarding the difference between the invasive and the natural
techniques, adding: “One of the greatest effects that Yoga Facial Toning has is a deeper
connection with your inner strength and power-source.”
Then there is also the price difference to consider: A six-week course (including a personalized
approach, a handbook, before & after photographs and the composition of an individual follow-up
exercise regime for each participant) will cost you only €250, which is less than a single Botox
treatment, not to mention surgical face-lifts, which are in the range of from €3,000 to €5,000, at
best.
Even if you’re determined to go through with surgery, we’d still recommend doing the course
beforehand, as the exercises will help increase the flow of blood and nutrients to your muscles,
ensuring less complications and a smaller chance of any of the procedures needing repetition. The
exercises will also enhance post-operative recovery and lessen the likelihood of you ending up with
even more sagging skin than before.
The difference between an artificially “stretched” and “filled” face and a naturally glowing, healthy
one is noticeable.
Who is the Yoga Facial Toning program suitable for? The all-round beneficial effects of the
program make it suitable for anyone, particularly those over the age of 30. It is highly
recommended for everyone who has just completed a diet or is dieting with the aim of losing
weight, as often after weight-loss, the face can look tired, wilted and even ten years older – unless
we give it the exercise it needs. YFT is also very beneficial as part of a post-natal care regimen, as
well as for all who have noticed signs of aging in their face and for all who would like to prevent
such signs from showing up in the first place. The exercises also help relieve problems with the
jaw and facial nerves and muscles, and have even been used successfully (under clinical
conditions) for rehabilitation following strokes or accidents. “I would also recommend them to all
who want to increase their energy levels, who suffer from hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, and
also those who have undergone cosmetic surgery as well as those who occasionally or regularly
have Botox treatments. Particularly for the latter, I feel, such exercises are vitally important,” says
Savina.
Yoga Facial Toning exercises are a completely natural and health-enhancing method of
rejuvenating your face. Not only does it give you more youthful looks, glowing skin and firmer
facial muscles, but it also revitalizes your body from the inside out.
How much time do these exercises require per day in order to achieve visible results and enviably
youthful looks?
Our instructor Savina recommends you exercise each day, or at least five times a week for the first
three months, in order to strengthen the muscles and achieve the optimum effect. “After that, only
10, ideally 15 minutes of consistent exercise a day are enough to maintain this optimum state. I
teach all my course participants in such a way that the exercises easily become a part of their
everyday routine – just like brushing your teeth. Upon waking, you do two minutes’ worth of
exercises, then the same upon applying your day-cream, then two more minutes while working at
the computer, five more while watching TV and a few minutes every evening when you clean your
face.” (Of course, you’re free to do them all at once, too, if you prefer.) After the first three
months, you only need to do them three times a week – or as the need arises. And another great
tip: If you’re set for a hot date in the evening, take a couple of minutes to do the Face Lifting
exercise before you go out, and I assure you, you’ll look and feel positively radiant all evening!
Rose Tran, a certified Hatha yoga instructor, created the Yoga Facial Toning system and began
teaching classes in 2002. Since then, men and women of all ages rave about their improved
appearance and the confidence their youthful looks give them. Through her study, focus, and
passion, Rose developed a comprehensive facial exercise program that works to help reverse your
face's aging process. Pursuing her vision, Rose conducted extensive research with local and
international physicians in the emerging fields of facial exercise programs, non-surgical face lifts,
and reconstructive plastic surgery.
This program includes a comprehensive group of easy to learn exercises which may also be
tailored to individual appearance goals. The Yoga Facial Toning program also provides
information on improving facial circulation, skin care and nutrition – for an improved appearance
and confidence.
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