Lower Zone

Fish Mouth

Practice for lifting cheek muscles. o Take 2-3 deep grounding breaths. o Close your lips and gently smile before sucking in cheeks as far as you can. o Be careful not to bite down on your cheek. o Hold for 10 seconds and release. o Repeat 5 times.

The Cheek Pump

This practice works our zygomaticus (smile muscles) helps give the apples of cheeks a boost. o Start by curling up corners of your mouth o Spread mouth out into medium smile and then a full blown smile o Then do this backwards and release o 3 forward 3 backward 10 times

Key Notes & Takeaways:

Lip & Mouth

Our lips can signify aging faster than any other area because they become thinner and less full as we age. Thankfully, exercising the muscles around the mouth can increase blood flow to the face, which stimulates collagen production and naturally plumps the lips. These exercises can also smooth out the skin directly around the mouth, reducing the appearance of smile lines and wrinkles. Before practicing, drink a glass or two of water to hydrate and moisturize your skin and mouth.

A suggested warm up for the mouth is blowing kisses to yourself in a mirror for approximately 30 seconds. This will get the orbicularis oris moving.

The orbicularis oris is a group of muscles surrounding the mouth. It is made up of four separately formed quadrants that create a circular appearance. Each quadrant can be worked on independently or together with different Face Yoga exercises. The orbicularis oris consists of various strands of fibers that come and go in multiple directions. These fibers are derived from the lips and other facial muscles. We use these muscles to close our mouths and pucker lips. They are also necessary for playing specific instruments..

Massage the Mouth Muscle

It is possible to stimulate muscles through regular massage. o Move index and middle fingers in gentle but firm sweeps down and around your lips. This will increase the blood and lymph flow to the area. Helping to remove toxins, reduce poor skin tone and fine lines. It will also help to increase collagen and elastin.

Natural Upper Lip Wrinkle Smoother

This practice helps to smooth the area of skin above and around the upper lip so that fine lines (called marionette lines) are less apparent. o Sit comfortably and take a deep cleansing breath. o Curl your upper lip over your top teeth. o Place the pads of your fingertips just above your top lip and position your thumbs under your chin. o Then firmly slide your fingers toward corners of your mouth. o Repeat 10 times.

Smoke Lines Reducer

Marionette lines are often more visible on someone who smokes, but you do not have to be a smoker to have them. Genetics, age, and environmental pollutants might cause the lines to appear more visible than other lines around the mouth or face. o Relax shoulders, and breathe through your nose. o Close your lips over your teeth and pull your lips back firmly. o Make sure the area between nose and upper lip is pulled down and smooth. o Keep your mouth shut and turn your head slowly towards one shoulder. o Hold for a few seconds then slowly return to center. o Now turn your head to your opposite shoulder. o Return to center and repeat. o Do this 3-5 times.

Wrinkle Reduction and Lip Lift

Supports the reduction of fine lines around the mouth area, and helps to lift the cheek and lip area. o Stretch lips over your teeth so they’re hidden. o Maintain that position and make an O shape with your mouth. o Smile as wide as you can while keeping your lips covering your teeth then return to the 0 shape. o Repeat 6 times.

The Saggy Smile Lifter

A muscle associated with the orbicularis oris, is the levator anguli oris (canius). These are fibers inserted in the corners of the mouth at an angle so that when they contract, they lift the corners of the mouth, producing a smile. o Open your mouth wide with your lips covering your teeth. o Purse your lips into a tight O. o Hold for a count of 5 and repeat 5 times.

Balloon Cheeks

This practice helps reduce marionette lines. o Half-fill your cheeks with air. o Move the air in your mouth back and forth, from one cheek to the other. o Repeat 5 times and release.

The Forced Smile Exercise

This exercise focuses on stopping a saggy smile and strengthening the mouth from weakening and drooping downwards. o Position your fingers on the corners of your mouth with your forefingers pointing upwards. o Lift the edges of your lips firmly as if you’re forcing yourself to smile. o Hold for a count of 5 and relax. o Repeat 5 times.

The Tongue Twister

Lifts and firms the muscles in our lips. o Roll your tongue around the inside of your lips three times slowly. o Repeat in the opposite direction three times and relax.

Plumper Pout

Strengthens the muscles that run below the nose and extend to the chin and helps prevent lips from thinning. o Sit comfortably with your spine straight and shoulders rolled back. Take a deep cleansing breath in and hold for a count of 3. Then release. o Purse your lips and move them forward toward nose and hold for count of 5 and then relax and repeat 5 times.

Smile and Kiss

This practice helps to keep the skin around your mouth and lips plump and stretchy, by stimulating collagen and elastin in the lower face. o Smile widely, keeping your lips closed. Feel a stretch in your lips and cheeks. o Hold for 5 seconds and pucker lips as if kissing. Feel your lip muscles working.