Gimme A Kiss

You go to the gym and buy work out equipment for the home to keep your body in shape, so why not also take the time to work out your face. Facial muscles need as much exercise as much as the rest of your body. As facial skin and muscles lose elasticity and start sagging over time, regularly exercising your facial muscles ensures that they will stay firm, support the skin on your face against gravity and have good circulation so that you can decrease wrinkles and droopiness in old age.

Facial muscle exercises don't require a gym, and can be done pretty much anywhere in just a few minutes. Set aside a few minutes in the morning and before bed, and try to do five to ten repetitions of each. Doing these in front of the mirror in the morning will also help you start your day with a laugh! How about at your desk? Or on the subway? Or bus? In your carpool if you’re a passenger – give the other drivers a good laugh! (Just don’t distract them too much – or get distracted yourself if you’re driving.)

1. “Oh My” - raise your eyebrows as high as you can and hold them for five seconds.

2. “I Love Gene Simmons” - open your mouth as wide as possible and stick your tongue out as far as you can and hold for a few seconds.

3. “The Scream” - using your three center fingers, press down on your cheeks and smile as hard as you can to raise your cheek muscles against your fingers.

4. “Bewitched” - move your nose as much as you can from side to side.

5. “The Sourpuss” - lift your eyebrows as high as you can, open your eyes as wide as possible and frown at the same time.

6. “Gimme a Kiss” - pucker your lips out as far as possible into the shape of an "O." Then change your expression into a wide smile. Repeat several times.

7. “Don’t Ask” - sit in a comfortable chair and look up at the ceiling. Pucker your lips and stick your tongue out as far as possible to exercise your neck muscles. You can also simulate a chewing motion (or chew gum!) while you are in this position.

Once you’ve established a regular routine for working out your face, don’t forget to reward those hard working facial muscles by giving yourself a face massage. Press your fingers into your facial muscles and work in gentle, circular motions from top to bottom. This increases circulation and also helps your facial muscles relax if you have been looking really stressed.

As you’ll soon see, it does not take long to do these facial exercises, and you will be rewarded now and in the future with healthy, firm and glowing skin – and a good laugh every day!


Dr Lisa Benest is a medical and cosmetic dermatologist in Burbank. She and her staff provide comprehensive skin examinations as well as an array of non-invasive, cosmetic procedures and offer a full line of skin care products. To learn more about skin rejuvenation as well as the most up-to-date lasers, schedule a Free Consultation with their cosmetic nurse. Check out their website for a complete list of all the treatments: www.lisabenestmd.com


She can be reached at:

1624 W. Olive Ave #B 

Burbank, CA 91506 

818-729-9149 

www.lisabenestmd.com