Can This DIY Facial Massage Really Tone Your Face?

Hurrah, there’s a new body part to exercise. Blame the rising popularity of FaceGym, a U.K.-based chain whose “trainers” use massage to tone facial muscles and tighten skin. Does it work? Jury’s out. The idea is that the 43 muscles above your neck are as apt to sag as the rest and can be similarly toned. (For what it’s worth, Meghan Markle is reportedly a fan.) Closer to home, Toronto’s Lac + Beauty offers the Buccal Facial, which rings in at $350 for a 75-minute session. Skin therapist Taisiya Toroptseva puts her fingers inside clients’ mouths to stretch, lift and massage face muscles. “When you work out, your muscles get stronger [over],” she says. “It’s the same for the face.”

Try this DIY facial massage

1. Apply a thick layer of face oil to both cheeks to help fingers glide.

2. Wash your hands, then place your right thumb inside your left cheek to connect with the four fingers on the outside.

3. Starting at the bottom of your jawbone, apply firm pressure to the jaw muscle and rotate your fingers 120 degrees upward to move in a semicircle toward the centre of your upper lip. Massage up and down for four consecutive reps.

4. Repeat in the midsection of your face; this time, your fingers should reach the apples of your cheeks.

5. Finish at the highest point of your face; your fingers should reach as close to the outer corners of your eyes as possible.

Repeat with your left hand on the right side of your face; complete at least once a week.