Facial exercises

Facial gymnastics before the Internet

Facial bodybuilding was not born with social networks. Before online tutorials, methods already offered exercises to practice at home, in front of a mirror. The book Eva Fraser’s Facial Workout, published by Penguin in 1993, illustrates this diffusion: it brings together explanations on facial aging and a program of daily movements.

Carole Maggio also made her Facercise method known through books, videos and personalized teaching. These approaches established an idea that still runs through current programs: the muscles of the face could be worked like those of the body. The names, exercises and promises varied, but the principle of a regular routine was already central.

Face yoga becomes an identifiable method

The expression “face yoga” gives these practices an identity closer to well-being and skincare routines. It can refer to muscle contractions, relaxation movements or massages, depending on the teachers. It is therefore not a single program transmitted without change: several schools and methods coexist under a name that has become familiar.

Fumiko Takatsu is one of the figures of this diffusion. According to the chronology published by her brand, she began developing her exercises in the early 2000s, published a first book in Japan in 2006, then released books and DVDs in several Asian countries. In 2012, she and her partner launched the Face Yoga Method as an online activity.

From recorded materials to online courses

The Internet then makes it possible to directly show the movements and make the programs accessible remotely. At Face Yoga Method, exercises are offered in the form of digital content, with videos, e-books and a members area. The routine no longer depends only on a book or DVD: it can be accompanied by new content and follow-up within a community.

Acceleration on social networks

Social networks give new visibility to these exercises. In January 2024, Northeastern University reported more than two billion views on TikTok for the hashtag #faceyoga: this is a benchmark dated to their diffusion, not a number of practitioners. The short demonstrations make the gestures easy to discover and reproduce, while the testimonials maintain the desire to try.

The interest also comes from an accessible promise: to act on your face yourself, at home, with little equipment. Northeastern describes the presence of testimonials, free online courses during the pandemic and connections in the world of celebrity and wellness. Networks thus bring together older approaches and circulate them to new audiences.

A popularity that gradually meets research

The practice spread faster than its scientific evaluation. The study published in JAMA Dermatology in 2018 provided a first encouraging result on the fullness of the cheeks after twenty weeks of exercises. More recent reviews now bring together the available work. The challenge is to specify which exercises produce which changes, in order to better guide a practice that is already widely popularized.