Aging. Sun exposure. Diet. Your genes.
There are plenty of factors that contribute to loose skin on your face.
Most articles and guides online will tell you to “stay out of the sun” or “change your diet” if you want to enjoy firmer skin, but we don’t think that’s reasonable, realistic or right.
There’s nothing stopping you from spending time in the great outdoors or enjoying your favorite snack - both in moderation of course. What can prevent loose skin from appearing (and even reverse the effects of loose skin) comes down to boosting the building blocks of tight skin:
Best of all, you can stimulate the natural production of these crucial chemicals using nothing but facial exercises… and that’s exactly what we’ll show you how to do.
But first, let’s dive a little deeper into the science of sagging skin.
What causes loose face skin?
Sagging skin is part and parcel of getting older… but that doesn’t mean you need to put up with sagging skin without having a little control over how you look.
But before you can turn back the sands of time, you need to know the problem you’re dealing with. Put simply, loose skin comes down to collagen and elastin - the two proteins associated with skin firmness. Unfortunately, the production of these two crucial proteins slowly decreases as you get older.
For every birthday past 30 years of age, these building blocks of firm face skin start to diminish.
Loose skin also comes down to your body’s hyaluronic acid levels which help the skin on your face to retain moisture and look fuller. And yep… you guessed it, hyaluronic acid also diminishes with age.
Throw in some of the most common events in life in the firm of pregnancy, weight loss and high sun exposure can also speed up the loss of collagen and elastin and leave you looking less than your best.
But enough about *what’s* happening to your loose face skin, let’s focus on *how* you can go about tightening face skin and looking years younger than you really are.
How to prevent loose skin on the face
Worried about the speed your skin is aging?
We get it.
There are many habits you can adopt to prevent the aging process and enjoy your youthful looks for longer. Here are some proven methods to support skin health and stay looking gorgeous and fresh.
- Avoid too much sun damage. We all love a little time outdoors (especially after the long lockdowns of the pandemic). However, sun damage is one of the top causes of premature aging. For that reason, you should always use sunscreen when you are outside, as well as hats, to avoid unnecessary exposure. As a rule, aim for SPF 30+ or higher which will protect you from 96.7% of harmful UVB rays.
- Don’t smoke cigarettes. If you already smoke, you may be worsening loose skin on your face without knowing it. Alongside too much sun, smoking is the second biggest cause of premature aging.
- Practice regular skincare. You’ve probably got a favorite skincare regime, but how often do you stick to it? All women and men should maintain a regular skin care regimen that includes exfoliation, hydration, and rejuvenation (hey that rhymes!). Look to use products with alpha-hydroxy, salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, and retinol-based compounds.
- Eat a healthy diet: Eating a balanced diet is how you can protect your face skin at breakfast, lunch and dinner. That doesn’t mean skipping all your favorite treats (we’d never tell you to do that), but look to eat meals with amino acids, vitamins A, C, and E, silicon and zinc.
How to Tighten Loose Face Skin at Home
Did you know you can strengthen and tighten your face skin with facial exercise?
Well, now you do!
In fact, a 2017 study found that sagging can be “significantly” reduced and wrinkles minimized with regular facial exercises. These easy, at-home exercises are able to tighten and firm your skin the same way you can tighten and firm your body in the gym.
And if you need more convincing, a 2018 study published in JAMA Dermatology concluded that daily facial exercises "seemed to improve mid-face and lower face fullness."
Tighten Loose Face Skin Exercises #1 - The Wink n’ Hold
While firm skin can easily stretch and snap back into place easily, loose skin doesn’t have the same bouncebackability (yep, we just invented that word).
Saggy skin can happen almost anywhere on the face, though some of the most common areas include the eyelids and around the eyes, so that’s where this first facial exercise for loose face skin will target. By practicing this simple at-home pose, you can fight lines and wrinkles around your eyes through firmer skin.
Here’s how you perform this facial exercise:
- Find somewhere comfortable to sit or stand
- Close your eyes partially (you don’t want to close them fully)
- Hold this tension for 2 to 3 seconds with a focus on contracting all the muscles around the eye
- Release the tension and let your eyelid settle again
Repetitions: Repeat this facial exercise 20 to 25 times
Tighten Loose Face Skin Exercises #2 - The Cheek Plumper
If there’s a woman (or man) who wouldn’t want the high, gorgeous and plump cheeks of their youth, we haven’t met them!
Plump cheeks are a classic sign of youth and vitality - and you can enjoy these same aesthetic advantages without booking in a Botox or cheek filling session with your local plastic surgeon. The secret to removing loose skin around the cheeks and replumpifying (yep, we invented THAT word too) your cheeks comes down to raising the folds around your nose.
Here’s how you perform this facial exercise:
- Find somewhere comfortable to sit or stand
- Smile as wide as you can (without causing pain)
- Press down on the folds between your nose and lips using your fingertips on one hand
- Lift your cheek muscles with the thumb and index finger of your other hand to create resistance
- Hold this tension for 20 to 30 seconds
Repetitions: Repeat this facial exercise for 2 to 3 minutes
Frustrated by ‘chipmunk’ cheeks that won’t go away? Here’s how to melt away cheek fat naturally [yes, it really works!]
Tighten Loose Face Skin Exercises #3 - The Chin Lift
Loose skin has a way of sagging downwards (thanks a lot, gravity). This means you can quickly find yourself dealing with an unsightly and unwanted double chin.
To get scientific for a moment, one of the major culprits of a double chin is the platysma muscle which connects your jawline to your shoulders. Over time, the weakening of this muscle allows your chin to sag - which means you can reverse a sagging chin with targeted facial exercise!
Here’s how you perform this facial exercise:
- Find somewhere comfortable to sit or stand
- Look up at the ceiling and tilt your head back as far as it will comfortably go
- Holding your head still, bring your tongue to the roof of your mouth (don’t worry if you feel extra tension, this means the exercise is activating underused muscles!)
- Slowly return to a comfortable position with your chin parallel to the floor
- Repeat this movement for 30 seconds
Repetitions: Repeat this facial exercise 3 to 5 times
Tighten, Tone, and Firm up Loose and Sagging Skin With Your Own Custom Face Yoga Program
Congratulations for reading all the way to the end of this guide (or, if you’ve scrolled to the bottom, we don’t judge).
As thanks for taking the time, and to help you reach your firm skin goals, we’re giving away 100% custom Face Yoga programs designed to help you target your specific skin type and lifestyle goals.
All it takes is to complete our quick, interactive quiz and you’ll find a fully personalized facial exercise program in your inbox.
What are you waiting for?