What if there were a natural way to get a facelift? A treatment that reduces wrinkles and fine lines, sculpts cheekbones, de-puffs the face, and eliminates a double chin—all without Botox or fillers?
There is, and it's known as facial yoga.
This service is one of many offered at Modrn Sanctuary—a boutique beauty and wellness spa in Philadelphia. The spa offers face yoga, which includes a combination of face massage and Gua Sha sculpting to work the facial muscles for that lifted look.
"Facial yoga is a series of exercises for the face and neck to strengthen, tone, and lift the facial muscles," Julia Gialanella, an aesthetician at Modrn Sanctuary, said.
While yoga is widely practiced for relaxing, strengthening, and toning the muscles of the body, this modality is used to work wonders on the face. "We tend to forget that we have muscles in our face that also can be held in long poses and stretched and used to help keep the lift in our face as we age," Alexandra Janelli, owner of Modrn Sanctuary, said.
In a session, a qualified aesthetician massages the face to release tension in the muscles, which in turn helps to prevent wrinkles. The goal is to increase circulation to aid in cell repair and rejuvenation and to promote glowing skin. This service also boosts collagen production to improve the firmness of the skin and prevent sagging. Along with working the muscles to prevent marionette lines and jawline definition, face yoga uses the lymphatic system to help flush out toxins and removes swelling in the face.
"Lymph is the center of it all," Gialanella said. Janelli added, "People don't recognize how important the lymphatic system is in your body—call it the garbage man of your body.”
She explained that while it works in tandem with your circulatory system, the difference is that your lymphatic system doesn't have a pump to push fluid in the body. Instead, it requires movement from the muscles to filter.
"You might notice after a long airplane ride your face feels puffier, you're swollen in the legs," Janelli said. "Or maybe you've eaten salty food. You feel bloated or the next day after drinking, we all know our faces look different.”
When we are sedentary, sick or sluggish, the lymphatic system is not optimally performing to balance fluid in the face. This is why it's important to open the lymph nodes through massage or gentle pressure before face yoga or Gua Sha to make sure all the fluid has somewhere to go.
"Think of them like sponges," said Janelli. "We empty those sponges to move the lymph to be cleansed and cleaned."
To stimulate lymphatic drainage, the aesthetician starts the 30-minute face yoga treatment by opening the neck and chest with pumping motions so that lymph fluid built up in the face can move down to those areas. This is done using non-pore clogging oil, like argon oil, that is also applied to the face.
"We are targeting the areas of our skin where the lymph nodes are to encourage drainage, push out toxins, and help decrease puffiness," Gialanella said.
Then begins the gentle massage of the face that can include a cold Gua Sha tool.
Gua Sha, an ancient healing technique rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, has surged in popularity for its ability to promote circulation, relieve tension, and enhance overall well-being.
It includes using a crystal, bamboo, wood, or metal tool that is often a roller or an oblong shape with different sides and angles that, when used correctly, contours the face. This ancient treatment is said to improve fascial muscle tone, boost collagen, and sculpt in ways like defining the jawline to eliminate the look of a double chin.
While adding the tool helps accelerate results, all that is needed for face yoga are the hands and some oil. Social media influencers flood apps with easy-to-follow Gua Sha sculpting videos that show how to remove forehead wrinkles by moving from the brows to the hairline and using the concave edge of the tool to sweep from the chin to around the ear and down the neck for a chiseled jawline. Remember to use the tool at a 15-degree angle, almost flat against the skin, and repeat motions five to ten times in the same direction.
Those consistent with this skincare routine two to three times a week will see visible results.
It is with a skilled aesthetician that patients can ensure proper Gua Sha technique to avoid causing more wrinkles with too much pressure.
"If you are doing it too hard and you don't have a slick surface, you're pulling at the skin, and the skin on the face is much thinner," Janelli said. "We all know the more you stretch the skin, the looser it becomes, and therefore, you're not going to get the benefits of collagen production. You're doing more damage in that way."
Janelli also emphasized that there is a difference between facial contouring and lymphatic drainage when it comes to facial yoga. "When you are doing face yoga, whether it's with Gua Sha or muscle stretching, there are two different ways you can use the tool," she said.
The first way includes gentle, sweeping movements with the Gua Sha tool that promote lymphatic drainage. The key is light pressure because the lymph is just below the surface.
Because the skin is thin under the eyes, this area must be worked on delicately to help eliminate those dark under-eye bags and lines.
"You can also do much more manipulation of the muscle work with it as well," Janelli said, "which is going to help with relaxing the muscles in our face. The more that we tense those muscles for a long term, that's where you're getting those deeper-seated wrinkles in the face. That's what we want to help counteract."
It is said that over time, face yoga can lead to a more sculpted and defined appearance. After a session, patients can notice a reduction in face puffiness immediately and continuously over a few days post-facial, with the recommendation to stay hydrated.
It's hard not to be in a state of zen at Modrn Sanctuary. The spa opened in November 2022 after moving from its NYC location. Experiencing a facial yoga session with Gua Sha is a relaxing experience, with the ambiance of the spa setting and expert touch elevating the experience compared to self-administering at home.
Along with feeling like an instant facelift including noticeably defined cheekbones, leaving Modrn Sanctuary, a patient's skin is left glowing and appearing more youthful.
Face yoga with lymphatic drainage and Gua Sha is an impressive alternative for those who prefer natural remedies and treatments to fight against aging. This treatment offers a gentle yet effective way to promote radiant skin and a “lifted” look.
To learn more about Face Yoga or to book your consultation for a treatment at Modrn Sanctuary visit: https://www.modrnsanctuarypa.com/