Your Face Needs Exercise, 1937

I think there’s something in facial exercises. I had a sheet of such exercises printed off from an Indian newspaper some years ago and, during the stretches that I remembered to actually do them every night, I did notice a difference to my face, to my surprise.

That was before kids entered by life and now with less sleep and in my 40s, I’m starting to think I could do with starting up again. Although it’s a lot more of a challenge this time. I’m going to try these ones from 1937, and I’ll report back. As long as I remember.

YOUR FACE NEEDS EXERCISE
BY JOAN MAY

Most of us put in five or ten minutes doing our daily dozen every morning, but how many of us even think of exercising our faces? Yet facial muscles need exercise just like any other muscles, to keep them supple and in good working order.
The contours of the face depends largely on the muscles, and all the creams and lotions in the world will not fill out hollows or tighten sagging cheeks; you must strengthen the relaxed muscles behind them, under the skin.
One of the best exercises for filling out thin cheeks and getting rid of those ugly lines from nose to mouth is simply – blowing! Purse your lips, throw back your head, and pretend that you are blowing a feather over an imaginary line. Puff out your cheeks and blow hard, until you can feel all your cheek muscles pressing against the skin. Do this at odd moments during the day, and notice what a “lift” it gives to your face.
Our grandmothers were advised to murmur “prunes and prism” to acquire small and beautiful mouths. To-day we are told that whistling will make and keep our mouths well-shaped and flexible. Even if you cannot whistle, purse up your lips and then, whilst holding this position, pinch in the corners of the mouth with your fingers. This will prevent their drooping – a very common fault.
Exercise your eyes, too. Normally you move them very little. Try looking sideways, then look up, look down, roll them round and round. So simple; yet what extra life and vivacity it gives to them!
Your chin and throat come last but by no means least, for they are usually the first to show signs of age. Keep them young and firm by these movements. Drop the head forward, then with chin outthrust, lift the head, and let it fall slowly backward as far as it will go. Bring it gradually back to normal position, then turn the neck, looking first over the right shoulder, then over the left, so that the muscles are gently stretched. Each movement should always be smooth and rhythmic.