Facial Exercise: Share the Process and Results
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free skin care · Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:30 pm

Patti1013 wrote:

This is a great thread. I've been following it since Sister Sweets started it back in May, in fact I posted about my progress at three months with Loulou's Ageless program on May 17. I'm now approaching the six month mark with Ageless and thought I'd post an update. My eyes are looking very good, eyelids have lifted giving my eyes a more open and youthful look. I recently noticed my upper lip is fuller and plumper, which I like a lot too and the skin on my face and neck feels firmer and thicker. My cheeks look slightly lifted and more promenant but I still have a little sagging on either side of my mouth, (mostly on the left side). I plan to continue with ageless, as I am seeing positive results, but I'm at a point where I think I should add more exercises into my routine to further address the ml sags and give my face a more rounded workout.

I've looked at a number of other face ex programs and it gets kind of mind boggling trying to decide which to buy. I wish I could buy them all, but I can't right now. I've considered purchasing FlexEffect, Carol M's Facercise or Carolyn's Facial Fitness to name a few. Can anyone here give me a good recommendation? Thanks!

Hi Patti,

I personally can highly recommend Flex Effect. I'm not familiar with the other programs and it's possible they would be helpful too, if you chose one, but several of the Flexers on the Flex Effect board had tried other programs, and Flex Effect is unique in that it really provides resistance training and muscle building. If you started with Ageless (which is quite rigorous in its own right), I suspect anything less than Flex Effect will feel like downgrading.

I'll be interested in hearing more feedback about the other programs, if anyone has any. Good luck with whatever you choose Smile

ETA: Bear in mind that 6 months is technically still in the "early" stages, with both Ageless and Flex Effect. You may not need to switch or add anything just yet - you will continue to see progress with your Ageless routine if you keep at it.

free skin care · Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:54 pm

Patti,

My favorites in order of preference are:

1. FlexEffect
2. Ageless
3. & 4. Facercise & The Facial Workout by Tal Reinhart (tied)
5. Rawesome Flex

In my opinion, FlexEffect is second to none. FlexEffect focuses on resistance-training and therefore restoring volume loss, gives me the best muscular contractions of all the exercise programs I've tried, and has the most exercises (~ 45 or so). However, so that you can decide if this is best for you, I should mention a few people are overwhelmed by the shear number of exercises and the lack of a set routine to follow. But this can be fixed by you learning about your own face and crafting a routine for yourself, working with a trainer, or using the 14-exercise sample routine that comes on the FlexEffect DVD.

About the other programs I have tried, I think they are all good and have their strengths and weakness. I would also recommend any of them. The core Facercise program is 14 exercises, plus I think there are 8 (?) advanced ones. Facercise focuses on lighter resistance and holding facial expressions until you feel the burn, so results in more toning than building. The Facial Workout by Tal Reinhart is also good and will give you some new material. I believe it has something like 20 exercises. It uses some resistance, but tends to be lighter on the applied resistance. Rawesome Flex has something like 30-35 exercises and also focuses on toning exercises. I've not tried Carolyn's Facial Fitness, but I know she tries to incorporate massage into her exercises and that she developed it not from scratch, but from trying out other people's programs--which some people consider a pro and others consider a con. I believe I recall people saying her program is 20-25 minutes long per day; I'm not sure how many exercises that translates into.

I think regardless of which ones of the above you purchase, you will learn something new and useful Smile

Sun Aug 09, 2009 6:02 pm

Lowbrowscientist wrote:

Patti1013 wrote:

This is a great thread. I've been following it since Sister Sweets started it back in May, in fact I posted about my progress at three months with Loulou's Ageless program on May 17. I'm now approaching the six month mark with Ageless and thought I'd post an update. My eyes are looking very good, eyelids have lifted giving my eyes a more open and youthful look. I recently noticed my upper lip is fuller and plumper, which I like a lot too and the skin on my face and neck feels firmer and thicker. My cheeks look slightly lifted and more promenant but I still have a little sagging on either side of my mouth, (mostly on the left side). I plan to continue with ageless, as I am seeing positive results, but I'm at a point where I think I should add more exercises into my routine to further address the ml sags and give my face a more rounded workout.

I've looked at a number of other face ex programs and it gets kind of mind boggling trying to decide which to buy. I wish I could buy them all, but I can't right now. I've considered purchasing FlexEffect, Carol M's Facercise or Carolyn's Facial Fitness to name a few. Can anyone here give me a good recommendation? Thanks!

Hi Patti,

I personally can highly recommend Flex Effect. I'm not familiar with the other programs and it's possible they would be helpful too, if you chose one, but several of the Flexers on the Flex Effect board had tried other programs, and Flex Effect is unique in that it really provides resistance training and muscle building. If you started with Ageless (which is quite rigorous in its own right), I suspect anything less than Flex Effect will feel like downgrading.

I'll be interested in hearing more feedback about the other programs, if anyone has any. Good luck with whatever you choose Smile

ETA: Bear in mind that 6 months is technically still in the "early" stages, with both Ageless and Flex Effect. You may not need to switch or add anything just yet - you will continue to see progress with your Ageless routine if you keep at it.

Lowbrow, thanks for the quick reply. I've been leaning toward FE over the others. I love Ageless it's a very intense targeted workout, I certainly feel the burn in my cheeks! And I know that's where Loulou started and it evenually lead her to develop her brilliant ageless program. But it would be nice to hear from those using other programs too. I'd like to learn all I can about facial exercises, because they really do work.

I agree too, If I try a program that's not as intense, I may be disappointed. Hmmm... also six months is not a long time. I may give ageless another six more months before I add any new exercises into my routine.

free skin care · Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:56 pm

Patti - Hi there!
Congratulations on hanging in there and making it to the six month mark.

Personally I think you are ready to add in flex effect. YOu can start out by doing the DVD - of 14 exercises to get the feel of it (this is what I did) and then you can venture out - adding the cheek exercises sounds like the way for you to go to target what you are most concerned with.

Eventually you will want to add in other exercises.

As I've said a hundred times Laughing

I do both Ageless and FE and see merit for both. FE is more time-consuming but I love the comprehensive feel of your face when finished.... and I'm telling you Patti - once you do the full set of exercises you KNOW you've really exercised your face. It's like a full body workout for the facial muscles.

LL's Ageless also feels good and maybe more targetting in some respects, yet different. I would not give up either one. My face is addicted.
As I'm sure you know Deb Crowley is supposed to be putting out her new flex effect program and supposed to be focused for advanced exercisers (but I'm sure it will be great for beginners - just a broader range). I'll probably get the new one also.
So, you can wait for this new release or just get the older one. Maybe the older one will be reduced in price when the newer one comes out - maybe????
The FE advanced cheek exercises - fingers in mouth are excellent. I consider these the core of my cheek building work=out.

Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:53 pm

cm5597 wrote:

Patti,

My favorites in order of preference are:

1. FlexEffect
2. Ageless
3. & 4. Facercise & The Facial Workout by Tal Reinhart (tied)
5. Rawesome Flex

In my opinion, FlexEffect is second to none. FlexEffect focuses on resistance-training and therefore restoring volume loss, gives me the best muscular contractions of all the exercise programs I've tried, and has the most exercises (~ 45 or so). However, so that you can decide if this is best for you, I should mention a few people are overwhelmed by the shear number of exercises and the lack of a set routine to follow. But this can be fixed by you learning about your own face and crafting a routine for yourself, working with a trainer, or using the 14-exercise sample routine that comes on the FlexEffect DVD.

About the other programs I have tried, I think they are all good and have their strengths and weakness. I would also recommend any of them. The core Facercise program is 14 exercises, plus I think there are 8 (?) advanced ones. Facercise focuses on lighter resistance and holding facial expressions until you feel the burn, so results in more toning than building. The Facial Workout by Tal Reinhart is also good and will give you some new material. I believe it has something like 20 exercises. It uses some resistance, but tends to be lighter on the applied resistance. Rawesome Flex has something like 30-35 exercises and also focuses on toning exercises. I've not tried Carolyn's Facial Fitness, but I know she tries to incorporate massage into her exercises and that she developed it not from scratch, but from trying out other people's programs--which some people consider a pro and others consider a con. I believe I recall people saying her program is 20-25 minutes long per day; I'm not sure how many exercises that translates into.

I think regardless of which ones of the above you purchase, you will learn something new and useful Smile

cm5597, You are a wealth of knowledge! Thank you so much for taking time to respond to my request for recommendations. I'm impressed. You are so knowledgeable about facial exercises at such a young age. You are one smart lady to start now rather than wait like I did. I'm 54 and started seeing the sagging, which totally shocked me, late last year. Now I'm on a mission to firm my face up with exercise, facial massage, skin care and diet. I've seen positive results over the last six months with Ageless, so I remain very motivated and positive with this approach. So much so that I've wanted to explore other facial exercise programs.

FlexEffect, your #1 choice, will most likely be my next purchase and program to explore.

I will also check out your #4&5 recommends that I'm not familiar with, The Facial Workout by Tal Reinhart & Rawesome Flex. All new to me, and looking forward to learning more about them. Thank you so much for sharing this info with me.

Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:08 pm

sister sweets wrote:

Patti - Hi there!
Congratulations on hanging in there and making it to the six month mark.

Personally I think you are ready to add in flex effect. YOu can start out by doing the DVD - of 14 exercises to get the feel of it (this is what I did) and then you can venture out - adding the cheek exercises sounds like the way for you to go to target what you are most concerned with.

Eventually you will want to add in other exercises.

As I've said a hundred times Laughing

I do both Ageless and FE and see merit for both. FE is more time-consuming but I love the comprehensive feel of your face when finished.... and I'm telling you Patti - once you do the full set of exercises you KNOW you've really exercised your face. It's like a full body workout for the facial muscles.

LL's Ageless also feels good and maybe more targetting in some respects, yet different. I would not give up either one. My face is addicted.
As I'm sure you know Deb Crowley is supposed to be putting out her new flex effect program and supposed to be focused for advanced exercisers (but I'm sure it will be great for beginners - just a broader range). I'll probably get the new one also.
So, you can wait for this new release or just get the older one. Maybe the older one will be reduced in price when the newer one comes out - maybe????
The FE advanced cheek exercises - fingers in mouth are excellent. I consider these the core of my cheek building work=out.

Hi Sis, Thank you so much for the reply. Of coarse I'm hanging in there. I'm on a serious mission here!!

I hope you're doing well and I'll say again, I love this thread, thank you so much for starting it.

Looks like FE will be my next venture into the world of face exercises. I've debated about waiting for the new DVD, not sure at this point. I'm ready to purchase it within the next month. I'm dying to learn the FE advanced cheek exercises. They sound great. Are they in the 14 ex's on the current DVD? Do you think I should wait for the new DVD?

free skin care · Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:21 pm

Quote:

Are they in the 14 ex's on the current DVD? Do you think I should wait for the new DVD?

Hi Patti! The 14 exercises on the FlexEffect DVD include 3 cheek exercises (2 of which are advanced versions), so you work 3 of the 6 muscles of the cheek. The cheek muscles you target on the FlexEffect DVD are caput infra-orbitale (red arrow on diagram at bottom of page here: http://www.flexeffect.com/muscles.htm), zygomaticus (the muscle that is one muscle BELOW, but NOT UNDERNEATH, the green arrow), and the buccinators (the area of the face where gaunt, sunken cheeks appear). The cheek muscles not covered by the FlexEffect DVD are caput angulare (aka Quadratus labii - superioris; blue line), caput zygomaticum (green line), and risorius (muscle that extends roughly parallel from the mouth muscle to the ear lobe). The DVD alone is a great starting place and you will get a good cheek workout, but if you have serious cheek issues, I'd recommend getting the book. Of course, you can always get the DVD first, and then get the book later. I hope this helps in your decision-making! Smile

free skin care · Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:28 pm

Quote:

cm5597, You are a wealth of knowledge! Thank you so much for taking time to respond to my request for recommendations. I'm impressed. You are so knowledgeable about facial exercises at such a young age. You are one smart lady to start now rather than wait like I did. I'm 54 and started seeing the sagging, which totally shocked me, late last year. Now I'm on a mission to firm my face up with exercise, facial massage, skin care and diet. I've seen positive results over the last six months with Ageless, so I remain very motivated and positive with this approach. So much so that I've wanted to explore other facial exercise programs.

FlexEffect, your #1 choice, will most likely be my next purchase and program to explore.

I will also check out your #4&5 recommends that I'm not familiar with, The Facial Workout by Tal Reinhart & Rawesome Flex. All new to me, and looking forward to learning more about them. Thank you so much for sharing this info with me.

Thanks, Patti, and you're welcome, too! Smile

That's so exciting that you are getting positive results with Ageless. Good luck with everything and let us know how it goes Smile

free skin care · Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:29 am

Is there any different between exercise & massage? Where I can know more about facial exercise?

I just do facial massage alternate day and I think it is really good for skin condition.
Thank you.

free skin care · Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:37 am

There is a difference, but its difficult to really do them both justice by words alone. Facial exercise basically help improve the circulation to the individual muscles (by up to 10 times), whereas massage can increase the circulation somewhat but it doesn't condition or strengthen the muscle to the same capacity as facial exercises do. I think facial exercise really helps the muscles to regain their rightful place (i.e. it prevents sagging as it encourages them to lift), but massage can do this sometimes but its difficult to give you an exact explanation here as words always do a disservice I feel.

Take a look atwww.flexeffect.com, orwww.facercise.com, orwww.evafraser.com, or evenwww.louiseannette.co.uk as these are all systems that many users here do and will give you an idea.

tckmtracy wrote:

Is there any different between exercise & massage? Where I can know more about facial exercise?

I just do facial massage alternate day and I think it is really good for skin condition.
Thank you.

free skin care · Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:21 am

Quote:

whereas massage can increase the circulation somewhat but it doesn't condition or strengthen the muscle to the same capacity as facial exercises do.

And one more thing to emphasize: While massage thickens the skin, it cannot restore nearly as much volume to the face as doing strength-training facial exercises. Plus strength-training facial exercises give you much more control over the volume in the *individual* parts of the face, e.g., you can change the look of your face to a degree by building higher cheekbones even if you never had them before.

free skin care · Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:40 am

Yes I agree that facial massage can only do so much and cannot build muscle that's for sure. However, I've had great success using two different louffas that CM sells for the face and feel I HAVE stimulated collagen, hence my skin feels thicker. This was great news for me, as my skin was rather thin! This new facial louffa routine has become a great adjunct to Facercise for me. All the best, Aprile Smile

free skin care · Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:41 pm

I ordered FE on Wed and haven't heard anything back. Does FE usually send a confirmation email when your package is shipped? How long does it take for you to receive it? Thanks.

free skin care · Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:56 pm

Welcome ricayhermosa - It took over a week for me to hear back from the folks at FE. Not a quick response there but you will indeed hear from them. Claudia also reads here and she is on top of things at FE and will make sure you are taken care of. I promise it is worth it. And I'm so glad you are making this wonderful effort for yourself. Put the time in and you will be amazed.

Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:36 am

.

Hello all.

As I said in a post under the Ageless if You Dare thread (page 77), I've just begun LouLou's program of facial exercises. As this thread is for process and results, I thought it best to mention my process here, as some folks in the future will surely be interested in seeing the before and after pics of your average 52-year-old.

My son took several photos of my face, neck, and lips, which I will be posting on a (as of today private) blog. I'm skeptical that anything can help me to look less haggard and I certainly don't believe that my "shapeless Nicholas Cage face" (as I call it) will ever have the glorious cheeks of my mother (a big, sarcastic thank you to Daddy for his strong cheek genes).

Should all the wonderful results of facial exercises I've read about hold true even to a minor degree in my case, I'll post the link to my blog and gladly open it up to the public. I love to share great news, so if LouLou's Ageless if You Dare exercises have any effect, rest assured I will spread the news far and wide.

You'll be hearing from me.

=D

.

free skin care · Sat Aug 15, 2009 4:45 pm

sister sweets wrote:

Welcome ricayhermosa - It took over a week for me to hear back from the folks at FE. Not a quick response there but you will indeed hear from them. Claudia also reads here and she is on top of things at FE and will make sure you are taken care of. I promise it is worth it. And I'm so glad you are making this wonderful effort for yourself. Put the time in and you will be amazed.

Thanks, sister sweets. After reading through this thread, i decided to get FE for my first forage into facial excercise since it seems to be the most comprehensive and really help with muscle building.

Will report back with my results.

free skin care · Sat Aug 15, 2009 5:06 pm

I know I would love to see pictures of your results, Nightbloom! Here's wishing you success in this venture.

I've slacked off terribly over the past month (no time for facial exercises during vacation, and I'm having trouble getting back in the groove since returning to work etc.) but my face is looking sad and saggy ... I need to get serious about this again - was at the hairdresser today and I'm thinking I'd love to see improvement in those mirrors at my next appointment six weeks from now - so there's a goal to start with!

Nightbloom wrote:

.

Hello all.

As I said in a post under the Ageless if You Dare thread (page 77), I've just begun LouLou's program of facial exercises. As this thread is for process and results, I thought it best to mention my process here, as some folks in the future will surely be interested in seeing the before and after pics of your average 52-year-old.

My son took several photos of my face, neck, and lips, which I will be posting on a (as of today private) blog. I'm skeptical that anything can help me to look less haggard and I certainly don't believe that my "shapeless Nicholas Cage face" (as I call it) will ever have the glorious cheeks of my mother (a big, sarcastic thank you to Daddy for his strong cheek genes).

Should all the wonderful results of facial exercises I've read about hold true even to a minor degree in my case, I'll post the link to my blog and gladly open it up to the public. I love to share great news, so if LouLou's Ageless if You Dare exercises have any effect, rest assured I will spread the news far and wide.

You'll be hearing from me.

=D

.

free skin care · Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:17 am

Metaphora wrote:

I've slacked off terribly over the past month (no time for facial exercises during vacation, and I'm having trouble getting back in the groove since returning to work etc.) but my face is looking sad and saggy ...

Meta ~

I have slacked a little too with my facial exercises this summer. Being a Moms taxi service and going to lots of baseball games (my sons)! Sometimes we'd get home afer 11:30 at night and I just couldn't seem to find the time to perform my Facercise routine. However, I have yet to see my face suffer. I think it's because I have incorporated dry brushing with the facial beauty mitt and new bamoo mitt that Carole Maggio sells. I am stunned at how I've had such great success using these two little babies!! They are very inexpensive too ~ only about $7 & $10 each. When I first saw them I thought how in the heck can they work? But, they have truly changed my complexion, lifted my face and even generated collagen production ~ my skin just feels thicker. You might want to try them to jump start your program! Aprile Smile

free skin care · Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:48 pm

Nightbloom - Welcome aboard and get inspired with facial exercise. It will help you (Promise, promise, promise). I can't even put my finger on it but I just look better - eyes more open, face more alert, and then the specific things like better cheeks! It's just an overall fitter look in the face.

Hope to see your results. Thanks for posting.

Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:09 am

Patti1013 wrote:

This is a great thread. I've been following it since Sister Sweets started it back in May, in fact I posted about my progress at three months with Loulou's Ageless program on May 17. I'm now approaching the six month mark with Ageless and thought I'd post an update. My eyes are looking very good, eyelids have lifted giving my eyes a more open and youthful look. I recently noticed my upper lip is fuller and plumper, which I like a lot too and the skin on my face and neck feels firmer and thicker. My cheeks look slightly lifted and more promenant but I still have a little sagging on either side of my mouth, (mostly on the left side). I plan to continue with ageless, as I am seeing positive results, but I'm at a point where I think I should add more exercises into my routine to further address the ml sags and give my face a more rounded workout.

I've looked at a number of other face ex programs and it gets kind of mind boggling trying to decide which to buy. I wish I could buy them all, but I can't right now. I've considered purchasing FlexEffect, Carol M's Facercise or Carolyn's Facial Fitness to name a few. Can anyone here give me a good recommendation? Thanks!

Hi, Patti. This is my first post on the forum, so I hope I do it right. I'd like to put in a word for Carolyn's Facial Fitness. I'm nearly 64 and have been doing CFF for eight months. I had always been told I look younger than my age, but I was beginning to see the lines and sagging increasing little by little. I'm not one to take things lying down, but I would never have gone down the route of invasive procedures, even if I had the money to do it - which I don't. Fear would be a big enough deterrent on its own, plus my preference for doing things for myself. I knew something about facial exercises, but decided to find out more, so after several days' worth of surfing the internet, I had a lot more information. I read it all carefully, but finally decided on Carolyn's Facial Fitness. What made me lean towards CFF first of all was the comprehensiveness of the website - there's a huge amount of information - plus I felt a kindred spirit with Carolyn when I read about how she developed her programme. Also, the Before/After photos featured older women who I could identify with and who had achieved striking but believable results with CFF. Carolyn herself started facial exercises at 50, so that was an encouragement in itself. I think the biggest plus of all, though, was Carolyn's promise that she personally answers all queries. She provides an email address, phone number and even her home address. That easy accessibility really appealed to me, because no matter how clear the programme (and CFF is very clear), I always have little questions that come to mind. There were lots of them, but Carolyn has been true to her word and I can honestly say that most of my emails have been responded to within the hour - as long as I bear in mind the time-difference between Seattle and the UK, where I live. I find her to be very friendly and approachable and genuinely interested in her clients. As for the programme itself, what I like about it is that it covers the whole of the face and neck, including the nose and ears - and there's even a technique for 'rubbing out' lines and wrinkles. So, eight months in, what are the results so far? Well, to my great relief, there have been no 'awkward phases' such as users of other programmes have reported. I couldn't have coped with that, even temporarily, and Carolyn promised there wouldn't be any. I would say the first real signs of progress came after about four months. My skin started to feel thicker and springier - something that most facial exercisers report, whatever the programme. Over the next few months, my cheeks, eyelids and brows gradually lifted, my neck and upper chest became stronger and smoother. Everything now feels firm, plump and taut - even my earlobes! Another thing I've noticed is my improved facial posture. For years I'd walked around with my mouth slightly open, as it seemed an effort to close it fully (I suppose because of slack mouth-muscles). Now my natural default position is to hold my lips lightly together - which I can only think is because the muscles around my mouth have tightened up. I'm working on the lines around my mouth, which are slowly but gradually responding to the 'rubbing out' technique. Carolyn warned me it would be a long job, but I told her I'm up for it - and I am! To me at age 64, all these improvements are very gratifying. Because CFF is such a comprehensive system and suits me, I intend to continue with it for the rest of my life, and I'm sure I can expect to see further improvements over time. Consistency and perseverance are the key.

free skin care · Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:30 am

Hi Newera--That is so wonderful!! Thanks so much for taking the time to post.

I know some people had questions about CFF (and many of us have not tried CFF): how long is it, how many exercises there are in it, and what parts of the face it is better at/worse at targeting, what type of exercises are included (e.g., isometric, toning, resistance-training, etc.), and so on...if you have the time and interest in posting that info, I think many people would love to hear and appreciate your insights Smile

Also, I was wondering, besides skin thickness, in what areas and to what extent at this many months into your facial exercising have you seen improvements in wrinkle reduction, improving sag (and in what areas), restoring volume loss esp. to the cheeks, etc.?

Thanks so much for sharing! Smile

Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:28 pm

cm5597 wrote:

Hi Newera--That is so wonderful!! Thanks so much for taking the time to post.

I know some people had questions about CFF (and many of us have not tried CFF): how long is it, how many exercises there are in it, and what parts of the face it is better at/worse at targeting, what type of exercises are included (e.g., isometric, toning, resistance-training, etc.), and so on...if you have the time and interest in posting that info, I think many people would love to hear and appreciate your insights Smile

Also, I was wondering, besides skin thickness, in what areas and to what extent at this many months into your facial exercising have you seen improvements in wrinkle reduction, improving sag (and in what areas), restoring volume loss esp. to the cheeks, etc.?

Thanks so much for sharing! Smile

Hi,cm.

I'm glad you found my post useful. Actually, the answers to most of your questions can be found on the CFF website. Being a new member, I'm not allowed to link to external websites, so just look up 'Carolyn's Facial Fitness'. Browse around the whole of the site and use the search function in the upper right hand corner. There's a stack of information there. The exercises target all areas of the face, plus the neck, ears and upper chest. Nothing is left out. From my own experience, that has proved to be the case. One of the biggest improvements has been in the muscles of my cheeks. I wouldn't say that I had a great deal of volume loss - it was more that my cheeks were beginning to get soft and saggy, resulting in jowls, mouth pouches and n/l folds. I have to say they weren't extreme, though, though, considering my age - perhaps because I've always maintained a steady weight and am slim. Even so, I was keen for any improvement before things got worse. By the way, for those of you who are discouraged because you've lost a lot of weight and it's affected your face badly, - that was exactly the case with Carolyn, but she got the results she wanted in the end. Her photos prove it. My own improvement took about four months to even begin to be apparent, and then it was more in the feel (firmer and plumper) than in the look. By about the sixth month, I could actually see the beginnings of improvement, but it was very, very gradual - and still is. The shape of my face has altered for the better, and I can see it moving upwards and outwards, if you can understand what I mean. The lines and wrinkles are being addressed with the 'rubbing out technique' which I mentioned in my previous post, but it's slow. Carolyn warned me it would be. To sum up - at eight months in, I still feel that I'm in the early stages, but the improvements so far are enough to keep me happily going on with the exercises. I find them a pleasure to do and they don't take up too much time. I do the Basic Workbook in the morning before I get up, and the Bonus ones in the evening while I watch TV. Everyone has to work out their own routine, but consistency will get results in the end - I'm sure of that.

Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:25 pm

newera wrote:

Patti1013 wrote:

This is a great thread. I've been following it since Sister Sweets started it back in May, in fact I posted about my progress at three months with Loulou's Ageless program on May 17. I'm now approaching the six month mark with Ageless and thought I'd post an update. My eyes are looking very good, eyelids have lifted giving my eyes a more open and youthful look. I recently noticed my upper lip is fuller and plumper, which I like a lot too and the skin on my face and neck feels firmer and thicker. My cheeks look slightly lifted and more promenant but I still have a little sagging on either side of my mouth, (mostly on the left side). I plan to continue with ageless, as I am seeing positive results, but I'm at a point where I think I should add more exercises into my routine to further address the ml sags and give my face a more rounded workout.

I've looked at a number of other face ex programs and it gets kind of mind boggling trying to decide which to buy. I wish I could buy them all, but I can't right now. I've considered purchasing FlexEffect, Carol M's Facercise or Carolyn's Facial Fitness to name a few. Can anyone here give me a good recommendation? Thanks!

Hi, Patti. This is my first post on the forum, so I hope I do it right. I'd like to put in a word for Carolyn's Facial Fitness. I'm nearly 64 and have been doing CFF for eight months. I had always been told I look younger than my age, but I was beginning to see the lines and sagging increasing little by little. I'm not one to take things lying down, but I would never have gone down the route of invasive procedures, even if I had the money to do it - which I don't. Fear would be a big enough deterrent on its own, plus my preference for doing things for myself. I knew something about facial exercises, but decided to find out more, so after several days' worth of surfing the internet, I had a lot more information. I read it all carefully, but finally decided on Carolyn's Facial Fitness. What made me lean towards CFF first of all was the comprehensiveness of the website - there's a huge amount of information - plus I felt a kindred spirit with Carolyn when I read about how she developed her programme. Also, the Before/After photos featured older women who I could identify with and who had achieved striking but believable results with CFF. Carolyn herself started facial exercises at 50, so that was an encouragement in itself. I think the biggest plus of all, though, was Carolyn's promise that she personally answers all queries. She provides an email address, phone number and even her home address. That easy accessibility really appealed to me, because no matter how clear the programme (and CFF is very clear), I always have little questions that come to mind. There were lots of them, but Carolyn has been true to her word and I can honestly say that most of my emails have been responded to within the hour - as long as I bear in mind the time-difference between Seattle and the UK, where I live. I find her to be very friendly and approachable and genuinely interested in her clients. As for the programme itself, what I like about it is that it covers the whole of the face and neck, including the nose and ears - and there's even a technique for 'rubbing out' lines and wrinkles. So, eight months in, what are the results so far? Well, to my great relief, there have been no 'awkward phases' such as users of other programmes have reported. I couldn't have coped with that, even temporarily, and Carolyn promised there wouldn't be any. I would say the first real signs of progress came after about four months. My skin started to feel thicker and springier - something that most facial exercisers report, whatever the programme. Over the next few months, my cheeks, eyelids and brows gradually lifted, my neck and upper chest became stronger and smoother. Everything now feels firm, plump and taut - even my earlobes! Another thing I've noticed is my improved facial posture. For years I'd walked around with my mouth slightly open, as it seemed an effort to close it fully (I suppose because of slack mouth-muscles). Now my natural default position is to hold my lips lightly together - which I can only think is because the muscles around my mouth have tightened up. I'm working on the lines around my mouth, which are slowly but gradually responding to the 'rubbing out' technique. Carolyn warned me it would be a long job, but I told her I'm up for it - and I am! To me at age 64, all these improvements are very gratifying. Because CFF is such a comprehensive system and suits me, I intend to continue with it for the rest of my life, and I'm sure I can expect to see further improvements over time. Consistency and perseverance are the key.

Hi Newera,
Thanks for your detailed response. For many of the same reasons you mentioned, Carolyn's program has been one of the top three I've considered purchasing. I don't know how long the CFF program has been out and how long it took her to develop it, but I noticed she started facial exercise at 53 (I was barely 54 when I started six months ago) so given the fact that we started face ex's at around the same age, I would think in general that the age related issues I want to address are in her program. I also liked seeing believable before and after pictures of women over 50. And I too found her website to be very informative.

Also, thanks for the detailed report of your progress. Congratulations on your success! I completely agree with you Newera, consistency and perseverance are key to success. Facial exercise doesn't provide instant results, it long-term and cumulative. And I love the idea that I'm in the driver's seat and not at the mercy of someone with a knife in their hand!

I love Loulou's brilliant Ageless if You Dare program. It's a very good and intense workout, so yes, I have dealt with the awkward phases. Mostly in the first few months. Now I know when to back off and take a break.

Stay in touch and keep me posted with your progress.

free skin care · Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:52 pm

newera wrote:

Hi, Patti. This is my first post on the forum, so I hope I do it right. I'd like to put in a word for Carolyn's Facial Fitness. I'm nearly 64 and have been doing CFF for eight months. I had always been told I look younger than my age, but I was beginning to see the lines and sagging increasing little by little. I'm not one to take things lying down, but I would never have gone down the route of invasive procedures, even if I had the money to do it - which I don't. Fear would be a big enough deterrent on its own, plus my preference for doing things for myself. I knew something about facial exercises, but decided to find out more, so after several days' worth of surfing the internet, I had a lot more information. I read it all carefully, but finally decided on Carolyn's Facial Fitness. What made me lean towards CFF first of all was the comprehensiveness of the website - there's a huge amount of information - plus I felt a kindred spirit with Carolyn when I read about how she developed her programme. Also, the Before/After photos featured older women who I could identify with and who had achieved striking but believable results with CFF. Carolyn herself started facial exercises at 50, so that was an encouragement in itself. I think the biggest plus of all, though, was Carolyn's promise that she personally answers all queries. She provides an email address, phone number and even her home address. That easy accessibility really appealed to me, because no matter how clear the programme (and CFF is very clear), I always have little questions that come to mind. There were lots of them, but Carolyn has been true to her word and I can honestly say that most of my emails have been responded to within the hour - as long as I bear in mind the time-difference between Seattle and the UK, where I live. I find her to be very friendly and approachable and genuinely interested in her clients. As for the programme itself, what I like about it is that it covers the whole of the face and neck, including the nose and ears - and there's even a technique for 'rubbing out' lines and wrinkles. So, eight months in, what are the results so far? Well, to my great relief, there have been no 'awkward phases' such as users of other programmes have reported. I couldn't have coped with that, even temporarily, and Carolyn promised there wouldn't be any. I would say the first real signs of progress came after about four months. My skin started to feel thicker and springier - something that most facial exercisers report, whatever the programme. Over the next few months, my cheeks, eyelids and brows gradually lifted, my neck and upper chest became stronger and smoother. Everything now feels firm, plump and taut - even my earlobes! Another thing I've noticed is my improved facial posture. For years I'd walked around with my mouth slightly open, as it seemed an effort to close it fully (I suppose because of slack mouth-muscles). Now my natural default position is to hold my lips lightly together - which I can only think is because the muscles around my mouth have tightened up. I'm working on the lines around my mouth, which are slowly but gradually responding to the 'rubbing out' technique. Carolyn warned me it would be a long job, but I told her I'm up for it - and I am! To me at age 64, all these improvements are very gratifying. Because CFF is such a comprehensive system and suits me, I intend to continue with it for the rest of my life, and I'm sure I can expect to see further improvements over time. Consistency and perseverance are the key.

Wow Newara - this is an awesome testimony to great results. And Carolyn's accessibility is impressive.
A few questions I have off the bat - if you don't mind answering.
~Why aren't there any awkward periods?
~How many minutes a day do you do the exercises?
~Are they resistance exercises?
~What are your favorite exercises?

Thank you for sharing the journey with us and hope to hear so much more as time goes by. I am not real familiar with the CFF program and I believe it is helpful for all of us to know what is available and to hear the actual evidence that comes from an experience in each program such as what you have shared with us. I am very appreciative.

I started facial exercises at 50 and they have helped me so much. At times I go out with women at my college who are around 20 years younger than me and I feel I fit in - don't feel like anyone's mother and I get my own share of male attention. Yet I enjoy being older and it's a nice position for it's own worth. and it's nice to know you haven't disappeared. Facial exercises keep a youthful look. No, you don't look 30 but you look healthy, alive, vibrant and you lose the sag....
It's nice to hear about Carolyn's honest approach - that it takes time and effort to get there. And when you hang in and it happens you just feel so empowered and happy.

Congratulations and welcome to EDS.

Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:09 am

sister sweets wrote:

Wow Newara - this is an awesome testimony to great results. And Carolyn's accessibility is impressive.
A few questions I have off the bat - if you don't mind answering.
~Why aren't there any awkward periods?
~How many minutes a day do you do the exercises?
~Are they resistance exercises?
~What are your favorite exercises?

Thank you for sharing the journey with us and hope to hear so much more as time goes by. I am not real familiar with the CFF program and I believe it is helpful for all of us to know what is available and to hear the actual evidence that comes from an experience in each program such as what you have shared with us. I am very appreciative.

I started facial exercises at 50 and they have helped me so much. At times I go out with women at my college who are around 20 years younger than me and I feel I fit in - don't feel like anyone's mother and I get my own share of male attention. Yet I enjoy being older and it's a nice position for it's own worth. and it's nice to know you haven't disappeared. Facial exercises keep a youthful look. No, you don't look 30 but you look healthy, alive, vibrant and you lose the sag....
It's nice to hear about Carolyn's honest approach - that it takes time and effort to get there. And when you hang in and it happens you just feel so empowered and happy.

Congratulations and welcome to EDS.

Thank you, Sister Sweets for your congrats and kind welcome. I share your feelings about taking charge of our own looks and being happy with the results. As for your questions: I think the reason why there are no 'awkward stages' with CFF is that Carolyn has tested all the exercises on herself and a team of six others and watched the results carefully before including them in the programme. Nothing is included until it's tested for six months. As she says on her website, the aim of CFF is to give an elegant, balanced look to the face. The Basic exercises are designed to take 15 minutes if you follow along with the CD. However, I find it a bit too fast for me, so I go at my own pace and it takes about 20 minutes. The are additional Bonus exercises, which take about 5 minutes, depending on your own individual speed. I do the Basic in the morning and the Bonus at night. As you'll see from the website, the exercises are a mixture of isometric and muscle resistance. I enjoy doing them all, but I think my favourite is Cheek Firmer, because it does just that - and it's noticeable. Do have good look at the website - it's comprehensive, and a mine of information.

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