Carolyn's Facial Fitness
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free skin care · Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:50 pm

ATester which kit did you order, the less or more expensive one?

After reading this thread re massaging while doing the exercises (and looking at her site re this technique) i've decided to get this program, too (i also already do Ageless and FE3...and various acupressure facelift techniques that involve massage as well..and the tanaka massage...and a massage from Robin Niu Er..so i am very conscious of how much massage improves facial tissues)

free skin care · Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:06 am

Jasminerosey - I have to say I really like this kit for that very reason, she combines both massage and exercises into a very powerful tool, and its gentle and not as aggressive as other programs, but I really like it. Plus I find her cd to be very motivating for me, she has a lovely sounding voice.

free skin care · Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:42 am

I am thinking of getting this one as well (eek, someone stop me!) I like the massage techniques and the fact that she addresses gauntness -- my biggest problem with the other facial exercise programs.

free skin care · Wed Sep 22, 2010 12:29 pm

I am very tempted to get this one too.. I have an older Deb Crowley system , the Maggio, and Ageless.. I tend to use some Eva Fraser and Ageless, primarily, since those are the excercises which are so simple they somehow 'stuck' in my head and I have no trouble recalling what to do.. Embarassed

So.. I see Carolyn has cards and several learning DVD's, and my question is... is there anyone who would compare Carolyn's excercises to other systems like the ones above, and tell me if they are 'simple' and do they involve fingers in mouth ( dont like!) or going for the burn ( also dont enjoy at all!).. I'd say that Ageless is very simple, and I do love it for that, as well as for it's effectiveness.

Where does Carolyn fit in on this spectrum.. if that isnt an impossible question ..?
Wink

free skin care · Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:36 pm

jasminerosey wrote:

ATester which kit did you order, the less or more expensive one?

After reading this thread re massaging while doing the exercises (and looking at her site re this technique) i've decided to get this program, too (i also already do Ageless and FE3...and various acupressure facelift techniques that involve massage as well..and the tanaka massage...and a massage from Robin Niu Er..so i am very conscious of how much massage improves facial tissues)

I bought the kit with DVD, book with extra ex. and sample creams, it also comes with CD's, no time yet to listen to them though. So I still can't really give a complete opinion. I've liked what I've seen on the DVD, yet I am not new to facial exercises so I've understood them immediately as they seemed to be a mixture of exercises I already learnt because of the diferent programs I own, but I wonder if someone is new if they would understand them. I still have to view all the material to see what I think about it, I personally like it because I already know quite a bit about facial exercise, if I didn't know I may be a bit lost. The massage techniques on the other hand are good for me. Yet,if your concern is about massage,the FlexEffect massages nowadays with the third edition are similar 'in a way', not quite but near.

Must check out the Robin Niu Er massage you mention; I do love massage techniques!!

free skin care · Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:46 am

catski wrote:

I am very tempted to get this one too.. I have an older Deb Crowley system , the Maggio, and Ageless.. I tend to use some Eva Fraser and Ageless, primarily, since those are the excercises which are so simple they somehow 'stuck' in my head and I have no trouble recalling what to do.. Embarassed

So.. I see Carolyn has cards and several learning DVD's, and my question is... is there anyone who would compare Carolyn's excercises to other systems like the ones above, and tell me if they are 'simple' and do they involve fingers in mouth ( dont like!) or going for the burn ( also dont enjoy at all!).. I'd say that Ageless is very simple, and I do love it for that, as well as for it's effectiveness.

Where does Carolyn fit in on this spectrum.. if that isnt an impossible question ..?
Wink

free skin care · Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:50 pm

I ordered. Also found a discount code, CFFORM10 that gave me 10% off. Always a sucker for a deal, and I would love to get the benefits of facial exercise without the gauntness. So we will see.

free skin care · Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:13 am

Sorry I thought I responded to this but the computer lost my message.

Yep Carolyn’s dvd is excellent. There is a learning program she’s designed to help people learn it well. There is 2 cds. One is a pacing cd where she does the count (and that’s the one you start with after you have learned the exercises) and the other is a final cd where she just says the name of the exercises but doesn’t do the count (and she explains in the book that she didn’t like the counting all the time and so found by creating this cd she kept the same tempo without getting annoyed by the numbers etc).

Only one exercise involves the thumb in the mouth, but its nothing like FlexEffect’s ones. She doesn’t have you go for the burn as such, but I think her program is both simple and effective and surpasses Ageless I have to say in all honesty. Plus I like how she’s looked into things like hair, hands, and nails etc, and has even got exercises for the Décolleté area too, which as any women over 50 will tell you starts showing aging signs rapidly. She’s always researching things, and her wrinkle detach technique I really like. Plus I really like that you get direct access to Carolyn. That’s something you never get with Ageless or FlexEffect. Maggio does it, but it takes up to 7 days for her to respond sometimes.

Theresa

TheresaMary wrote:

catski wrote:

I am very tempted to get this one too.. I have an older Deb Crowley system , the Maggio, and Ageless.. I tend to use some Eva Fraser and Ageless, primarily, since those are the excercises which are so simple they somehow 'stuck' in my head and I have no trouble recalling what to do.. Embarassed

So.. I see Carolyn has cards and several learning DVD's, and my question is... is there anyone who would compare Carolyn's excercises to other systems like the ones above, and tell me if they are 'simple' and do they involve fingers in mouth ( dont like!) or going for the burn ( also dont enjoy at all!).. I'd say that Ageless is very simple, and I do love it for that, as well as for it's effectiveness.

Where does Carolyn fit in on this spectrum.. if that isnt an impossible question ..?
Wink

free skin care · Tue Apr 26, 2011 5:17 pm

Hi there! Any updates from users of Carolyn Cleave's Facial Fitness? I just ordered a few days ago & was wondering what people thought, especially in comparison to FE & Ageless.

Myself, I have been doing FE eye exercises & Ageless cheeks for the past 1 1/2 years. Unfortunately, while everything was going good for a while, even *great*, I'm afraid that I overbuilt my mouth muscles while exercising my cheeks. (Didn't really pay attention to which muscles I was working.) Now I have some mouth pouches which are *slowly* going away.

I'm hoping that this program will make it hard to mess up which muscles I'm supposed to be working on. I have a thin face & would like to build up some more cheekbone definition.

free skin care · Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:08 pm

I've been doing CFF since last September. I've used several other programs in the past, including ones mentioned in this thread and my favorite, hands-down is CFF.

Carolyn is so right when she states that her program provides an elegant build...it really does! I've experienced awkward or overbuild with another program that took time to settle back down and I've not experienced any odd phases with CFF. I also really like how the massage is incorporated into the program, so I'm easily able to complete the program in 15 minutes and do it 5 days/week. I'm actually seeing the "youth jumps" that she mentions.

free skin care · Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:33 am

Thanks JenJ! I just received my packet in the mail yesterday-- yay! That was fast shipping.

I have to say, I am feeling pretty optimistic about this program. I've been doing the "Facial Firmer" exercise for the past couple of days (I think it's posted on her website.) Like you, I really like how she incorporates the massage with the exercise, and I think it's already made a difference in smoothing out the weird overbuild that I've been getting in the lower half of my face (a pouchiness around the corners of my mouth, as well as a sort of drawn look, not exactly mouth to chin lines, but something like the grimace you'd make if you picked up something really heavy!)

One of the things I'm am hoping is that this program will *minimize* the likelihood of using the wrong muscles that you're supposed to be working. I think that's where I get into trouble, getting sloppy with technique (for example, using my mouth muscles when I should be using cheeks.)

Out of curiosity, does anyone do the "Face Firmer" exclusively & skip the rest? After being scared off a bit on facial exercises with my weird overbuild, I'm starting to think that a "less is more" approach might work better.

(And thanks Toby for giving me the tip on this program!)

free skin care · Thu May 05, 2011 5:08 pm

Hi
I have been doing CFF for 3 months now. I follow the pacing cd,it is just about 14 minutes, m,w,f followed by the face firmer massage and so far so good!
When I first began I did the routine 5xs weekly. I did it standing for the first month and used cream on my face. The second month I did the routine lying down but the last 2 moves are done sitting up. 3 weeks ago I looked a bit drawn, Carolyn recommended lightening up, so I went down to 3 times a week and I am doing so good, less is better! My eyes and forehead are amazing and my whole face has a slight build cheeks and around my mouth. I really just wanted to maintain but I love the subtle improvements.I still consider my self a novice and would not mix programs or do more than is recommended!

Last fall I did Ageless for 2 months and at Christmas time I looked like I aged myself 20 years, I was gaunt, long faced and wrinkled around my eyes! It seemed to happen overnight. Ageless did not agree with me, all the pulling and pinching to aggressive for me and I consider it spot building, not for the novice! I rested my face for 2 months and slowly it went back. Not to mention when You do Ageless, their is no customer support!

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 2:51 am

Hey dickymoe, so glad to read about your results! To tell you the truth, I have not even watched the DVD yet, but I have been doing her Facial Firmer exercise regularly, about 4-5x week or so, along with FE eye exercises every other day, since I know them already. My pouchy mouth overbuild is nearly gone, and my face & cheeks look so much better! I was doing Ageless for cheeks & that Ageless Sexy pucker-up exercise (which I believe was the main culprit of the mouth overbuild.) I know, I know, you're not supposed to combine programs. Oh well.

The main thing I've noticed since doing the FF exercise is that when I smile, I don't get those lines running up and down from my cheeks to chin, not marionette lines exactly, but sort of a strained look, like a weightlifter's grimace. Now the cheeks are smoothing out & bulge out where they're supposed to.

It seems that it's somewhat harder to mess up these exercises than with FE & Ageless, where it seems that you have to really concentrate on which muscle you're working to prevent weird overbuild. Any other experiences?

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 5:19 am

make sure you eat enough protein or your muscles wont grow
I tried to go vegan but stopped, I eat organic eggs,beef and greek yogurt now but stay away from processed foods very unhealthy!

Forgot to add my neck never had any signs of aging except a have a little wobbly skin under my chin, it is picking up, it is not tragic but I do hope it gets lifted up by exercising all the muscles in the face. I am still a novice and learning there are a lot of people who are very helpful on this forum.

I thank the stars above for wearing sunscreen on my face everyday and staying out of the sun, not smoking and drinking

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 7:33 am

dickymoe wrote:

make sure you eat enough protein or your muscles wont grow
I tried to go vegan but stopped, I eat organic eggs,beef and greek yogurt now but stay away from processed foods very unhealthy!

Totally agree with this! About 3 months into when I started doing facial exercises (I've been doing them now for about 1 1/2 yrs) I began to experience some gauntness in my face. A dear FE trainer (Seanysean, who no longer posts a lot on EDS) suggested that I increase my protein intake & watch the quality of what I eat. Seriously, it seemed that I gained volume in my face very quickly after incorporating his suggestions, like within days! I don't really eat meat, but what I've been doing is supplementing with whey protein drinks. It's seems hard to get enough protein if you don't eat meat.

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 7:54 am

Hi everyone,

I'm tempted to try this, as no matter what I do, I always get gauntness from trying to build the cheeks.

Can anyone explain how Carolyn's program addresses gauntness? just to help me decide if it will be worth getting?

many thanks

Jackie xx

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 8:02 am

Jackie284 wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm tempted to try this, as no matter what I do, I always get gauntness from trying to build the cheeks.

Can anyone explain how Carolyn's program addresses gauntness? just to help me decide if it will be worth getting?

many thanks

Jackie xx

Carolyn's program is excellent and she is great about emailing you about your specific needs in a tutorial way,if you desire that approach. The program is gentle and does produce a nice lift. Be patient and learn that sometimes less is more as you do your training. Wink

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 8:06 am

thanks Toby x

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 9:14 am

Jackie284 wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm tempted to try this, as no matter what I do, I always get gauntness from trying to build the cheeks.

Can anyone explain how Carolyn's program addresses gauntness? just to help me decide if it will be worth getting?

many thanks

Jackie xx

Hi Jackie,

I have a naturally thin face & my 2 back lower molars have been removed. I definitely got the gaunt look from what I was doing before. (Depressing, since what I was trying to do was the opposite & build out my cheeks.) As I said earlier, it was sort of a "straining weightlifter look."

What I like about CFF, and the Facial Firmer exercise in particular, is that she has you *massage* the face muscle while *holding* the muscle contraction. For me, this has made all the difference in smoothing out the pulled out, "stringy", muscle-y look on my cheeks. And I've only begun doing CFF (honestly, am not too sure whether I will incorporate *everything* since I am happy with using FE for eyes). Perhaps what I was doing before provided a good base for CFF to take effect? Anyway, I feel that it's a more gentle, yet effective, routine compared to others I've seen.

Also, at least with the Face Firmer exercise, I don't need to concentrate on which muscles I need to work-- I am very aware about this now, with my bad experience getting mouth pouches because I wasn't paying attention & using the wrong muscles.

I am hoping Hermosa will eventually see this thread & chime in, as I believe that she also mentioned she is also prone to gauntness with facial exercises.

Hope this helps!

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 9:44 am

Hi JLM,

many thanks for your reply. I think I will definitley try this. I was looking into it a while back, but the mere mention that it could counteract the gauntness is a huge selling point!

The face firmer you mention, I can't seem to find that on her site, - there are free sample ex's, but they're not for the face as a whole,- any clues?

thanks again

Jackie xx

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 1:36 pm

The face firmer is an exercise you get when you purchase the kit, but its not a freebie as yet on Carolyn's site.

Jackie284 wrote:

Hi JLM,

many thanks for your reply. I think I will definitley try this. I was looking into it a while back, but the mere mention that it could counteract the gauntness is a huge selling point!

The face firmer you mention, I can't seem to find that on her site, - there are free sample ex's, but they're not for the face as a whole,- any clues?

thanks again

Jackie xx

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 1:39 pm

It kills me to say it, but I too suffered gauntness from facial exercises and Sean did advise me the same and I ignored it for 3 months and then got desperate and added protein and carbs to my diet on his recommendation and I too noticed the gauntness went in a very short space of time, but not sure it was a week but it wasn't long at all. I then became a bit more conscious that diet is important no matter what program you do, and since then have noticed that Maggio has written about both diet and hormones in her latest book and she's the only one I've seen really do this. Carolyn does go into info about supplements to take, but Maggio is the only one I've really seen write about this in her book. They do talk about it on the FE forum, but I think it should get a bigger mention than it does because for me it definitely did make a difference.

JLM wrote:

Totally agree with this! About 3 months into when I started doing facial exercises (I've been doing them now for about 1 1/2 yrs) I began to experience some gauntness in my face. A dear FE trainer (Seanysean, who no longer posts a lot on EDS) suggested that I increase my protein intake & watch the quality of what I eat. Seriously, it seemed that I gained volume in my face very quickly after incorporating his suggestions, like within days! I don't really eat meat, but what I've been doing is supplementing with whey protein drinks. It's seems hard to get enough protein if you don't eat meat.

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 1:42 pm

To pipe in here too, I do the face firmer regularly but I'm not so sure it would counteract gauntness as such, but it does feel good and I do notice my skin gets glowie from it. I think her program is kind of exercises and massage in one and it is great for 15 minute workout. I do notice some of the exercises though are from Facercise, FlexEffect etc. She never really gives credit to where she got her exercises from, but does say she did purchase everythng, which I've often found strange, but then again look at Loulou - she never credited FlexEffect at all in her stuff and she was there for years!

Jackie284 wrote:

many thanks for your reply. I think I will definitley try this. I was looking into it a while back, but the mere mention that it could counteract the gauntness is a huge selling point!

free skin care · Fri May 06, 2011 3:11 pm

Sean, is very knowledgeable and I have talked to him on the FE forum, mostly Pm's, when my face went berserk from ageless.

I was on Lea Eigard's page and she mentions eating beef and butter!http://www.leaeigard.com/HealthyTips_DoDont.htm

I found being a vegan very hard, and I was a healthy vegan and didn't eat all the mock vegan meats. To the best of my ability I tried to get enough protein, nuts and seeds are healthy but high in calories. I did green smoothies with hemp powder for 15 months, to get them to taste good I needed to add fruit. I always was going to the bathroom and always had gas and a touch of diarrhea! I also believe if you just drink you veggies it is not good for your digestive system, it needs to break stuff down. I eat kale, collards and other greens in a salad with some sort of beans and I don't notice a negative effect on my skin and I no longer do green smoothies.
I tried organic skin care using oils and shea butter and over time it dried my face out something fierce!

free skin care · Sat May 07, 2011 2:49 am

I wonder about that Face Firmer exercise, TheresaMary-- (and thanks for pointing out that it's not on the CFF website homepage!). I also notice a "glowiness" from doing it, but I don't think it feels good! I feel like it definitely takes an effort to do! But perhaps what I'm seeing right now in terms of changes to my face is actually "incorporation" of the muscle build that I've made? I have to say, my face looks so much better! I think Ageless for cheeks (and definitely the AgelessSexy puckerup exercise) is out for me.

Dickymoe, it's just funny how our bodies respond to different ways of eating, isn't it? Yeah, I find it hard to listen to what my body wants sometimes in the face of all this nutritional "evidence" supporting one thing or another. Glad you found something that works for you! But I really love my green soups. I get a little too chilly from drinking green smoothies on a regular basis unless it's hot outside.

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