Just as I (Barclay) was pulling out my credit card for another magical face cream, I stumbled on this article in the NY Times with the enticing title, Exercising your Face. Low and behold, there’s scientific proof that exercising your facial muscles CAN make a difference. OK, granted, I am a sucker for this kind of thing. (They had me at “cheek sculpting”.) But hey it’s freeeeeee!
Oh wait, there’s more. The NY Times — bless them for shelving North Korea for this important topic — references another article, Facial Exercises May Make you Look 3 Years Younger. Now I don’t like the word, “may”, and 3 years is not exactly all we hoped for, but again, it’s what? It’s freeeeeee.
According to our bffs at the Times —
“The study found that middle-aged women looked about three years younger after a few months of exercising, perhaps providing a reasonable, new rationale for making faces behind our spouses’ backs.”
The guru cited by the Times is a guy named Gary Sikorski who has developed Happy Face Yoga. (I wish we had thought of this.)
Wait…oh no! Gary’s capitalizing on his NY Times fame. He’s marketing DVDs and who knows what else. It’s not freeeeee at all.
OK, maybe we don’t need Gary’s 32 exercises. I mean what are the chances we would do 2, much less 32 of his exercises? And remember the words, “may” and “3-years”? Shark Tank would say, “For those reasons, I’m out.”
Turns out, YouTube is all over this. They offer a plethora of videos featuring my favorite phrases, “anti-aging”, “only 3 minutes a day”; “long lasting youthful skin”; “easy”.
Here is the video I’m going to follow. What’s to lose? And this YouTube lady looks so darn happy. (Never mind that she’s all of 25!)
So click here , my Baby Boomer friends, and let’s blow some kisses at each other.
And for you over achievers, don’t neglect the neck. Click the word, saggy, and get ready to kiss the ceiling.
Today’s Takeaway –
- Free is better! (This is a direct quote from my friend, Rose, who goes to the Library before Amazon.)
- There is research that smiling more actually makes you happier.
- Who doesn’t want to make a fish face??
Enjoy the ride!
xox, Barclay and Joy
Here’s picture proof from the NY Times.
Revisionist Retirement 
The YouTube lady also looks about 25 years old!
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Now I understand why everyone makes the pucker mouth in pictures on FB.. They’re just doing their face exercises.
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Strangely enough I read about these exercises in a magazine about twenty years ago and have been doing them about three times a week all this time !! I DO think they work !!
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Nice to get that feedback! I always thought that smiling created more wrinkles – especially around the eyes.
The great part about this is that smiling more DOES make you happier. Simplistic, I know. But there’s some truth in there somewhere. Have a wonderful day! b
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