BLOG 276: REDUCE LIP AND PHILTRUM LINES WITH EASY FACE YOGA

As we get older, many of us will start noticing little vertical lines appearing above the upper lip and in the philtrum area (the philtrum is the little groove that runs from the centre of your upper lip to your nose).

These lines have two main causes. The first is expressing – the way we habitually move our faces in response to our thoughts and emotions. And the second is the way we sleep. 

Side sleepers (like me) and front sleepers especially end up causing lines and wrinkles because our faces are pushed against our pillows for seven, eight hours at a time. As a result, sleep lines can often be deeper and more persistent than the ones caused by our expressions.

Sleep lines usually fade as we go through our days. But, over time, they can become etched into our faces. This is because we naturally start to produce less collagen and elastin as we age, so our skin loses some of its plumpness and elasticity, meaning it can no longer bounce easily back into smoothness.

I do have a great hack for reducing or avoiding sleep lines, which is to use the Omnia pillow from Sleep & Glow. It is specially designed for side sleepers, with two dips that cradle your face without putting pressure on it, so you don’t get those sleep lines.

I’ve used the Omnia pillow for around five years now and I love it. If you’d like to invest in one, you can claim a discount using my code, faceyoga10. If you are reading this before 21st July you can use code FACEYOGA15 for a huge 15% off.

But what about the lines caused by expressing, or lines that have already appeared in this area?

I have a few great face yoga techniques for those, which I’ll take you through in this post. This is a short and simple sequence that is specifically targeted at the upper lip area.

You can also follow along with a video version via my YouTube channel.

Getting started

This whole routine should take around five minutes. It is a great one to add to your existing skincare regime, but you can also do it at whatever time of day suits you best.

Make sure you have clean hands and a clean face before starting. Apply a few drops of the Fusion by Danielle Collins Pro Lift Moisturising Serum to your upper lip area. Keep the bottle to hand so that you can reapply extra serum if needed as you massage.

I’d suggest having a mirror to hand, at least the first few times you do this sequence, so you can see what you’re doing.

Spend around a minute on each of these techniques. These all help to smooth lines, boost blood circulation to the upper lip area, and encourage collagen production.

1. Smooth

Bring the tips of your index and middle fingers of both hands together in the centre of your philtrum (the little groove at the middle of the upper lip that goes up to the nose).

Gently smooth outwards, following the line of your upper lip. Replace your fingers in the centre and repeat.

2. Circle

Next, place the tip of one index finger in the centre of your philtrum and press gently down. Keeping your finger in place, massage in a circular motion.

Continue for around 30 seconds in one direction, then switch to do another 30 seconds in the other direction.

3. Soften

Now, using your index and middle fingers on both hands, gently glide down from your nostrils to the top of your upper lip and back up again to soften vertical lines.

Start in the centre and move outwards in a zigzag pattern, spending a little longer where you can see those lines appearing. Go all the way out to your nasal labial folds (the lines that connect the outside of your nostrils to the outer corners of your mouth) and back again.

4. Tap

Finally, use your index and middle fingers to tap rapidly all over the skin above your upper lip. This is a great way to boost blood circulation and encourage collagen production.

Finished

That’s it – a really quick and easy face yoga routine to target lines around the upper lip and philtrum.

Like any face yoga routine, this sequence will bring you the most benefits if you do it daily. You can do these techniques on their own, or combine them with other moves from my books, Danielle Collins’ Face Yoga and the Face Yoga Journal. 

Both books are packed with face yoga techniques, as well as health and wellness tips, to help you develop a daily practice. 

Find out more here.