BLOG 149: THESE 5 TIPS CAN HELP TO SMOOTH CHEST LINES NATURALLY

Although many of my Face Yoga sequences focus on the face and neck, I also love to share techniques that centre on other parts of the body, so this blog post is dedicated to the chest area.

As well as helping to naturally smooth chest lines and smooth the skin, the techniques I’m going to discuss in this post are brilliant for bringing the heart chakra back into alignment.

The chakras are energy wheels within our bodies. There are seven main chakras, which run up the midline of our bodies, starting with the root chakra at the pelvis and continuing up to the crown chakra above the top of our head.

As you have probably already guessed, the heart chakra sits in the centre of your chest. When it is blocked or out of alignment, our life force doesn’t flow freely in this area. One of the effects of this can be lines or wrinkles appearing on your chest. 

You might also notice that you feel tension or tightness in this area. A blocked heart chakra can make it hard for us to feel love and compassion for ourselves too.

We’ll start this sequence with some techniques that help to smooth chest lines, then move on to aligning the heart chakra.

The whole sequence should take around 5 to 6 minutes. You can also find a video guide on my YouTube channel.

Make sure your hands are clean before you start the sequence. You’ll need to be able to access the skin of your chest easily, so you might want to remove any jumpers or high-cut tops. Work to your own level with each technique, allowing your intuition to guide you.

1. MASSAGE

Bring your hands up to your chest. Using all your fingertips, gently smooth over the skin of your chest, starting with your hands together at the centre and moving outwards.

I find it works best if I apply a few drops of the Fusion by Danielle Collins Pro Lift Moisturising Serum before doing this massage so that my hands can move smoothly and easily over my skin.

Plus, all those high-performing botanical seed oils are beautiful for nourishing and hydrating the skin of your chest.

You don’t need to press hard here – a gentle massage is all that you need. This really helps to boost blood circulation, making your skin look happier and healthier. It also boosts collagen and elastin production.

Next, switch to stroking up between your breasts towards the centre of your collarbone. This is such a simple move, but it is extremely soothing. It helps to relax your chest and begins to align and balance the heart chakra.

Use your breath as you do this, taking deep breaths in and out through your nose. You can close your eyes too if it feels comfortable.

2. TAPPING

With all your fingers, tap rapidly all over the chest area. Make sure you move your hands around so that you work with the whole chest, all the way from your collarbone down to your cleavage. 

Again, this is brilliant for boosting blood flow and circulation. It also helps to soften and release any stress or tension you might be holding in this area.

3. STRETCH

Next, extend your arms down and out to the side. Bring them slightly back, like big wings on either side of you.

Holding your arms there, gently turn your head from side to side. As you do this, visualise a beautiful green light, radiating out from the centre of your chest. 

Green is the colour associated with the heart chakra, so this visualisation technique combines beautifully with the physical pose to align the chakra and bring it back into balance. 

This technique also helps with our posture. It opens the chest and helps us avoid that slumped-forward posture that often leads to lines and wrinkles in the chest area.

Then, bring your hands together behind your back, keeping them as straight as you can. Interlink your fingers and allow your head to tilt back slightly. Hold this pose as you breathe in and out through your nose.

Bring your head back down and release your arms.

4. AFFIRMATIONS

Next, we’re going to work with some affirmations that help to align and rebalance the heart chakra. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, feeling your chest rise and fall as you breathe in and out through your nose.

Bring your attention to your heart chakra and visualise that green light bathing it in warmth and love. 

I also like to use some sound healing alongside affirmations to open the heart chakra and encourage a good flow of energy through the chest area.

If you happen to own some crystal singing bowls of your own, you are welcome to use them – strike the bowl three times and listen to the sound while you breathe. Otherwise, skip to 3.25 on this YouTube video – I use a bowl that is specifically for the heart chakra to work with the affirmations and bring your heart chakra back into alignment.

As the sound of the final gong continues to hang in the air, say to yourself three times, “I am love”.

Keep your eyes closed and continue to visualise that green light. We’re going to do one more set of affirmations before you open your eyes again.

If you are working with your own crystal singing bowl, give it another three strikes. If you are using my video, keep it playing while I strike the bowl three more times.

Tune in to the sound and let it resonate around your heart. Imagine your chest area looking smooth and filled with bright, vibrant energy.

Say to yourself three times, “I am enough”.

If you can’t incorporate sound healing with this step for whatever reason, don’t worry. You can still use the breath, visualisation, and affirmations to help bring your heart chakra into balance again.

5. POSTURE

Good posture is also hugely important to smoothing and preventing chest lines and wrinkles. When we spend too much time with our shoulders in a hunched forward position, it scrunches up the skin of the chest and eventually leads to lines in this area.

The two stretches I shared in this post can be really helpful in opening up the chest area and reminding you to bring your shoulders down and back. The first one, where we take our arms out and behind us like big wings, is especially beneficial.

We can also do our best to remember to keep good posture as we go about our days. It does take some practice, but whenever you catch yourself rounding your shoulders or slumping forward, take a moment to find your straight open posture again.

Plant your feet on the floor. Imagine you have a cord running all the way up through your spine and out through your head. Allow it to pull you upright, lengthening your whole spine.

Bring your shoulders down and find a neutral position for them – not pulling forward or squeezing too far back. Position your chin so that it is parallel to the floor.

FINISH

This soothing sequence is wonderfully relaxing and really helps to smooth the skin of your chest. Like any face yoga routine, the massage and tapping techniques work best when you do them regularly – ideally every day.

Of course, realigning your heart chakra is also not something you do just once. It is an ongoing practice, and it can take time before you begin to connect with these affirmations and feel their truth deeply.

While doing this full sequence is a lovely and relaxing way to address imbalances in the heart chakra, you don’t need to run through the whole thing to get the benefits of using affirmations. Whenever you remember throughout the day, simply repeat to yourself “I am love” and “I am enough”.

Eventually, you’ll begin to believe it deep down and will be able to reclaim a sense of love and compassion for yourself.

One of the most profound benefits of Face Yoga is that it reminds us that we are worthy of love, care, and attention. I hope that is something you’ll take away from your Face Yoga practice.

And if you would like to take the next step on your journey and learn how to share these beautiful self-care techniques with others, perhaps it is time to consider becoming a Face Yoga teacher. 

My face yoga teacher training course is the best way to dive deep into Face Yoga and learn about facial exercise, facial massage, and mindfulness techniques like meditation, breath-work, and affirmations.

I also offer teacher training in facial gua sha, which complements Face Yoga beautifully.

You can find more information on both courses in the teacher training section of my website.