From Face Yoga Skeptic to Certified Instructor
If you had told me ten years ago that I'd become a certified face yoga instructor, I would have given you a very skeptical look. "Face what? Is this a joke?"
Like many women, I had never even heard of "face yoga" until I was nearly 50. And when I first encountered it, I'll admit I was pretty doubtful. Exercise for your face? It sounded a bit... far-fetched.
But here's the thing about hitting your late 40s – you start noticing changes in your face that don't always match how you feel inside. As my daughters blossomed and came into their own and my career was going well, I was feeling happier, more relaxed, and more confident than ever.
But my face was telling a different story. I often looked tired or grumpy when I was neither! (My kids were quick to point this out. Thanks, girls.)
From Skeptic to Believer
My options seemed limited…
Expensive injectables and fillers that would require ongoing maintenance and a hefty budget (with a new grandbaby to spoil and my first kid headed to college, that wasn't appealing)
Continue using pricey topical products that promised everything and delivered... not so much. 🫤
Just accept that my face would continue to be less and less of a true reflection of my inner state of mind.
None of these options felt right to me.
So when I stumbled across a beautiful English woman talking about face yoga on YouTube, I was skeptical…but intrigued.
Could exercise for the face really make a difference? Or was this just another beauty fad?
But the woman (who would later train me as a teacher) seemed so grounded, inspiring, and, well, normal that I was moved to give it a try.
I had absolutely zero expectations. But after just a few weeks of consistent practice, I noticed something surprising: The tension in my forehead had eased a bit. I felt like my eyes looked brighter. And when I smiled, my whole face participated in a way it hadn't for years.
It didn't take long and I was hooked.
Being the knowledge-seeker that I am (I blame my former life as a reporter), I wanted to understand WHY it was working. That led me to discover the Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method – a teacher training program that combines Eastern techniques like Chinese medicine, Japanese Shiatsu, and Indian Ayurveda with modern scientific knowledge about muscle tone, blood flow, and tension relief.
From Student to Teacher
I enrolled in the teacher training program with one simple goal: to learn as much as possible about this practice that was literally changing my face and, just as importantly, my whole relationship with aging.
I learned about the 57 muscles in the face and neck (who knew we had so many?). And I discovered how face yoga works from the inside out to tone muscles, relax tension, stimulate collagen production, and boost circulation.
But most importantly, I learned that this wasn't just about appearance – it was about reconnecting with my face, reducing stress, and practicing self-acceptance.
Today, as a certified instructor with additional training in gua sha and beauty nutrition, I'm passionate about sharing these simple yet powerful techniques with other women.
What started as personal curiosity has become an unexpected calling.
If you've ever felt disconnected from your reflection or frustrated by traditional beauty solutions, I want you to know there's another path. One that honors the journey your face has been on while helping you look and feel your very best at every age.
Still skeptical? I hear you! Hang out here at Amazing Face Yoga for awhile and you just might change your mind (and your face)!