We are going to show you five exercises for the muscles of the face and neck. These few exercises if they are done correctly and every day will greatly improve the look and expressiveness of your face.

Since I'm not selling a facial exercise program (or anything), I don't have to make promotional claims like - a few minutes a day and you'll see amazing positive changes in your face in just a few weeks.

Drivel like this is confusing because in reality facial muscles and the skin covering them do not respond to easy short-term solutions. Unlike the skeletal muscles of the body, the facial muscles are directly attached to the skin that covers them. (They are also attached to other facial muscles and to bone.)

When these facial muscles start to lose their tone and elasticity because of age and gravity, the skin that is attached to them starts to sag. This of course gives the look you don't want to see reflected back to you in the bathroom mirror.

But these exercises are not for men and women whose idea of self-improvement is to pop a multivitamin pill or to inject Botox into the muscles of the forehead. The facial exercise program that I advocate will require some dedication, some persistence - some work. You'll get results from the program though. You'll like what you see in the mirror after even several months. 

Before I show you the exercises, I'd like you to study the anatomy of the face, neck, and head. This greatly simplified course in facial anatomy will show you exactly the areas the exercises will focus on. 

If you want firmer facial skin, and want to look years younger just follow these ten exercises every morning and watch the age on your face fade away.

Face tapping - to get the circulation going
Tap 20 times on each dot with the pads of your middle fingers. From the bridge of your nose work out along your eyebrows, then in round the top of your cheekbone.

Tap up from the sides of your mouth to each inner eye. Then out from the chin along the jawline to each ear. Make sharp, light, very quick taps as if you are testing a very hot iron.

Ear massage - to get your face glowing
With index fingers and thumbs, hold the top rim of your ears and pull upwards. Massage, making small circles between fingers and thumb. Move down all round the rim of the ears, pulling ears out gently and massaging.

When you reach the lobes, pull them down slightly and massage for about one minute. Repeat this sequence if you have time. Then, with small, quick circular movements, massage all the crevices and spirals of the ear. Use the surface of the nails of your index fingers, or the pads of your middle fingers.

Throat massage - to beautify your neck
Put the fingers of one hand on one side of your throat and the thumb on the other. Make rapid circular motions up and down the throat. Repeat with the other hand.

Gum stimulation - for healthy gums
With finger tips of knuckles, make circles just above the jawline along the gums.

Under-chin slaps - to sharpen your jawline
Slap quickly and lightly under your chin 30 times with the back of one hand.

Hair massage - to stimulate hair growth and soothe headaches
With pads of your fingertips, massage in small circles all along the front of your scalp for at least 30 seconds. Then take large fistfuls of hair and gently pull upwards. Now clench your hands into fists and lightly pound your scalp about 20 times.

Face Stroking - to soothe, relax and generally uplift face and mind
Start with the flat of your right hand against your chest and stroke up to your jawline, then immediately follow with your left. Continue alternating like this for at least ten strokes. Next, immediately smooth the palms and fingers of your hands over your face very, very lightly. Start at the jawline, move up and over your cheeks and each side of your nostrils, gently over the eyes and over the forehead to the hairline, then back down the sides of your face to your jaw.

Repeat five to ten times in a continuous motion. Now glide your middle fingers towards the bridge of your nose, out along your eyebrow, down your cheekbones and back to the bridge of your nose. Make ten of these light circular movements.

Then with your middle fingers on the bridge of your nose, stroke up towards your forehead. Place all fingers (not thumb) on your forehead and smooth outwards towards your temples; hold for a moment, pressing down slightly. Continue lightly down the side of your face, back along up from the bridge of your nose. Do this ten times.

Temple pressures - to lift eye area and whole face.
Leaning back in a chair, place the base of your palm or the pads of your fingertips against your temples and push upwards. At the same time, suck your tongue against the top of your mouth keeping your back teeth together. Hold this for a count of ten, increasing to 20. Slowly release and relax.

Exercise your mouth - to lift lip lines
Sit or stand, looking into the mirror. Open your mouth quite wide, as if about to yawn. Pull in the sides to form an oval. Now curve your lips over teeth. Then slowly to the count of ten, close your lips until they are about 1.5cm (1/2in) apart. You will feel an upward pull. Release very slowly.

Finish by closing your eyes for a few moments, breathing deeply and gently and allowing yourself to drift off into a peaceful place.