For many people who are worried about aging, wrinkles or laugh lines, Botox and plastic surgery have been quick and easy fixes for most on the path to looking their best. But now, for those who are petrified of needles (such as myself–it’s a phobia,) don’t like doctors or don’t like the idea of plastic surgery, yoga enthusiasts are now swearing by a new way to not only look younger, but to fee younger and better about your appearance.

Facial yoga has been deemed the “natural Botox” and is being used by many yoga enthusiasts as a daily exercise. By making theatrical expressions and stretching and training your face in your daily exercise routine, in your spare time or while doing household tasks, within as little as a few session you can start to see not only the lines on your forehead and under your eyes fading, but you can also see the stress that most people carry in their faces cease.

Annelise Hagen, author of The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift, conducts weekly facial yoga classes and developed her own facial yoga techniques that she teaches to her clients.

Hagen’s facial exercises include the Smiling Fish (purse your lips and smile slightly), the Marilyn (blow kisses while keeping your forehead smooth) and the Satchmo (puff out your face and transfer air from cheek to cheek).

Not only can yoga make you look and feel better about yourself and your appearance, it has also been used to train injured faces to move again after an injury or stroke and is also said to help sharpen your mind. Above all, it can help bring out that inner child in you that doesn’t get to come out and play very often. Making theatrical and hilarious faces in the mirror can do wonders for your spirit.