Written by Dr. Naeemah Ruffin

Women are living longer and exploring their 2nd and 3rd careers with ambition equal to what they had in their 20’s and 30’s. These women have achieved significant accomplishments in the first half of their lives and intend to continue building upon their achievements. Some of these women have the financial means to retire but choose not to because they want to continue to be challenged and productive while making a positive difference in society.

This has prompted many women to think about how to continue to look vibrant and youthful as they pursue their endeavors. They tend to focus on their face first because our face is how we introduce ourselves to the world, and even more so during this age of Zoom and video conferencing. During the pandemic, when many were required to use videoconferencing, many women reported significant dissatisfaction with their image. When this occurred, the moment of truth of how we appear to others became much more significant.

Our youth-obsessed culture produces an abundance of advertisements using models in their 20’s to market the latest anti-aging products and treatments. The truth is that these advertisements leave women confused as to how they should look at their present age. Many women believe that to achieve this youthful advertised look they must resort to invasive or minimally invasive cosmetic procedures or surgery. Women who choose not to go this route are left feeling that there are no other options. Today, there is a shortage of examples in the media of beautiful women who age gracefully naturally, and the steps needed to reach this goal.

While facelifts and other cosmetic procedures became popular over the last few decades, recent trends show that more women are deciding to move toward non-invasive or minimally invasive treatments such as microneedling, platelet rich plasma, laser, and radiofrequency. However even these non-surgical procedures have their own risks and can take many months to see desired results. As a result, women are looking for additional natural ways to look their best.

My own journey of seeking ways to age gracefully naturally started after a 16-year career in corporate America and then changing careers to become a doctor. One day at the age of 48 I looked at myself in the mirror and noticed how my face had aged. My cheeks were sagging, my upper eyelids were drooping, and I had creases between my nose and cheeks. While I had some friends opting for cosmetic procedures and surgery, I decided to search for a completely natural solution. During my research I discovered that exercising my facial muscles could strengthen and tone them and reverse many signs of premature aging. Exercising the face is important because facial muscles cannot be adequately strengthened by normal facial expression.

Natural facial rejuvenation, consisting of non-surgical and non-injectable methods has become increasingly popular over the last several years. According to the annual Mindbody Wellness Index, nearly three in ten (28%) respondents already do or are interested in doing facial exercises to tone their facial muscles as a natural, holistic, and sustainable approach to look their best as they age. 

Given that aging is multifactorial it became clear to me that the way to rejuvenate the face naturally was to create a fit face, like a fit body. I began to define the concept of face fitness as a state of being where the facial muscles are tone, and the skin is healthy, radiant, and glowing. I then developed a face fitness program that is individually tailored to bring about a more youthful and vibrant appearance at any age. I also include a mind-face connection protocol to bring about a pleasant and youthful facial appearance at rest.

My face exercise method is rooted in facial anatomy, muscle physiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, and it addresses changes in facial contour that happens over time due to a decline in fat volume, loss of muscle tone, and bone resorption. Another key component in facial aging is understanding that your facial appearance reflects the psychological aspects of your well-being. This can result in age-related negative facial expressions that contribute to a sad, angry, or tired-looking face. Elements of my program address this often-overlooked aspect of facial aging. Improving the appearance and health of the skin is vitally important as well so I created a natural plant-based and organic skincare line.

Unlike invasive cosmetic procedures, my program has no side effects, no downtime, can be done in the comfort of your own home in 5-10 minutes per day, yields results in 4-6 weeks, and is sustainable over a lifetime. My approach is aspirational but encourages realistic expectations rather than affirming a stereotypical image of beauty. The focus is not just on looking younger, which you most certainly will, but it also emphasizes the inner self. I help you shed beauty stereotypes and embrace the beauty and power of the current season of your life.

My passion is to empower women to move to the next level of self-care by nourishing, cultivating, and cherishing their face and mind. I encourage women to honor each chapter of their life and to create the best version of themselves, which will ultimately be reflected in their facial appearance. I hope you will join me on this crusade to age gracefully naturally.