iFacercise

“High-tech” facebuilding classic from Carole Maggio

Carole Maggio’s method has been around for more than 30 years, with plenty of fans and followers — and most importantly, excellent PR.

So it was only natural that I began my search for effective rejuvenation techniques with Facercise®. I ended up with her book The New Facercise: The Complete and Balanced Muscle-Toning Program for Renewed Vitality and a More Youthful Appearance. The allegory in its introduction instantly made me imagine I was holding something called iFacercise, no less:

“The new program is much more effective than the previous one. The reason is simple. Remember how big and clumsy the first mobile phones were? They looked like mailboxes, and many people would have gladly used a cart to carry them around.

But technology has advanced, and huge devices have turned into small, compact ones that easily fit in your hand or pocket. My programs evolve the same way — keeping up with new technology and becoming ever more refined.”

As a longtime fan of high-tech gadgets, I felt I couldn’t possibly ignore such an “innovation.” The promise below only strengthened my urge to reach for my wallet:

“If you follow my advice, in just six days you’ll see results that will surprise and delight you. You need only 16 minutes a day.”

“How simple!” I thought — and the book had a new owner.

I read it. I found some useful information about Botox, plus a mountain of glowing reviews with before-and-after photos (on some of which — mostly men, for some reason — the person was unrecognizable). And then there was the core of it all: a routine of just 13 exercises.

The method came in three versions — the full program, a quick one “for the car,” and an 8-minute super-express routine.

Well… I wasn’t convinced. Even high-tech companies make flops — remember that iPhone model that died instantly in cold weather? I replaced mine with a gadget from another “innovative” brand.

Same with iFacercise: I tried the exercises, wasn’t impressed, finished the book, and tossed it out. I’m a follower of Marie Kondo — if it doesn’t spark joy, out it goes.

Conclusion

Looking back, I’m glad my intuition didn’t fail me. I still believe Facercise® isn’t the system to pin your hopes on for staying young.

Besides, Carole herself in her sixties didn’t look particularly convincing — and I strongly suspect her “aerobics for facial muscles” wasn’t the only thing that shaped her appearance.

Her look only confirmed what I later discovered: 16 minutes a day isn’t enough to “lift” a face (let alone the 8-minute express routine).

And more importantly, focusing only on the face is pointless. Most issues start with the neck and posture — which her method completely ignores. With a neglected body, hoping for a perfect face is wishful thinking at best.

There’s also the risk of overworking facial muscles. They already store an enormous amount of stress-induced tension — pumping them up even more could backfire.

At least that’s what I believe. Still, who knows — maybe Carole Maggio’s method really does work for someone? If you’ve tried it, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments.

The original Russian version of this article was published on December 17, 2018.