Facial exercise guru Eva Fraser - is to cheek muscles what Jane Fonda is to abdominal tucks. The facial toning guru has a face that defies both gravity and her 80 years. Taut, unlined skin. Killer cheekbones. Fraser is living proof that facial exercises can dramatically reduce the signs of ageing.
She looks astonishing and the secret to her glowing complexion is the daily exercise regime that she has been practicing since the age of 50. No wonder her fans include Jane Birkin, Helen Fielding and, of course, Madonna (rumour has it she is regularly smuggled into the stars London home).
Georgina Heffernan caught up with Eva to find a little more...
GH: How did you come to develop your facial exercise technique?
EF: A chance meeting in Germany led me to discover and develop my Facial Fitness technique. At the time I was fifty years old and increasingly concerned about ageing. Meeting Madame Hoffman was to change all this. Madame Hoffman had devised a method of exercising the facial muscles with the help of a doctor friend in the 1930’s.
When I met her, Madame Hoffman was 76 years old and had retired. However, after much persuasion, she eventually gave me a lesson and subsequently went on to train me in London for the next year. I was the only person to be granted this privilege.
Following my training, I went on to develop my own programme which I now teach at the Facial Fitness Centre.
GH: Had you always been interested in beauty?
EF: Through fitness mainly.
GH: How do your exercises work?
EF: Working the muscles are to me the most important - unless you build the foundations of your face it is always going to sag.
GH: What kind of people are your clients? Are they mostly women?
EF: Yes, mostly women - maybe 10% are men.
GH: Do people always seem incredibly shocked when they discover your real age?
EF: Yes, they are.
GH: Do you believe that your facial exercise technique is a good alternative to a facelift - and you do you think that facelifts are going out of fashion?
EF: I see no indication that face lifts are going out of fashion, in fact possibly the reverse. The problem is that they do not last and how many operations can a face take before you end up looking fairly weird and almost unrecognisable.
I am still excited about the difference facial exercises can make - they are completely natural and once learnt you can look after yourself.
GH: What do you think about Botox, do you believe that it’s dangerous or a useful anti ageing tool?
EF: Very helpful for some unfortunate medical cases. As purely a beauty aid I never recommend this procedure.
GH: What’s your top beauty tip? And what’s the worst thing, in your opinion, that a woman can do to her skin?
EF: It is important to keep your skin clean - to wash your face before going to bed. If you use night creams, the size of a shelled hazel nut is sufficient.
During the day it is advisable to always use a day cream. Make up is also very protective and fun. In my opinion the worst thing for the facial skin is to use too many and too much cream. They can be too softening and can cause the skin to sag.
However as mentioned above some protection is essential.
I am not keen on toners.
GH: Where can we find out more about your facial exercise technique - and - are they easy to do?
EF: You can find out about us on our website - www.evafraser.com
Taking private lessons at our studio in Kensington London is the best approach. Otherwise to follow the exercises on our DVD and book package.
