Crow's Feet

Locate this point beneath the centre of the eye, just down from the lower extremity of the bony ridge of the orbit. There is a slight hollow here. Press in very gently with the tips of your index fingers until you feel the energy coming up to meet you. Continue pressing rhythmically for a while, stimulating the point without dragging the skin - which is especially thin and delicate around this area. Stimulate this point for a good minute until you begin to feel the energy beneath your finger tips.

Benefits include: a filling out of the often noticeably 'hollow' area beneath the eyes called the tear trough, the proverbial 'bags' under the eyes. Stimulation of this point helps energy and blood to circulate more freely beneath the eyes where crow's feet can sometimes extend to - and helps remove discolouration and sagging due to stagnation of vital energy and fluid. It can also have a positive effect on the eyesight, especially when fatigue or eye-strain are taking their toll - refreshing the eyes.

Locate this point with your thumbs in a tiny hollow within the eyebrow, just before it joins the bridge of your nose. For most people this is actually quite a tender spot. This tenderness or discomfort indicates that your internal energies are not exactly 100% in order, and with regular application of gentle pressure over a period of days or weeks it will become much less uncomfortable. Massage gently away from the nose, alternating with light presses of the thumbs into the hollows for 60 seconds.

Benefits of stimulating this point include a gradual softening of wrinkles such as crow's feet. It helps invigorate the eyes, especially when tired; and reduces the discomfort and frequency of tension headaches.

Locate this point just on the outside of the eye socket (the orbit as it is called), roughly at the end of the visible eyebrow. Use your middle or index finger-tip to gently massage in an outward direction and then press lightly and intermittently until you sense a vital, spongy kind of sensation beneath your finger-tip. This is the Qi or vital energy moving. Massage again, and press in gently once again. This is a major point for attacking those crows feet, so stimulate for two minutes.

Benefits of stimulating this point include a gradual softening of wrinkles such as crow's feet. It helps invigorate the eyes, especially when tired; and reduces the discomfort and frequency of tension headaches. If your laughter lines extend upwards, this point is ideal. But don't forget to laugh sometimes, too - its a great therapy, apparently.

Locate this point with your middle finger - that is, the longest finger (the thumb counts as finger number one, by the way). Find the outer corner of the eye and the bony ridge of the socket. Slide the finger tip outwards over the ridge and into a tiny hollow - still on a level with corner of the eye, but just on the outside of the eye socket - or orbit, as it is called. Press gently inwards for two minutes in a rhythmical pattern, alternating with very small, soft outward circular movements of the fingers. You will soon feel the vibrational affect beneath your finger tips.

Benefits of stimulating this point include: reduction in crows feet or laughter lines and an overall refreshing and relaxing effect on the eyes. This is also an excellent point for relieving one-sided migraine-type headaches and for relief from dry or itchy eyes. An overall calming effect is sometimes felt.

Although this does not look a lot different in location to the previous point, it actually is. If you draw an imaginary triangle with the points 'Pupil Crevice' and 'Silken Bamboo Hollow' on two of the corners, than this one is on the third. Run the middle finger tip outwards and slightly up from the previous point onto the soft area of the temple. Only a short distance. You will notice a particularly soft area, that's it. Press in very gently until you feel the vibrational effect, and then alternate with small outward rotational movements. Work for at least 1 minute.

Benefits of stimulating this point include a subtle lifting of the skin and muscles of the outside of the eye. It can help to remove tension and discomfort from the temples and brings relief from eye strain and fatigue. Helps to alleviate those laughter lines or crow's feet again, and it can also gradually improve the skin tone and complexion generally for the whole of that area.

Locate this press point at the junction of the forehead and the bridge of the nose, just between the start of the eyebrows. This is a major point, though it can feel a little hard and inaccessible to begin with. Press gently in a little rhythmic motion with your middle or index finger - alternating with some small rotational movements until you feel the energy (or qi) coming up to the surface. Continue for 1 minute, and try to avoid frowning as you go. Just relax and focus on the feelings beneath your finger tips.

Benefits of stimulating this point include a subtle improvement in the overall complexion around the forehead and eyes. It can also help to relieve nasal congestion and those headaches that can occur around the upper sinus area. The wrinkles that form here are often deep in nature, so don't expect these to vanish overnight. They won't. But regular stimulation can lessen their intensity and aid in the whole process of natural facial rejuvenation.

To conclude this little beauty tip session - don't forget the standard advice on how to minimise or avoid the formation of wrinkles.

Everyone in the beauty business will tell you to avoid excessive exposure to sunshine. This is sound advice. The sun damages the skin in the long term, often having a cumulative effect that shows up many years later after any period of heavy exposure. Sunbeds are just as bad, by the way.

Use moisturisers, cleansers and lubricants on your face when appropriate. There is a billion dollar industry catering to these needs, and a plethora of advice and products to help in this respect. Often, however, the most simple products are the best. So don't get too carried away by all the hype.

If you eyesight is weak, wear glasses! Constantly screwing up the eyes or squinting as we endeavour to read the small print, watching TV or even surveying the faces of our friends, all add to the tendency for lines to form around the eyes, those crow's feet. Contact lenses are of course another solution. And for the same reasons, do wear sunglasses when necessary. It is a natural trait to narrow the eyes in the glare of bright sun - which, again, can contribute to the formation of wrinkles around the eyes and forehead.

Finally, a good balanced diet that is not too extreme in any direction - not too hot and spicy, not to dry and cold, will help the skin, as will a good supply of fluids, especially in hot dry weather when the body can easily dehydrate. But, again, don't overdo it. Too much fluid can result in edema, and puffy faces too. Be sensible!