Exercises for the face have been around for a long time. In fact the first time I saw a book on the subject I was still a teenager, having been told all about it by a friends mum. I even currently have a book on it sitting on a shelf. The idea behind it is sound. Just like the muscles on your legs, abs and bum need exercise to keep them taut and to stop them sagging, so does your face. It’s not enough to talk, frown and moisturise, just like it’s not enough to only walk to the bus stop every morning. Eventually time will punish the lazy and that’s where the Tua Viso steps in.

The Tua Viso is a device which exercises your facial muscles for you. Rather than pinching your eyebrows or pulling faces at yourself in the mirror, you instead place the two pads of the Tua Viso on your pulse points. These points are very important, as they are the muscles which move your face into all of those expressions you see in really bad photo’s of yourself. Once there, the Tua Viso then lets off little electrical pulses (otherwise known as trains of modulated micro-current sine wave pulses) which stimulate your muscles to contract.

These devices have been around for a while now, but this one is different to the ones I’ve known. In the past they required covering your face with some kind of conductive gel before use. This can be messy, antisocial and requires the cleaning of your face after. Not so useful if you’re sitting in the office. The Tua Viso has done away with that inconvenience by instead using just water to protect your skin. The two pads have a reservoir of water behind them (which you top up) which keep the pads wet. As long as the pads are wet, you don’t get hurt. Having the device lubricate itself internally means you can use the Tua Viso anywhere, even at your desk in front of the computer. Of course, having your facial muscles jump all over the place may not be something you want to share with the other occupants of the room.

Another thing I like about the Tua Viso is that it’s pretty! Gone are the cheap plastic models of old. This one is smooth and sleek and looks like it could be an attachment for the Wii. Easy to hold in the hand or rest on the side of the head, with controls cleverly placed for easy reach. The controls themselves are easily navigated. There is a rolling control on the side where your thumb or first finger would sit – this controls the on/off and the strength of the pulses (from 0 to 10). On the top is the timer, from 1 minute to 9 minutes. As a safety precaution, as each timed session finishes, the device needs to be turned off and then restarted in order to begin a new session.

How does it actually work though? There are people I know who are terrified of any kind of electrical activity. Understandable, but to those people I say, be assured – this is not like sticking your finger in a power point. First you look in the very useful instruction booklet which comes with the Tua Viso and choose an exercise. I’ve chosen p45, the Smile Area. Then you sit in front of a mirror and set the controls. All the exercises start at level 3, for 3 minutes, and if you’re a newbie it’s probably a good idea to stick to that. You then place the two green pads where you think your points are (after ensuring the reservoirs are full) and look at your face. Can you see anything moving? If not, then you have to turn it up a notch (I had to start all my exercises at 4). If you can see muscles moving, but they are not the muscles specified in the book, then move the pads until the right muscles are moving. If it gets too painful, turn it down. It’s better to do the exercises mildly than not at all – just like at the gym. After 2 or 3 minutes the device will beep twice and the pulses will stop. Then you can move on to the next exercise. If none of this is making any sense, the Tua Viso also comes with an instructional DVD and a helpline.

Does it work? Well it feels like its working. Afterwards my face feels tighter and tingly, and there definitely seems to be a temporary improvement around my eyes. The Tua Viso isn’t a quick fix however, just like doing spin classes for a week is not going to change your body. This device should be part of your long-term routine if you really want to see results. Plus it’s sturdy enough to pass the handbag test, so there is really no excuse to not use it.

RRP: £194.77, but currently available to buy online from www.tinarichards.com for the reduced price of £175.19.