15 Facial Exercises for a Radiant, Youthful, Defined, and Slimmer Face

Imagine looking into the mirror at a more radiant and youthful face, a face with natural lines and slimmer, without breaking the bank on expensive creams or procedures. One way to do this is by performing facial exercises. Think of them as facial yoga or facial gymnastics. 

Facial exercises are a series of movements and routines that are designed to work and build up the muscles in the face. But do these exercises work or are they just a fleeting beauty trend? Learn more about facial exercises and see how these targeted moves transform your face naturally and effectively. 

Do Facial Exercises Really Work?

Humans have searched for ways to keep their youthful appearance for millions of years. Aging leads to wrinkles and sagging skin naturally. And as we live longer as a species, the youthful look is even more desirable, so people often look for ways to fight aging. 

At the gym, you target specific areas of the body. Facial yoga exercises aren’t any different. You’re working to tone and firm up the muscles of your face in the same way you do with your abs or arms. In time, you’ll help improve facial contours and reduce wrinkles. 

Do facial exercises really work? An estimated nine research studies boasted positive outcomes in the effectiveness of facial exercises for facial rejuvenation [3]. However, evidence still needs to be provided to draw any definitive conclusions. 

Another research group studied four facial exercises on study participants over seven weeks. They found significant improvement in the upper lip’s youthful look. However, the study was a small group and was not definitive [4]. 

Facial Exercises Ins and Outs

Here’s some more detail about what’s involved with facial exercises [1]:

• Muscle Targeting: Face yoga exercises focus on the facial muscle groups such as the forehead, eyes, and jaw. Each exercise works on a particular muscle set to enhance strength and tone. 
• Routine Movement: By performing common exercises such as puckering your lips or raising your eyebrows, you’re working to stretch and flex the face muscles. 
• Benefits: You may see fewer wrinkles and sagging skills. You may also see a better facial appearance and firmness overall. 
• Consistency: Consistency is vital, as with other exercise programs. Regular practice is also essential to see any noticeable results. It may take several weeks to months to come close to reaching your goals.
• Non-Invasive: The great thing about facial exercises is that they’re non-invasive – no surgery or injections are needed. You can work on your facial exercises anywhere without needing a gym membership.  

Examples of Facial Exercises

Here are some examples of easy facial muscle exercises for beginners to get started [2]:

The Cheek Lifter

1. Open your mouth in an “O” shape.
2. Cover your upper teeth and upper lip.
3. Smile to lift your cheek muscles.
4. Place your finger on the top of your cheeks.
5. Lower and lift your cheeks ten times. 

Happy Cheeks Sculpting

1. Smile without showing your teeth.
2. Press your lips together.
3. Place your fingers at the corners of your mouth and slide them up your cheeks.
4. Hold the position for 20 seconds.

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The Eyebrow Lifter

1. Press three fingers under each eyebrow to keep your eyes wide open.
2. Smile while attempting to push your eyebrows down against your fingers.
3. Close your eyes and roll them up.
4. Hold for 20 seconds. 

Read more: Here’s How To Lose Face Fat Without Extreme Diet And Workouts

Facial Exercises Pros and Cons

Advocates claim facial muscle exercises can help improve skin tone and reduce wrinkles. However, as with any skincare regimen, there are pros and cons. 

Pros

• Non-invasive way to improve facial aesthetics
• You can do them anytime, anywhere
• No cost
• Potential to lessen aging signs and improve muscle tone

Cons

• It must be consistent
• It takes time to see any results
• Lack of extensive medical research
• Possible facial muscle strain if done incorrectly.

Do Facial Exercises Work to Reduce Face Fat?

It’s common to want to lose weight in a specific part of your body, such as your face or belly. But you can’t reduce fat in only one area of the body. Instead, you can slim down your face fat by lowering your overall weight and performing facial exercises [5].

Exercises build muscle and help improve your appearance after weight loss. However, they don’t remove fat from only one spot. Instead, they burn fat throughout the body. 

If you want to slim your face, focusing on healthy weight loss habits is best. Things such as: 

• Eating a well-balanced diet
• Getting a good night’s sleep
• Exercising regularly
• Managing stress

Also, remember everyone loses weight differently. Stay patient and committed to your weight loss goals. Keep going even if you’re not seeing results right away. 

Weight loss really comes down to one thing-eating fewer calories. Aim for a daily calorie deficit by choosing healthier foods and lowering sugar and fat intake [6]. No diet targets only facial fat, but overall weight loss should slim your face. 

Other ways to help:

• Stay Active: Increase your daily activity. Try walking, light yard work, or playing outside with your kids.
• Stay Hydrated: Avoid sugary drinks such as soda and juice. Instead, drink water. Drinking water may also help you feel fuller faster and increase your metabolism [7]. 
• Stay Mindful: Look for signs that you’re emotionally eating and notice your cravings. Urgings and cravings come and go. You can ride them out and find other coping methods [8]. 

Facial Exercises May Improve Facial Aesthetics

Facial exercises to slim the face can enhance facial aesthetics by building muscle tone and increasing blood flow to the face. Both of these help counter the effects of aging. The below exercises can help strengthen the jawline and improve the contours of the face [9].

• Smile Exercises

Smile exercises are facial exercises that focus on making different levels of smiles to work on the muscles involved in smiling. These help improve control over facial movements. They also enhance the range of the smile and muscle strength, which leads to a more youthful smile appearance. 

• Face-Lift Exercises

Face-lift exercises target the muscles that circle the nose and upper lip. They work to lessen facial sagging and deepening of the skin folds around the mouth and nose. Regular practice helps maintain muscle tone and improve facial structure. 

• Lip Exercises

Lip exercises increase blood flow to the lips, which gives them a more natural and lively color. It also works to reduce vertical lines and build lip fullness. 

• Jaw Exercises

Building up the muscles of the jaw prevents a double chin. It also prevents wrinkles and gives a more balanced and youthful facial appearance. 

These facial exercises improve facial aesthetics to boost muscle function and blood flow. It can also help improve your self-confidence and emotional health. Having better control of the look of your facial expressions enables you to feel more control of your life. 

Disadvantages of Facial Exercises

The thought of achieving a youthful appearance through simple facial exercises is enticing. However, it’s important to look at both sides of the coin and there are disadvantages to facial exercises. 

• Time Commitment: Research has shown that it can take weeks to see an improved facial appearance [10]. It takes time and patience to see any results. 
• Over-Exercising and Muscle Strain: You risk muscle strain when you do too much of one activity. Using improper techniques can also affect your body [11]. 
• Not Enough Evidence: Expectations may be misleading. Very little scientific evidence supports facial exercises in reducing aging and improving facial features. 

What Happens If I Do Facial Exercises Every Day?

A recent study showed that smiling daily positively affects physical and mental health. Study participants practiced smiling exercises daily for two weeks. They were more social and positive after the experiment [12].

The findings suggest that facial exercises can:

• Enhance mental toughness
• Improve smiling
• Prevent facial muscle weakness.
• Offer mental support

To stay motivated, it’s best to start slow. Each day, you can increase the time you spend performing facial exercises by a few minutes. This will help prevent muscle strain. 

You’ll also want to try different exercises to avoid overtraining and you should allow time for recovery. Rest a bit in between exercises or repeated cycles of the same activity. Finally, creating a schedule and timing your exercises is a great way to stay on track. 

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What Is a Good Facial Exercise?

A good facial exercise gives your face a more defined and younger look. They also hold other health benefits, such as preventing pain and building muscle tone. 

Facial Exercises to Try

1. Neck Curl-Up:
   • Lie on your back and press your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
   • Bring your chin to your chest, lifting your head 2-3 inches off the ground.
   • Slowly lower your head back down and repeat. 
2. Vowel Exercises:
   • Open your mouth to create an exaggerated “O” sound, tightening the muscles.
   • Follow by creating an exaggerated “E” sound.
   • Repeat the “O” and “E” movements. 

The neck and jaw muscles are sometimes weaker than other muscles, so make sure you go slow to avoid strain. If you feel any pain, it’s best to stop right away. Start slowly exercising only a few minutes daily and gradually increase to stay safe. 

What Exercises Tighten Skin on the Face? 3 Anti-Aging Facial Exercises

Facial exercises for face fitness lift and tighten the skin. You will also see fewer wrinkles and skin sagging. Here are three anti-aging facial exercises, including facial exercises for cheeks [14]:

Cheekbone Lift:

• Take a deep breath and exhale through your mouth with a “ha” sound. 
• Close your mouth and draw your lips back tightly over your teeth.
• Suck your cheeks in toward your teeth, creating a fish face shape. 
• Hold this position for 5-10 seconds and breathe normally. 
• Release the fish face and relax your facial muscles. 
• Repeat the exercise 5-10 times. 

The V Exercise: 

• Open your mouth and fold your lips over your teeth. 
• Bring the corners of your lips toward each other, forming a V-shape with your fingers. 
• Contract your chin muscles and tilt your head back slightly. 
• Hold for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat for 3-5 sets. 

Cheek Lifter:

• Smile without showing your teeth, and place your fingers at the corners of your mouth. 
• Gently lift your cheeks towards your eyes. 
• Hold for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat for 3-5 sets.  

3 Facial Exercises for the Eyes

Prevent Eye Wrinkles 

• Position your index finger on both sides of your face at your eyebrow’s outer edge.
• Place your middle finger on your cheekbone.  
• Spread the skin between these two points gently, avoiding creating wrinkles near the eyebrow.  
• Repeat this action on both sides of your face while flaring your elbows and squinting your eyes.  
• Hold this position for 10 seconds.  
• Do three sets for best results. 

Eliminate under-eye bags   

• Position your thumbs near your ears.
• Place your index fingers under your eyes.
• Allow your mouth to drop open.
• Using only your eyes, look up toward the ceiling.
• Hold this position for 10 seconds and then release. 
• Repeat for three sets.

Winking 

• Close your left eye while keeping your right eye open. 
• Look up at the ceiling with your open eye. 
• Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. 
• Breathe normally. 
• Release your facial muscles. 
• Repeat the exercise with your right eye closed and left eye open. 
• Repeat ten times on each side, alternating between your left and right eye.  

3 Facial Exercises for the Jawline

Collarbone Backup:

• Sit on the floor or a chair. 
• Move your head back a few inches, contracting the neck muscles while keeping your chest still.
• Keep your chin parallel to the floor.
• Repeat, this time pushing your head forward.

Chin-Up:

• Close your mouth and push your jaw forward.
• Lift your lower lip and push up until you feel a stretch in your chin and jawline.
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat.

Tongue Twister:

• Press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth.
• Create tension by pressing firmly.
• Hum to activate your muscles.

3 Facial Exercises for Men

Eye Squeeze

• Pull your lips down to tighten your face.
• Pull your lips to the right.
• Squeeze one eye closed in a pulsing manner 10 times.
• Repeat with the opposite eye.

Jawline Roll

• Tighten your face.
• Pucker your lips and move them to the right.
• With a tense jaw, say “EW Charles” with force.

Tongue Press

• Put your tongue to the roof of your mouth behind your teeth.
• Press your tongue tightly to close the roof of your mouth.
• Make the sound “mh mh mh mh” to engage the muscles. 

Read more: Lazy Ways to Lose Weight: A Discussion for the Busy Folks

How Long Does it Take for Facial Exercises to Work?

Everyone responds to working out and weight loss differently and this is true for facial exercises. It could take several weeks before you see any results. What matters is that you have patience and stick with your routine. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can you overdo facial exercises?

Yes, you can overdo facial exercises. The facial muscles are just as likely to experience strain with overwork as any other muscle in the body. Make sure you start slow, follow proper technique, and listen to your body when it feels pain or discomfort. 

• How can I lift my face naturally?

Lifestyle choices, skincare routines, and facial exercises can all help lift your face naturally. When thinking about how to lose chin fat, consider facial yoga exercises that target the neck and jawline. 

• How can I firm up my face jowls?

Face jowls are saggy skin on the face. Facial exercises focusing on the cheeks, neck, and jawline are best for targeting these areas. 

• How do I get rid of a saggy face?

Saggy skin in the face can be treated with a multi-faceted approach. A skincare routine of regularly cleaning, toning, and moisturizing your skin is a great place to start. The Gua Sha Routine is a great regimen to try. Facial exercises and a healthy diet are also the keys to success. 

The Bottom Line

Facial exercises may be an effective tool to fight aging when combined with healthy habits. Staying safe using proper technique and not overworking the muscles is also essential. Please be patient with the results and know there’s only a little evidence to show that facial yoga exercises alone are enough to fight aging. Instead, it’s best to focus on a healthy lifestyle and prioritizing your mental health.