Face yoga is a set of gentle exercises, massage and relaxation for the muscles of your face and neck. Early research suggests regular practice may help cheeks look fuller and the face look a little younger, but the evidence is still limited. It works best as part of a routine that also protects your skin from the sun, gives it sleep, and feeds it well.
What the research says
The best-known study was published in JAMA Dermatology in 2018. Middle-aged women (average age about 54) did 30 minutes of facial exercises a day for 8 weeks at home, then every other day until week 20. Of the 27 women who started, 16 completed the program. At the end:
- Their upper and lower cheeks were rated as noticeably fuller.
- Two doctors rated their photos without knowing which were taken before or after. Their estimate of the women’s age fell to about 48.1 years, from 50.8 at the start.
That is encouraging, but it was a small pilot study with no comparison group, and many women dropped out. A 2014 systematic review of earlier studies found that all of them reported positive results, but none was randomised or controlled, so the authors concluded the evidence was not yet strong enough to be sure. The honest summary: face yoga is low-risk, many women enjoy it, and it may help, especially when you keep at it for months.
A 10-minute daily routine
Do this in front of a mirror, with clean hands and your face relaxed. Breathe slowly through your nose throughout. Keep every move gentle: you should feel muscles working, never pain or strain.
1. Relax and warm up (1 minute)
Sit tall, drop your shoulders away from your ears and unclench your teeth. Roll your shoulders back five times and slowly turn your head left and right. Many of us hold stress in the jaw and forehead without noticing.
2. Cheek lift (2 minutes)
Smile with your lips closed, so your cheeks rise. Rest your fingertips lightly on top of your cheekbones and hold the smile for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 6 to 8 times.
3. Fish face (1 minute)
Suck your cheeks in gently, as if making a fish face, and hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Relax and repeat 5 times. This works the cheek muscles without creasing the forehead.
4. Jawline and under-chin lift (2 minutes)
Sit tall and look gently up towards the ceiling. Push your lower jaw slightly forward until you feel a stretch under your chin, hold for 5 seconds, then bring your head back to neutral. Repeat 8 times. Skip the head tilt if you have a neck problem; you can do the jaw push with your head level instead.
5. Tongue press (1 minute)
Press the whole of your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth and hold for 10 seconds while you keep breathing. You will feel the muscles under your chin work. Repeat 5 times.
6. Eye area tapping (1 minute)
With your ring fingers, tap very lightly around the bone circling each eye, from the inner corner outwards. Don’t pull or rub the thin skin under your eyes.
7. Upward face massage (2 minutes)
With a little moisturiser or oil, use your fingertips to make slow upward and outward strokes: from the chin along the jaw to the ears, from the nose across the cheeks, and from the eyebrows up into the hairline. Finish by resting your palms over your closed eyes for three slow breaths.
How often: once a day is a good start. The women in the 2018 study practised for 30 minutes a day at first; even 10 minutes, done every day for months, is better than a long session once a week.
Do it gently: what to avoid
- Scrunching and frowning. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that repeating the same expressions for years can turn lines into permanent wrinkles. Keep your forehead and eyes soft.
- Pulling the skin. Use your fingers to guide and support, not to drag the skin, especially around the eyes.
- Pushing through pain. Stop any move that hurts your jaw, teeth or neck. If you have jaw clicking or pain (TMJ problems), check with your doctor or dentist first.
Glowing skin needs more than exercise
Face yoga works on muscles. What you do every day matters just as much for your skin:
- Sunscreen every day. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, water-resistant sunscreen, plus shade, a hat and sunglasses. Indian sun is strong all year, even on cloudy days.
- No smoking. Smoking greatly speeds up how quickly skin ages.
- Moisturise daily. Moisturiser traps water in the skin and helps it look fresher.
- Sleep and stress. Tired, stressed skin looks dull. A wind-down routine helps both your face and your mood.
- Food from your own kitchen. Protein at every meal (dal, paneer, curd, eggs), colourful sabzi and fruit, and enough water.
If you are also losing weight, slow and steady is kinder to your face. Our belly fat guide explains a realistic home plan. For stress and sleep, the Stress to Happiness program works on both.
When to see a dermatologist
Face yoga is not a treatment for skin conditions. See a dermatologist for acne that leaves marks, melasma or patchy pigmentation, sudden hair fall (see our hair fall guide), or any mole or spot that changes. You can keep doing gentle face yoga alongside their advice.
Face yoga with Dr. Jyoti
Dr. Jyoti Srivastava teaches face yoga as part of the Superwoman Skin & Hair Transformation program, with a live face yoga, skin and hair session every week, short daily routines, and nutrition and sleep habits for your skin and hair. We coach healthy habits; we don’t diagnose or treat skin conditions, and results vary from person to person.
Sources
- Alam M et al. Association of facial exercise with the appearance of aging. JAMA Dermatol. 2018;154(3):365-367.
- Van Borsel J et al. The effectiveness of facial exercises for facial rejuvenation: a systematic review. Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(1):22-27.
- American Academy of Dermatology. 11 ways to reduce premature skin aging.
