5 Powerful Face Yoga Moves Designed to Lift, Tone, Sculpt, and Fully Naturally Relax your Skin

What if you could take years off your face without needles, surgery, or expensive creams—using just your hands and 20 minutes a day?

Here’s what happens as you age. Your facial muscles get weaker and smaller. The fat pads under your skin slide down. Your body makes less collagen. Blood flow to your face slows down. All of this leads to sagging skin, deep wrinkles, and a dull complexion.

Face yoga exercises offer a natural anti-aging solution that’s backed by real science. This non-invasive approach uses facial muscle toning to fight these aging signs from the inside out.

In this guide, you’ll learn five scientifically-backed face yoga exercises that actually work. We’ll show you how face yoga works at the cellular level, share real research from 2025 studies, explain when to expect results, and give you expert dermatologist recommendations. No hype. Just honest information about what face yoga can and can’t do for your skin.

What Is Face Yoga and How Does It Work?

Face yoga is a series of facial exercises that combine muscle contractions, gentle massage, and focused movements. Think of it like a workout for your face. Just as you tone your arms at the gym, these exercises target the 60+ muscles in your face.

Here's what happens when you practice face yoga. Your facial muscles get stronger and more defined. Blood flow increases, bringing fresh oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells. This boost in circulation also helps drain excess fluid, reducing puffiness.

A 2025 study in the Medicina journal found that face yoga may improve skin elasticity, stimulate facial muscles, and enhance blood circulation. Dr. Anetta Reszko from Weill Cornell Medical College explains that the movements increase both blood and lymphatic fluid circulation in your face.

The science is straightforward. When you exercise facial muscles, you trigger cellular changes. Your mitochondria (the cell's energy factories) work harder. Fibroblasts get activated, producing collagen that keeps skin firm. A 2018 Northwestern University study showed that after 20 weeks of daily practice, participants looked about 3 years younger.

5 Powerful Face Yoga Moves for Lifting, Toning, and Relaxation

These five exercises target the areas where aging shows up first. You'll need just your hands, a mirror, and about 20 minutes. Do them in front of a mirror so you can check your form.

Exercise 1: The Eyebrow Lifter

What It Targets: Your forehead, eyelids, and the area between your brows.

Why Do This: Lifts drooping eyebrows, smooths out forehead lines, and releases tension you didn't know you were holding. If you furrow your brow when you're stressed or concentrating, this exercise helps undo that damage.

How to Do It:

Place three fingertips under each eyebrow. Your fingers should sit right on the brow bone. Now force your eyes wide open while pressing your fingers down to create resistance. This creates the work your muscles need.

Smile big while pushing your eyebrows down against your fingers. You're fighting against your own resistance here. Close your eyes and roll your eyeballs upward, like you're trying to look at the top of your head. Hold this position for 20 seconds. You should feel a pull in your forehead muscles.

Release and shake it out. Repeat this sequence three times total.

Pro Tip: Keep the pressure gentle but firm. You want resistance, not pain. If your forehead starts to hurt, you're pressing too hard.

What You'll Feel: A slight tension across your forehead muscles. Some people feel a gentle burn, like when you hold a plank. That's good. It means the muscles are working.

Exercise 2: The Cheek Lifter

What It Targets: Your mid-face and cheek muscles.

Why Do This: Strengthens weak cheek muscles, adds volume where your face has thinned out, and reduces sagging. Dr. Murad Alam points out that cheek muscles are among the largest in your face, so when they get stronger, you really notice the difference.

How to Do It:

Form an "O" shape with your mouth. Make it a big O, like you're surprised. Now curl your upper lip over your top teeth. This engages the muscles differently than a regular smile.

Smile while your lip is still curled. You'll feel your cheeks lift up. Place your fingers on the top of your cheeks, right under your eyes. Apply light pressure.

Release the smile, then smile again to lift your cheeks back up. The up-and-down motion is what builds strength. Repeat this lifting motion 10 times. On the tenth time, hold the lift for 20 seconds.

Why It Works: Your cheek muscles respond well to resistance training because they're large and strong. When you build them up, they literally lift your face from underneath your skin.

What You'll Feel: A burning sensation in your cheeks by the eighth or ninth rep. That burn means you're building muscle. Your cheeks might feel tired afterward, just like your legs feel after squats.

Exercise 3: Happy Cheeks Sculpting

What It Targets: Your cheekbones and the lines around your mouth (smile lines).

Why Do This: Shapes and defines your cheekbone area. Lifts the overall contours of your face. This exercise is great if you've lost definition in your mid-face or if your smile lines have gotten deeper.

How to Do It:

Smile with your mouth closed. Roll your lips outward so they're fuller and rounder. This creates the base tension you need. Keep smiling and use the corners of your mouth to lift your cheek muscles up. Really focus on pulling those corners upward.

Place your fingers on the corners of your mouth. Now push up and over your cheekbones, following the natural line of your face. You're creating a lifting motion that follows where you want the muscles to go.

Hold this position for 20 seconds. Keep breathing normally. Release slowly. Repeat this sequence three times total.

What You'll Feel: A strong pulling sensation along your cheekbones. Your face might tremble slightly if your muscles aren't used to this work. That's normal for beginners.

Exercise 4: Scooping (Jaw and Neck Firmer)

What It Targets: Your jawline, neck, jowls, and the area under your chin.

Why Do This: Tones saggy jowls, strengthens a weak jawline, and reduces wrinkles on the sides of your chin. This is the best exercise for that area under your chin that starts to sag as you age.

How to Do It:

Open your mouth like you're going to say "ahh" at the doctor's office. Wide open. Now curl your lower lip and the corners of your lips into your mouth. Hold them there tightly. This creates the starting position.

Extend your lower jaw forward. Push it out as far as it will go comfortably. Now "scoop" your lower jaw upward about one inch. Imagine you're scooping ice cream with your jaw.

Tilt your head backward while keeping the scoop position. This adds gravity resistance to the exercise. Open and close your jaw 10 times while holding this position. On the tenth scoop, hold it for 20 seconds.

What You'll Feel: A deep stretch in your neck and under your chin. You might feel muscles you've never felt before. Some people feel a slight burn in their jaw muscles. If your jaw clicks or hurts, reduce the range of motion.

Exercise 5: Upper Eyelid Firmer

What It Targets: Your upper eyelids and the delicate area around your eyes.

Why Do This: Smooths out wrinkles on your eyelids, fills in hollow areas above your eyes, and makes your eyes look more awake. This is helpful if your eyelids have started to droop or if you have deep creases.

How to Do It:

Place your middle fingers near the inner corners of your eyes, right along the sides of the uppermost part of your nose. Place your index fingers just outside the outer corners of your eyes. Your fingers create anchors.

Smile while you squeeze your eyes tightly together. Really squash them shut. Roll your eyeballs upward while your eyes are closed. Try to look at the ceiling through your closed eyelids.

Hold this position for 30 seconds while continuing to smile. Keep your face relaxed everywhere except your eyes. Release slowly. Take a breath. Repeat one more time.

Important Caution: Dr. Reszko warns that you should avoid movements that rub or stretch the delicate under-eye area too much. The skin there is thin and fragile. If you feel pulling under your eyes, adjust your finger placement.

What You'll Feel: Tension around your eye sockets and in your eyelids. You might see some redness around your eyes afterward from increased blood flow. This goes away quickly.

Quick Tips for All Five Exercises:

Start with clean hands and a clean face. Wash your face first to avoid pushing dirt into your pores. Some people like to use a bit of facial oil or serum so their fingers glide smoothly. Take a before photo today. You won't notice gradual changes otherwise.

How to Start Your Face Yoga Routine (Complete Beginner's Guide)

Set aside 20-30 minutes daily for face yoga. Morning practice helps drain puffiness and wake up your face. Evening sessions release tension from the day. Many people do their exercises right before their skincare routine.

What You Need:

Grab a mirror so you can check your form. Wash your hands and face first. Some people like using a drop of facial oil or serum so their fingers glide smoothly, but it's optional. Find a quiet spot where you won't be interrupted.

Best Practices That Matter:

Always use gentle pressure. If it hurts, you're pushing too hard. Consistency beats intensity every time. Take a before photo today. You won't notice the gradual changes without it.

When You'll See Results:

The Northwestern study found that participants noticed changes after 4 weeks. Significant improvements showed up by week 20. Most people see subtle changes in 4-8 weeks. Full results take 3-6 months of daily practice.

Skip Face Yoga If:

You have facial injuries or active skin flare-ups like eczema or psoriasis. If you've had recent cosmetic procedures, ask your doctor first. Better safe than sorry.

Expert Tips and Popular YouTube Resources

Best YouTube Channels to Follow:

Fumiko Takatsu's Face Yoga Method has 771K subscribers with clear instructions. Danielle Collins (Face Yoga Expert) has 433K subscribers and focuses on science-backed moves. Masumi Channel leads with 1.7M subscribers and posts regularly.

What Experts Say:

Dr. Reszko warns about the delicate under-eye area. Don't rub or stretch it too much. Start with just 5-10 minutes if 30 feels like too much. You can always build up.

Make It Work Better:

Drink plenty of water. Dehydrated skin won't respond as well. Wear sunscreen daily because face yoga can't fix sun damage. Eat balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get good sleep. Face yoga works best when you take care of your whole body.

At the Last,

Face yoga offers a natural, science-backed approach to anti-aging without needles or surgery. The 2025 studies show real improvements in muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness. But let's be honest: this requires consistency and patience. Results are subtle, not dramatic. You won't look 20 years younger, but you might look refreshed and more toned.

Ready to start your natural face-lift journey? Begin with just 10 minutes daily using the Eyebrow Lifter and Cheek Lifter exercises. Take a before photo today, stay consistent for 8 weeks, and watch your face transform naturally. Face yoga exercises work when you stick with them.