Face Yoga: Simple Facial Exercises and Honest Results

Yoga for health 4 illustrations Updated 2 Nov 2026

Face yoga is a set of facial exercises and self massage that work the muscles of the cheeks, jaw, forehead and neck, often combined with relaxed breathing. People practise it to release tension, feel more aware of habits like frowning or jaw clenching, and hope for a fresher, firmer look.

This page gives eight easy face yoga exercises, a ten minute routine, and an honest look at the evidence, including what face yoga before and after photos can and cannot show. It is a gentle, low risk practice, but results are modest.

What it works: Cheeks, jaw, forehead, neck muscles
Routine: 10 minutes, most days
Evidence: One small trial; results modest
Best paired with: Sleep, sun protection, hydration
Avoid if: Jaw joint pain, recent facial procedures
Tools: Clean hands, a mirror

8 face yoga exercises

Cheek puff exercise face yoga: puff the cheeks with air and move it side to side, 30 seconds.
Fish face: suck the cheeks in and try to smile, 5 seconds, 5 times.
Face yoga cheek lift exercise: smile with closed lips, place fingers on the top of the cheeks and gently lift, 5 breaths.
Chin lift: tilt the head back and push the lower jaw forward, 5 breaths.
Jaw release: let the jaw hang open, then massage the jaw muscles in small circles.
Forehead smoothing: palms slide outward across the forehead, 10 strokes.
Eye focus: look far, then near, then far, 10 times, to rest eye muscles.
Lion breath: a strong exhale with tongue out and eyes looking up, 3 to 5 rounds.

Face yoga in pictures

Cheek puff exercise in face yoga, moving air from one cheek to the other — Level
Easy
Hold
30 seconds
Works on
Cheeks
The cheek puff: fill the cheeks with air and shift it side to side. A simple warm up for the cheek muscles.
**Teacher's cue:** Keep the lips sealed and the rest of the face relaxed.

Jaw and neck stretch with the chin lifted toward the ceiling while seated — Level
Easy
Hold
5 breaths, 3 times
Works on
Jaw, neck
Chin lift: tilt the head back gently and push the lower jaw slightly forward to stretch the front of the neck.
**Teacher's cue:** Lift only as far as the neck feels comfortable.

Forehead smoothing with both palms sliding outward from the centre of the forehead — Level
Easy
Hold
10 strokes
Works on
Forehead
Forehead smoothing: rest the palms on the forehead and slide them slowly outward. It helps you notice and release frowning.
**Teacher's cue:** Use light pressure, as if smoothing a silk cloth.

Lion breath from yoga, kneeling with hands on knees and leaning forward — Level
Easy
Hold
3 to 5 rounds
Works on
Face, throat
Lion breath, from simhasana, is the original yoga face exercise: a strong exhale with the tongue out releases the whole face.
**Teacher's cue:** Spread the fingers wide and exhale with a soft ha sound.

A 10 minute facial yoga routine

Wash your hands and sit tall with relaxed shoulders. Take five slow breaths. Do the cheek puff, fish face and cheek lift, then the chin lift and jaw release. Smooth the forehead, rest the eyes with the near and far focus, and end with three rounds of lion breath. Finish with a minute of slow breathing with the face completely soft. These facial yoga exercises take about ten minutes and can be done at a desk.

Face yoga for double chin and slim face

Face yoga for double chin and face yoga for slim face are popular searches. Chin lifts and jaw work strengthen muscles under the chin, and good posture makes the jawline look sharper in photos. Even so, facial movement cannot burn the fat sitting in one area. Facial fat changes with overall body weight, age and genetics. Combine face exercises with regular activity, good sleep and the plan on yoga for weight loss if weight is your goal.

Face yoga benefits: what the evidence says

A small study of middle aged women found that 30 minutes of facial exercises daily for eight weeks, then every other day, led to modest improvements in upper and lower cheek fullness as rated from photos. That is encouraging but limited: few participants, no long term follow up. Face yoga before and after photos online often differ in light, angle and make up. Realistic face yoga benefits are less tension in the jaw and forehead, more awareness of expressions, and a relaxing routine.

Face yoga for glowing skin

Gentle massage brings blood to the skin briefly, which can give a short lived glow. Lasting skin health depends on sleep, sun protection, enough water, not smoking and a sensible diet. Whole body yoga that improves sleep and stress may help more than face exercises alone. See yoga for glowing skin for a full routine.

Who should be careful

Skip jaw exercises if you have pain or clicking in the jaw joint, and ask your dentist. After cosmetic injections or facial surgery, follow your doctor's advice about when massage and facial movement are safe. Stop any exercise that causes pain or headache.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a diagnosed condition, are pregnant, recently had surgery or take regular medicine, ask your doctor which practices suit you, and stop at any sharp pain, dizziness or chest discomfort.

Questions people ask

Does face yoga really work?

It can reduce facial tension and may modestly improve cheek fullness over months, based on limited research. It will not replace weight loss or medical treatments.