Can Facial Exercises Actually Change Your Face?

Your body responds to exercise. It gets stronger, more toned, more resilient over time. So why would your face be any different?

It isn't.

What the research tells us

In 2018, researchers at Northwestern University published the first scientific study of its kind in JAMA Dermatology, testing whether consistent facial exercises could measurably improve appearance. A 30-minute daily facial exercise program sustained over 20 weeks improved the facial appearance of middle-aged women, resulting in fuller upper and lower cheeks and firmer, more toned skin.

The reason makes complete sense when you understand what's happening beneath the surface. As the face ages, skin loses elasticity and the fat pads between muscle and skin become thinner, causing the face to sag. When the underlying muscles become stronger, the skin has more support beneath it, and that firmer muscle creates a fuller, more naturally youthful shape.

Participants appeared almost three years younger after the 20-week program, and reported improvements across nearly every facial area assessed.

A comprehensive 2024 review in Current Cosmetic Science added further weight, confirming that exercises targeting the cheeks, the area around the mouth and eyes, and under the chin are among the most effective for maintaining a youthful facial appearance.

What this means for you

Facial exercises are not a quick fix, and I'd never position them as one. What they are is a consistent, intelligent practice that works with your face rather than against it. Results build over weeks and months, not overnight.

They work best as part of a broader inside-out approach alongside how you manage stress, how you hydrate, how you sleep, and how you speak to yourself when you look in the mirror. That's the whole foundation of the work I do.

But the evidence is there. Your facial muscles respond to training. Strengthen them with intention, and your face reflects that, more toned, more rested, more naturally you.

No procedures. No products. Just practice.

Miriam Shahir MSc · BHSc · BSc

Founder, The Facial Awareness Method The 8-week program is coming soon — [join the waitlist here.]

Sources:

• JAMA Dermatology, 2018. Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging. DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.5142

• Current Cosmetic Science, 2024. Facial Exercises: Enhancing Facial Structure and Reducing Signs of Aging. DOI: 10.2174/0126667797268583231213112215