By Sonia Singh, certified face yoga instructor
Most face yoga articles hand you a pile of exercises and leave you to figure out the rest. Which ones? In what order? How many times? That’s the part beginners actually get stuck on.
So this guide does it differently. I’ll explain what face yoga is and what it can realistically do, then give you one short routine you can follow start to finish. Ten minutes, no equipment, just your hands and a clean face. It’s the same structure I start new clients on in their first session.
What is face yoga?
Face yoga is a mix of facial exercises, massage and a few acupressure and breathing techniques. You contract, hold and release specific muscles in your face and neck, the same way you’d work any other muscle. The aim is to tone those muscles, boost circulation, and release the tension we hold from squinting, frowning and screen time.
You have more than 50 muscles in your face. Most of them rarely get worked in a deliberate way. Face yoga is simply a way to give them some attention.
Does face yoga actually work?
Here’s the honest answer: the research is promising but still limited, and I’d rather you start with realistic expectations than be sold a miracle.
The study most often cited is a 20-week trial run by Northwestern Medicine and published in JAMA Dermatology. Middle-aged women who did about 30 minutes of facial exercises daily (then every other day) ended up with measurably fuller upper and lower cheeks, and independent raters judged them to look around three years younger by the end.
That’s one small study, and reviews of the wider evidence describe results as mixed and call for more research. What that tells me after years of teaching this is simple: face yoga is not a substitute for good skincare, sun protection, sleep and hydration. But done consistently, it tones the muscles underneath, improves circulation, and leaves most people feeling more relaxed and looking a little brighter. That’s a fair trade for ten minutes a day.
Before you start: three rules that matter
These three habits make the difference between helping your skin and working against it.
- Start clean. Wash your hands and face. A drop of facial oil or serum helps your fingers glide so you’re not dragging at the skin.
- Don’t crease the skin. This is the big one. If an exercise makes you squint or scrunch your forehead, you’re reinforcing the exact lines you’re trying to soften. Lift and lengthen, don’t screw your face up.
- Go gently. You should feel a light warmth or a gentle stretch, never pain. More pressure is not better.
Your 10-minute beginner routine
Work through these in order. The sequence is deliberate: we warm up, work from the forehead down to the neck, then finish with relaxation.
1. Warm-up tapping (30 seconds) Using your fingertips, lightly tap all over your face, starting at the forehead and working down to the jaw, then down the neck. This wakes up circulation before you begin.
2. Brow smoother (30 seconds) Place your fingertips in the centre of your forehead, pointing towards each other. Apply light pressure and slowly draw your fingers out towards your temples. Release and repeat for 30 seconds. This eases tension in the large forehead muscle we overuse all day.
3. Eye circles (30 seconds) Rest your ring fingers at the inner corners of your eyebrows. With a feather-light touch, tap outward along the brow, press gently at the temples, then continue under the eyes back to the inner corners. Keep circling for 30 seconds. Good for puffiness and tired eyes.
4. Cheek lifter (repeat 10 times) Open your mouth into an “O” and fold your top lip over your teeth. Smile to lift the cheek muscles, then release. You should feel your cheeks doing the work. Repeat 10 times, keeping the rest of your face soft. This is the exercise most linked to that “fuller cheeks” finding.
5. Jaw and neck stretch (5 each side) Tilt your head back slightly and look up. Push your lower lip up gently and feel the stretch along the front of your neck. Hold for five seconds, relax, and repeat five times. Then turn your chin slowly towards one shoulder, hold, and switch sides. This targets the jawline and the front-of-neck muscles that soften first with age.
6. Lion’s breath (5 times) Sit tall. Breathe in through your nose. Open your mouth wide, stick your tongue out and down towards your chin, and exhale forcefully with a “haa” sound. It looks ridiculous. It’s also brilliant for releasing whole-face tension. Repeat five times.
7. Finish: massage and rest (1 minute) Cup your hands, rub your palms together to build a little warmth, and rest them over your face. Take a few slow breaths. Then use your fingertips to gently massage your face and the space between your brows. This is the moment to let everything soften.
That’s the full routine. Once it becomes familiar it takes about ten minutes.
How often, and when will you see results?
Consistency beats intensity every time. Aim for the routine most days of the week, five to ten minutes a day. A short daily practice will do far more than a long session once a week.
On timing, be patient. Most people notice they feel more relaxed and less tense almost straight away. Visible changes in tone and firmness take longer, usually a few weeks to start and closer to eight to twelve weeks for clearer results, in line with the timeframes used in the research. You’re training muscle, and muscle takes time to respond.
Common beginner mistakes
- Squinting and scrunching. Worth repeating because it’s the most common one. Keep the skin smooth.
- Pressing too hard. Gentle is the whole point.
- Doing too much, too soon. Ten focused minutes beats thirty rushed ones.
- Giving up at two weeks. This is a slow, cumulative practice. Stick with it.
Frequently asked questions
Does face yoga really work?
The evidence is limited but encouraging. The best-known study found consistent daily practice led to fuller cheeks and a younger-looking result over 20 weeks. Treat it as a supportive habit alongside skincare and sun protection, not a replacement for them.
Does face yoga help a double chin?
There’s no research proving it removes a double chin directly, but the jaw and neck exercises tone the muscles in that area, which can help the region look firmer. I’ve written a dedicated routine for this — see the double chin guide.
Does face yoga tighten skin?
It works on the muscle underneath the skin rather than the skin itself. A firmer muscle layer can make the surface look tighter and more lifted, though results vary from person to person.
How long each day should I practise?
Five to ten minutes, most days. Short and regular is the formula that works.
Want a routine built for your face?
This routine is a great starting point, but every face is different, and the fastest progress I see comes when the exercises are matched to your specific goals, whether that’s your jawline, your eyes or an overall glow.
That’s exactly what I do in a one-on-one online session: assess your face, correct your technique, and build you a personal routine you’ll actually keep up. Sessions are online and available Australia-wide.
This article is for general information and isn’t medical advice. If you have a skin condition, jaw problem or any concern, check with your health professional first.