Does face yoga really work? A small ritual to pamper ourselves
I don’t know how it looks in your "For You" page, but lately my TikTok has been flooded with girls rediscovering fitted hoodies, flare pants, and vintage sporty tops, bringing back the 2000s yoga mom aesthetic. Lotus flowers, balanced bath stones, and Norah Jones on headphones are just a few elements of the zen-X aesthetic: that idea of soft, minimal, almost nostalgic wellness that was promised to us as kids. If 2025 was the year of pilates reformers and group runs at 6 a.m., 2026 seems set to slow the pace. More yoga, more breathing, more mind-body connection. In short, definitely a less performative and more conscious, intimate practice. But besides working your abs and glutes, maybe it’s time to start taking care of our lovely faces, and what better way to begin than with some face yoga?
All about face yoga
Face yoga: what is it?
@kyliejenner getting ready w bae
original sound - Kylie Jenner
Face yoga is a practice that combines targeted exercises, self-massage, and breathing techniques aimed at stimulating facial muscles and improving circulation. The idea is simple, almost obvious: if we train our body to stay toned, why ignore the 40+ muscles in our face? Through repeated movements and gentle pressure, face yoga helps tone certain areas, relax others, and drain excess fluids, reducing puffiness. Many compare it to a lifting effect, which is obviously an exaggeration (unfortunately), but it remains a practice that, if done consistently, can improve tone and radiance and, above all, is a way to carve out ten minutes just for yourself.
How to do face yoga
Doing face yoga is really simple: no special tools or creams are needed, just a few minutes, your face, and at most your hands. There are tons of social media videos showing routines to do comfortably at home, or anywhere, really, embarrassment aside. One popular exercise involves exaggerating the pronunciation of the word "wow": this movement helps relax the jaw, reduce puffiness, and create a more symmetrical look, so much so that even Kylie Jenner shared it on her social channels. Other useful exercises include sucking the cheeks inward like a fish face to tone the cheeks, or running the tongue along the inner contour of the lips to potentially reduce fine lines. Just find the routine that works best for you and stick to it.
Does it really work?
According to Healthline, some studies show that facial exercises can increase muscle tone, improve microcirculation, and reduce puffiness, giving the face a more relaxed and radiant appearance. After all, if we can train and tone our body muscles, why shouldn’t it work for facial muscles too? Seems logical to me. That said, scientific evidence is still limited, and face yoga won’t erase deep wrinkles nor, of course, replace fillers or medical treatments. In practice, face yoga can create a mild placebo effect, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Practicing daily, dedicating a few minutes to your face, and focusing on breathing and muscle relaxation can result in skin that appears firmer, more luminous, and smoother, even if real structural changes are minimal or gradual.
