My Face Yoga Journey: The Good, The Bad & The Slightly Ridiculous

Okay, real talk? I never thought I'd be the person preaching about facial exercises to anyone who'd listen. Yet here I am, 6 months into this face yoga thing, writing this post on my couch with a face mask on and wondering how I became this person.

It started last October after my birthday weekend. You know those photos that someone tags you in on Instagram that make you mutter "what the actual hell happened to my face?" That was me, staring at a pic where I looked... tired. Not just "I didn't sleep well" tired, but "when did my face start sliding south?" tired.

I'd hit 38, and despite the arsenal of serums cluttering my bathroom counter (my husband calls it "the chemistry lab"), something wasn't working anymore. My cheeks looked flatter. The little lines around my eyes weren't disappearing with sleep anymore. And there was this... softness... along my jawline that definitely wasn't there in my early 30s.

The Botox Debate

Let's be honest - I seriously considered Botox. I even booked a consultation, then cancelled it three times. It wasn't just the needle thing (though that freaked me out). The whole "frozen face" possibility scared me more than the wrinkles did. Plus, the idea of maintenance appointments every few months for basically forever? My bank account was already giving me side-eye about my skincare spending.

It was during brunch with my friend Jen that everything changed. I was mid-complaint about my face when she whipped out her phone and showed me her before/after photos from doing "face yoga" for four months.

"Face what now?" I asked, stealing her last slice of avocado toast.

"Yoga. For your face," she said, then proceeded to demonstrate something that made her look like she was trying to swallow her own cheeks while simultaneously having an allergic reaction.

A guy at the next table actually stopped mid-bite to stare.

But I couldn't argue with her results. Her jawline looked sharper, her cheeks had this lifted look, and she honestly did look younger than she had at Christmas.

So that's how I ended up, that very night, making ridiculous faces at myself in the bathroom mirror while my husband walked by, did a double-take, and said, "Do I even want to know?"

What This Face Yoga Thing Actually Is

Before I ramble on about my journey, let me break down what face yoga actually is, because I had no freaking clue before I started.

Your face has 43 muscles. FORTY-THREE. I had maybe considered the existence of like... five? These muscles do everything - help you talk, chew, express every emotion from "my kid just projectile vomited" to "I'm pretending to like this gift."

But like any muscle (hello, sad biceps I've been meaning to work on), they get weaker over time. They start to sag. They don't hold things up like they used to. Combine that with skin that's losing collagen faster than I lose my phone chargers, and boom – your face starts heading south.

Face yoga is basically strength training for those 43 slackers. Through repetitive movements and held positions, you're essentially giving those muscles a workout, which theoretically helps firm things up from the inside out.

Is it weird? God, yes. Does it make you look deranged while doing it? Absolutely. But does it cost anything or involve needles? Nope. And that was enough to get me started.

But Does This Shit Actually Work?

That was my first question too. I'm not exactly the type to fall for wellness trends (okay fine, except for that month I was convinced celery juice would change my life).

Turns out there's actually some legitimate research behind this face-contorting business. In 2018, JAMA Dermatology (a fancy medical journal, not some random wellness blog) published a study where women did facial exercises for 20 weeks. The results showed they looked about three years younger afterward and had fuller upper and lower cheeks.

Now, one study doesn't mean case closed. And 20 weeks is a serious commitment of making fish faces at your bathroom mirror. But three years younger? Without spending hundreds on procedures? I was intrigued enough to give it a shot.

When I dug deeper into why it might work, the explanation made sense. As we age:

We lose facial fat (while somehow gaining it everywhere else 🙄)

Our skin produces less collagen and elastin, so everything gets looser

Our facial muscles atrophy and sag

Gravity continues to be an asshole

Face yoga mainly targets the muscle part of this equation. Toned muscles take up more space, potentially "filling out" areas that have started to hollow or sag. It's like getting a subtle implant, but it's just your own muscle waking up and doing its job again.

Month One: Feeling (and Looking) Ridiculous

I started with a 10-minute routine every morning. I'd wash my face, apply some serum (so my fingers would glide and not tug on my skin), and then begin what my 7-year-old nephew later called "the silly face game."

That first month was humbling:

I couldn't hold positions without shaking

My fingers cramped from trying to create resistance

I laughed at myself constantly, which ruined the exercises

My husband walked in during the "Kiss the Ceiling" move and now uses it to mock me when I'm being difficult

Worse, I couldn't actually feel most of the muscles I was supposedly exercising. You know when you start working out and can't "engage your core" because you have no freaking idea what your core even is? It was like that, but with my face.

And results? Absolutely nothing that first month except slightly sore cheeks and the vague suspicion I was wasting my time.

The Exercises That Eventually Didn't Suck

By month two, I'd narrowed down five exercises that I could actually feel working and didn't make me break into hysterical laughter every time:

1. The Balloon Face (aka Cheek Plumper)

This one's easy but makes you look like you're five years old:

Fill your mouth with air so your cheeks puff out

Push the air from one cheek to the other, like some demented hamster

Keep going for 15 seconds

Reality check: The first few times I did this, I accidentally blew raspberries and spit all over my mirror. Sexy. Now I do it in the shower where my shame can wash down the drain.

2. The Turkey Neck Eliminator (aka Kiss the Ceiling)

This targets the jawline and neck, which is where I noticed changes first:

Tilt your head back like you're checking for boogers

Pucker your lips toward the ceiling in an exaggerated kiss

Hold for 10 seconds while feeling burn along jawline

Try not to think about how you look like a desperate fish

Reality check: I hate this one the most but noticed results the fastest, so I force myself. I added a lymphatic drainage massage after (just fancy speak for rubbing my jawline firmly toward my ears), which helped with morning puffiness.

3. The "I'm Surprised" Forehead Lift

For those lovely forehead lines that make you look permanently worried:

Put your fingertips just above your eyebrows and press down gently

Try to raise your eyebrows against the resistance

Hold for 5 seconds, rest, repeat 5 times

Reality check: I kept pressing too hard at first. You want resistance, not full-on forehead paralysis. One time I pressed so hard I gave myself a 30-minute headache. Don't be me.

4. Eye Crinkle Reducer

For crow's feet and under-eye bags:

Put your index fingers at the outer corners of your eyes

Gently pull toward your temples

Squint against the resistance

Hold for 5 seconds, then release

Reality check: This feels amazing after staring at a computer all day. I sometimes do this one at work in the bathroom when my eyes are tired, and I'm pretty sure my coworkers think I'm having some kind of episode in there.

5. The Cheek Lift (that doesn't cost $5,000)

This one feels most like actual exercise:

Smile with lips closed (not a giant grin, just slightly)

Focus on pushing your cheeks up toward your eyes

Hold for 10 seconds

Release and feel the burn, baby

Reality check: I visualize puppet strings pulling my cheeks up toward my temples. Without this mental image, I just make weird grimaces that work entirely wrong muscles.

Fast Forward: What Actually Changed

Let me be super clear - I didn't Benjamin Button my way back to my 20s. I still have lines. I still look tired after a bad night's sleep. No miracle occurred.

BUT... around month three, I started noticing changes:

My cheeks look less deflated. This was the first thing I noticed - the apples of my cheeks sit higher and look fuller. My face looks less... pancake-y? That's not a technical term but you get it.

My jawline is more defined. That soft blur between my jaw and neck has sharpened up. Not dramatically, but enough that I've started wearing my hair up more often because I'm not trying to hide my jawline anymore.

THE UNEXPECTED MIRACLE: Fewer tension headaches. I didn't realize how much I clench my facial muscles until I started regularly stretching and working them. My afternoon headaches have decreased by like 70%. This alone was worth looking stupid for 10 minutes a day.

Weirdly, my skincare seems more effective. I think it's increased blood flow or something? Whatever the reason, my skin has more color and products seem to absorb better after my face yoga sessions.

I catch myself stress-tensing less. I'm now aware when I'm furrowing my brow while reading emails or clenching my jaw in traffic. Just noticing and releasing that tension throughout the day has probably prevented some new wrinkles from setting up shop.

The biggest revelation? During weeks when I'm consistent, I see better results. When I was down with the flu in February and skipped a week, my face actually seemed to slide back a bit. Like any exercise, consistency matters more than intensity.

Stuff I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Started

If you're thinking of trying this face-contorting adventure, here's what I've learned:

Make It Enjoyable (Or You Won't Do It)

I tried doing face yoga while watching Netflix, but kept getting distracted. Now I do it right after my morning skincare, while my podcast plays, and it's become a weirdly zen part of my routine.

Your Skin Prep Matters

Always start clean - you're touching your face a lot and don't want to massage yesterday's makeup into your pores. I use a lightweight serum for slip, and follow with moisturizer after. Don't use heavy creams during the exercises or your fingers will drag your skin (which defeats the whole anti-aging purpose).

Take Unflattering Before Pictures

God, I hate that I'm recommending this, but take close-ups of your problem areas in harsh lighting. It's the only way you'll notice the gradual improvements. I have a horrifying collection of under-chin shots that no one will ever see, but they help me track progress.

Your Face Will Get Tired

Just like you wouldn't jump into a CrossFit routine on day one, don't overdo the face exercises. I actually made my eye twitch for two days by excessive "eye lifts" in my initial enthusiasm. Once daily is plenty, 10-15 minutes max.

6-8 Weeks Minimum

Nothing happened for at least 6 weeks. I almost quit like five times. Then changes started appearing so gradually I barely noticed until I compared photos. This is a slow-burn situation, not an overnight fix.

What You Put IN Your Face Matters Too

Face yoga works better when supported by boring healthy stuff like drinking water and eating vegetables. I noticed better results during weeks when I wasn't surviving on coffee and takeout. Annoying but true.

The Unexpected Mental Benefits

The strangest part of this whole experiment has been the psychological aspect. Those 10 minutes each morning have become weirdly important to me - it's time when I'm literally facing myself, being present, and investing in my wellbeing in a way that has nothing to do with my to-do list.

There's something intimate about spending that time with yourself, watching your expression change, noticing asymmetries in your face you've never seen before, becoming friends with your reflection rather than just critiquing it.

It's also forced me to confront my feelings about aging. Some days I do these exercises with gratitude that I have natural options for taking care of myself. Other days I do them with resentment that aging happens at all. Both are valid, and working through those feelings while physically working my face has been unexpectedly therapeutic.

Who Shouldn't Do This?

Not to be a buzzkill, but face yoga isn't for everyone. If you've had recent Botox, these exercises might actually make it wear off faster (the movement works against the paralysis). If you have severe skin conditions or have had recent facial surgery, definitely talk to your doctor first.

And if you're expecting dramatic, Instagram-filter level transformations, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. This is subtle, progressive, and complementary to overall good skin habits.

The Real-Talk Verdict

Six months in, am I glad I started? Absolutely. Has it replaced my desire for good skincare products or occasional professional treatments? Hell no.

Face yoga has given me something that none of my serums or masks could: agency. There's something powerful about physically participating in how your face ages rather than just passively slathering on products and hoping for the best.

Plus, it's free, which means I can still justify my ridiculous serum purchases to my husband. ("But honey, I'm saving thousands on Botox!")

For me, face yoga has earned a permanent place in my morning routine - right between brushing my teeth and checking how many gray hairs sprouted overnight. It's not a miracle, but it's a tool in my arsenal that actually seems to be doing something.

And in the wildly overwhelming world of beauty and anti-aging products, finding something that genuinely works feels pretty damn good.

So if you see someone in their car at a stoplight looking like they're trying to kiss the roof while simultaneously having an allergic reaction... give them a knowing nod. They're probably just trying to defy gravity, one weird face at a time.