Facial Exercises for Cheeks and Mid-Face

by: Linda Robison / Facial Fitness Specialist @ ABZ

I'll show you cheek exercises that gave me the best results in the least amount of time.

Firmer, fuller cheeks can really give you a more youthful appearance. Plus, when you lift sagging cheeks, the lower part of the face gets a small lift too.

Facial exercises for higher Cheeks.My cheeks are higher and fuller now than they were in my late 40s.

See Sagging Cheeks Before and After results!

The cheek shaper: Defines and lifts saggy cheeks

Want fuller, more defined cheek contours? These facial cheek exercises can help.

But to see the best results—and get a beautifully lifted look as you age—try to fit in a complete facial workout a few times a week.

A regular routine gives you an even, all-over lift across your face, neck, and chest (yes, even the décolletage).

For extra cheek fullness, add in the Cheek Shaper workout from Carolyn’s Facial Fitness.

The Cheek Shaper - designed by Carolyn helps enhance the cheeks from the bottom too. This exercise will even out uneven cheek building and be sure you build your cheeks evenly and in balance. 

  • Wrap your lips around your upper and lower teeth
  • Place your open hand against the face as shown below 
  • Thumbs are next to the nose and the Index fingers are lying next to the temple
  • Smile wide with the corners of your mouth
  • Pressing fingers evenly into the face and “lift up” with the bottom rim of your hands, against the natural shape of your cheeks 
  • Hold for a count of 10 and release 

Find other FREE sample exercises to add to your workout.

How to get defined cheekbones: Facial exercises to enhance cheeks

Here is another simple cheek exercise that can help firm and lift the cheeks and tighten the lower half of the face.

This cheek exercise is actually straight from Carolyn's Facial Fitness program.

She adds an interesting twist to this and suggests doing these exercises lying down for the best results. This allows you to take advantage of gravity for faster results.

Try this exercise for firmer cheeks

Start with a clean face. P.S. If you lie flat on the floor or in bed (without a pillow) the gravity will add even more resistance for better cheek firming.

Cheek lift exercise, step one.
  • Curl your upper lip over your top teeth and your lower lip over your bottom teeth.
  • Open your mouth as wide as you can (comfortably) making an "O" shape with your mouth. 

Check out the video below on how to make the "O" face.

  • Place your palms across each cheek to act like a weight.
  • Contract your cheeks by trying to make a wide smile. You should feel your cheek raise upward. 
  • At the same time, use your palms to try to stop your cheeks from moving.
  • You'll feel resistance here. Now hold this position for a count of 10, then release, relax and repeat.
  • Do this in a pumping motion (up and down, up and down) sort of like lifting weights.
  • Do 10 reps. Repeat this workout about 2-3 times per week, with a day of rest in between.

Cheek exercise - more resistance

If you're doing this exercise on the floor, try too create more resistance by raising your head a few inches off the floor at the same time you're pushing down on your cheeks.

Then lower your head back to the floor and release/relax.

Results - Aside from a little soreness, most people see results within a couple of weeks. Yes, a couple of weeks! Cheek muscles build quickly for most people.

Check out my before and after cheek results here!

Cheek exercise correct position for the "O" face

Almost all of Carolyn's facial exercises require you to make what she calls the "Long O" face by wrapping your upper and lower lips around your teeth and then smiling.

Why do this? Because it helps keep your face muscles taut so you don't pull and tug on the skin, but you're able to isolate and work the muscle.

Plus, this movement alone helps tighten cheek muscles even before you do the exercise. 

Here is a video explaining the long "O" face technique.

Warning about facial exercises for cheeks

Most experts in the facial exercise field warn about exercising only one area of the face (i.e. spot training).

It’s fine to do extra exercises for troubled spots or if you want faster results in a particular area. But it's best to do them in along with a complete facial exercise program. Why, because:

  • Working ALL the muscles of the face and neck on a steady schedule is best and will ensure your face has a beautiful, firm, full, and elegant look as you age.
  • Overworking one area, you risk the chance of over-training certain muscles. This can sometimes cause an imbalanced look on the face.
  • Eventually, all areas of the face will be of concern and will eventually droop. From your forehead to your neck - so take care of it now. 

And speaking of the neck:

You should have seen what a mess my neck was before starting this facial workout! Look at my before and after neck pictures. These results came about after only a few short weeks!

This full Facial Fitness program to lift sagging cheeks, neck and more only takes 15 minutes a few times a week.

Facial exercises for Cheeks - Do they work

Do cheek exercises work? Yes. Facial exercises can enhance your cheeks, as you can see from my before and after pictures.

Cheek muscles can build up easily. That's why you only want to do these a few times a week. More is not better. And, by doing them too often can cause an overbuilt, awkward appearance.  

Perform the extra cheek exercises no more than 2-3 times a week, spaced out over the course of 7 days.

For best results: Experts in the facial exercising field highly recommended you perform a full facial workout - in conjunction with spot training with cheek exercises. 

This combination ensures you get a beautiful, balanced look.

Studies on facial exercises and facial aging

A pilot study published in the JAMA Dermatology showed that after 20 weeks of steady facial exercising, there was a significant improvement in upper and lower cheek fullness. And study participants were highly satisfied with their results.

NOTE: Researches state that since the sample group was small and there was no control group to compare the results; further research is warranted to fully assess the findings. But, I say, just look at your before and after pictures.  

References:

JAMA Dermatol. 2018 Mar; 154(3): 365–367.

About the Author:
Linda Robison is a Facial Fitness Specialist and the founder of Anti-Aging Beauty Zone. She shares expert insights on skincare, facial rejuvenation, and beauty treatments—blending traditional wisdom, personal experience, and science-backed research for both at-home and in-office solutions.

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