Cheek Lift
As we age, the mid-face loses volume and support, which reads as flatness or sagging in the cheeks. The Cheek Lift directly engages the zygomaticus — the muscle that runs from your cheekbone to the corner of your mouth — the same muscle used every time you smile.
How to Do It
Smile without showing teeth, place fingers lightly on the tops of your cheeks, and lift the cheek muscles upward. Hold a few seconds.
Why It Works
Strengthening the zygomaticus can add subtle definition and lift to the mid-face, the area most visibly affected by age-related volume loss.
Benefits
- Directly engages the muscle responsible for mid-face lift
- Can add subtle definition to flattened cheeks
- Doubles as a quick facial-tension release
Which muscles this works
The zygomaticus major and minor run from the cheekbone to the corner of the mouth and the upper lip. They are the muscles that pull your smile upward. Mid-face ageing has several causes, including the descent of fat pads, changes in bone and looser skin, and muscle is only one part of that. The Cheek Lift works the part you can train: the smile muscles themselves.
Step by step
- Sit tall with your shoulders relaxed and your skin clean.
- Smile gently with your lips closed, so no teeth show.
- Rest your fingertips lightly on the tops of your cheeks, over the cheekbones.
- Lift the cheek muscles upward towards your eyes. Your fingers stay still and simply mark the spot.
- Hold for 3 seconds, release fully, and repeat for 10 reps.
Common mistakes
- Squinting the eyes to fake a lift. The movement should come from the cheek, not the eyelids.
- Pulling the skin upward with your fingers.
- Grinning widely or showing teeth, which recruits other muscles.
- Clenching the jaw or tensing the neck.
When to skip it
If you've had cheek filler, ask your injector before pressing on or exercising the area. Stop if you feel pain, and skip it on sunburned or broken skin.
What to expect
In the one small study of facial exercise, cheek fullness improved, and it took months of regular practice. Don't expect the cheek fat pads or bone to change. What you can reasonably expect is slightly better tone in the muscle and a quick release of facial tension.
The best-known study of facial exercise followed 16 women aged 40–65 through a 20-week programme of 30-minute sessions. Cheek fullness improved and dermatologists rated them about three years younger on average (Alam et al., JAMA Dermatology, 2018). It was a small study, the authors noted the results may not apply to other groups, and the programme was far longer than a one-minute video, so expect gradual and modest change.
FAQ
How long until I notice a difference in cheek lift?
Muscle toning exercises typically need 6-8 weeks of daily consistency before changes become noticeable — the same timeline as any other strength training.
Should this hurt or feel like a workout?
You should feel mild engagement in the cheek muscle, similar to a light workout — not pain or strain. Ease off if you feel discomfort.
Is the Cheek Lift just smiling?
It uses the same muscle as a smile, but you hold the contraction deliberately and with your fingers resting on the cheeks, so you can feel the muscle working and avoid recruiting the eyes and jaw.
Will the Cheek Lift make my cheeks look fuller?
Possibly a little. In the one small study of facial exercise, cheek fullness did improve after 20 weeks, but that programme was much longer than this video. Think of it as modest toning rather than a filler alternative.
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