Face Yoga for Jowls: Exercises, Massage and Realistic Expectations

Face yoga for jowls is a gentle, low-risk routine for your lower face and neck, but it can’t undo jowls, because jowls mainly come from age-related changes in skin, fat and bone, not from weak muscles. What a few minutes a day can give you is a jaw and neck that feel looser and more toned, better posture habits and a calming self-care ritual. Below you’ll find why jowls form, six exercises, a three-minute massage sequence and an honest way to track what changes.

Short answer: what face yoga can do for jowls

Jowls are the softening of the jawline below the corners of the mouth, where the smooth line from chin to ear starts to dip. They form because several layers of the face change with age at the same time: the skin loosens, the fat beneath it shifts, and the jawbone itself slowly loses some volume.

Exercise works on muscles, which are only one of those layers. So it makes sense to treat face yoga as a complement to the things with stronger evidence (sun protection above all), not as a replacement for them.

Here is what a jowl-focused routine can realistically offer:

• A relaxed, more comfortable jaw and neck. Stretches and massage can ease tension from clenching or long hours at a screen.
• Muscle work in the lower face and front of the neck. Moves like the sky smile and tongue reach engage muscles you rarely use on purpose.
• Posture awareness. A forward head posture crowds the area under the chin. Many lower-face moves start by lengthening the neck, which reminds you how you hold your head the rest of the day.
• A short, pleasant habit. A few calm minutes focused on your face.

And what it can’t do: remove jowls, replace lost bone or fat, or tighten loose skin in a predictable way. Research on facial exercise is limited. The best-known study is a small 2018 pilot in JAMA Dermatology in which 27 women aged 40 to 65 enrolled and 16 completed 20 weeks of facial exercises: 30 minutes a day for 8 weeks, then every other day (Alam et al., 2018). Dermatologists rating standardised photos saw fuller upper and lower cheeks, and the average estimated age fell from 50.8 to 48.1 years. It didn’t measure jowls, had no control group, and used much longer sessions than most people keep up, so larger controlled studies are needed before anyone can make firm claims.

Why jowls form

Jowls form because the face ages in layers, and each layer changes a little. No single cause explains them, which is also why no single exercise addresses them.

Fat compartments shift

The fat under your facial skin isn’t one even sheet. In a 2007 anatomy study, plastic surgeons Rohrich and Pessa showed that it is divided into separate compartments, with the jowl fat sitting as one of the lowest of them (Rohrich & Pessa, 2007). They suggested that the face doesn’t age as one block: neighbouring compartments can shift relative to each other over time. Uneven change between compartments is one reason the smooth line of the jaw can start to look broken up at the jowl.

The jawbone changes too

Bone isn’t fixed for life. A review by Mendelson and Wong describes how certain parts of the facial skeleton are resorbed with age, including the area of the lower jaw just in front of the jowl, known as the prejowl area (Mendelson & Wong, 2012). With less bony support underneath, the soft tissue above has less to drape over, and a small hollow can appear between the chin and the jowl.

Skin loses elasticity

Over the years, skin loses some of its firmness and bounce, so it holds its shape less well over the fat and bone below. Sun exposure speeds this up considerably, and smoking is another well-known factor in premature skin aging, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Other influences

Genetics play a large role in the shape of your jaw and how early it softens. Repeated weight changes, posture and the natural pull of gravity over decades also contribute. None of this is a personal failing; it is how faces change.

6 face yoga exercises for the lower face

These six moves come from Gluvy’s chin and jaw and full-face plans, described here in our own words. Together they take about four minutes. Sit or stand tall with relaxed shoulders, and keep a little facial oil nearby for the gliding moves.

A quick safety note before you begin: stop any move that causes pain, clicking or dizziness, and talk to a doctor or dentist first if you have jaw joint (TMJ) problems, a neck condition, or recent facial surgery, dental work or injectables in the area.

1. Jawline Press & Pull (about 30 seconds)

1. Rest your fingertips along both sides of your jawbone.
2. Press in gently but steadily, so you feel the bone under your fingers.
3. Draw your fingers outward along the bone toward your ears, keeping the pressure even.
4. Lift off, return to the chin and repeat in a slow rhythm.

Caution: press into the muscle, not into the skin, and don’t drag. If the skin pulls, add a drop of oil.

2. O-Shape Pump (about 40 seconds)

1. Shape your lips into a firm O, as if saying “oh”.
2. Keeping the O, slowly lower and raise your jaw.
3. Feel the stretch through the cheeks and around the mouth with each pump.
4. Keep your forehead smooth; if it wrinkles, slow down.

Caution: open only as wide as is comfortable for your jaw joint.

3. Sky Smile (about 35 seconds)

1. Tilt your head back gently and look toward the ceiling.
2. Smile as wide as you comfortably can, keeping your lips closed.
3. Notice the stretch along the jaw and down the front of your neck.
4. Hold for a few breaths, relax, and repeat three or four times.

Caution: tilt only as far as feels easy, and skip this one if looking up makes you dizzy or strains your neck.

4. Side Jaw Stretch (about 35 seconds)

1. Turn your chin slightly to the right and tilt your head a little upward.
2. Gently open your mouth, letting the stretch travel along the left side of the jaw and neck.
3. Hold briefly, close slowly, and repeat two or three times.
4. Switch sides.

Caution: this is a soft stretch, not a wide yawn. Stop if you feel any clicking in the jaw.

5. Tongue Reach (about 40 seconds)

1. Stick your tongue out and reach it up toward the right corner of your upper lip.
2. Hold for a moment, feeling the work under your chin.
3. Draw the tongue back in and relax.
4. Repeat a few times, then switch to the left side.

Caution: keep your shoulders and forehead relaxed; only the tongue and the area under the chin should be working.

6. Neck Circle (about 35 seconds)

1. Drop your right ear toward your right shoulder.
2. Slowly roll your chin down toward your chest and over to the left.
3. Continue the circle at a slow, even pace, then reverse direction halfway through.
4. Breathe out as you move through any tight spots.

Caution: make the circle smaller, or replace it with gentle side tilts, if you have any neck problems. Avoid rolling the head far back.

If you want more moves for this area, our guide to jawline exercises has a seven-move routine and covers myths like mewing and jaw trainers. For the area just above, from the nose to the corners of the mouth, see our facial exercises for smile lines.

A 3-minute massage and gua sha sequence

Gentle massage along the jaw and neck is a nice way to finish, and it can make the lower face look less puffy for a while. Use fingers or a gua sha stone, plenty of facial oil and light pressure throughout. Strokes move along the jaw toward the ear, then down the side of the neck.

1. Prepare (15 seconds). Warm a few drops of oil between your palms and press them over your jaw and neck.
2. Thumb glide under the jaw (45 seconds). Make loose fists and place your thumbs under your chin. Glide them along the underside of the jawbone toward your ears in slow, smooth strokes.
3. Gentle pinch along the jaw (40 seconds). Make a U shape with your thumb and index finger and pinch very lightly along the jawline from chin to ear, one side at a time. Think of it as a soft roll, not a squeeze.
4. Jawline stroke with a stone (40 seconds). If you have a gua sha stone, fit the notched edge along your jawbone and glide from the chin to just below the earlobe, three to five times per side. Hold the stone almost flat.
5. Down the neck (40 seconds). From below the ear, sweep your fingers or the stone down the side of the neck toward the collarbone. Keep it extra light over the front of the throat.

Mild pinkness that fades within minutes is normal; marks or bruising mean the pressure was too much. Skip areas with active breakouts, irritation, sunburn or recent cosmetic treatments. For the full face-and-neck version, see our step-by-step gua sha routine.

Habits that matter more than any exercise

If you want to support your lower face over the long term, everyday habits carry more weight than any exercise. Our guide on how to prevent jowls covers these habits in more depth. These are the ones with the best evidence and the most impact.

• Daily sunscreen. In a randomised trial in Australia, adults under 55 who applied sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin aging (measured on the backs of the hands) over four and a half years, while the group using sunscreen as they pleased aged measurably more (Hughes et al., 2013). Apply broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher to your face, jaw and neck, which is often missed.
• Not smoking. Smoking is linked to premature skin aging, and stopping helps your health as well as your skin.
• Sleep. A regular sleep routine makes a calm morning or evening session easier to keep, and many people simply look and feel fresher when rested.
• Posture. Hold your phone higher, set screens at eye level and keep your ears roughly over your shoulders. A long neck shows the jawline more clearly than a forward-slumped one.
• Moisturiser. Daily moisturiser helps the skin on the jaw and neck stay comfortable and look smoother.

A note on weight: you may read that face exercises slim the jowls. Spot reduction of fat isn’t supported by evidence; exercising a muscle doesn’t burn the fat on top of it.

Tracking progress honestly

Because changes to the lower face, if any, are slow and subtle, a simple photo routine is more reliable than checking the mirror every morning.

• Same conditions every time. Take photos in the same spot, with the same light (daylight from a window in front of you works well) and the same camera distance.
• Same angles. Shoot straight on, both sides in profile, and a three-quarter view. Jowls show most clearly from the side.
• Neutral face and posture. Relax your face, close your lips softly, and keep your head level, chin neither tucked nor lifted. A tilted head can change the jawline more than any routine.
• A fixed rhythm. Every two to four weeks is enough. Compare first and latest photos side by side rather than day to day.
• Notice how it feels, too. Write down whether your jaw feels less tense, whether you clench less, and whether the routine is still enjoyable.

Be kind to yourself when you look. Lighting, sleep and the time of day all change how the lower face looks, so treat small differences with curiosity, not judgement.

Practise a lower-face routine with Gluvy

If you’d rather follow along than read, try a guided 3-week lower-face plan in Gluvy. The chin and jaw plan and the cheek plan turn moves like these into short follow-along videos with a timer on every step, usually 5–10 minutes a day. The app’s gua sha courses, including the jawline gua sha courses and a cheekbone massage, guide you through the massage strokes, and the progress journal lets you keep your selfies in one place. New to face yoga? Start with our 5-minute face yoga routine for beginners, or read whether face yoga works for a closer look at the evidence.

Sources

• Alam M, et al. Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging. JAMA Dermatology, 2018.
• Rohrich RJ, Pessa JE. The fat compartments of the face: anatomy and clinical implications for cosmetic surgery. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2007.
• Mendelson B, Wong CH. Changes in the facial skeleton with aging: implications and clinical applications in facial rejuvenation. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2012.
• Hughes MCB, Williams GM, Baker P, Green AC. Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2013.
• American Academy of Dermatology. 11 ways to reduce premature skin aging.