How To Build Facial Muscles

You exercise your facial muscles daily with talking, yawning, making expressions, eating and other necessary actions. As you age, the muscles weaken — but just like other muscles in the human body, regular exercise with improve the strength and tone of your facial muscles. Performing facial workouts will help to prevent or improve the appearance of saggy jowls, wrinkles and hollows around the eyes or cheeks. Exercising can also help sufferers of disorders that affect the face, such as Bell's palsy or lipodystrophy.

Step 1

Look into a mirror. Place both thumbs inside your mouth, between your back teeth and cheeks. The thumbnails should be resting against your teeth, with the thumb pads touching the inside of your cheeks. Move your thumbs around slightly, until you feel a hollow, and push against it firmly. Use your cheek muscles to try to push your thumbs back against your teeth; attempt to do this in eight tiny movements. After you have completed the eight movements hold while counting to five. Repeat the exercise two more times. According to Eva Fraser, author of "Eva Fraser's Facial Workout," this exercise will build the buccinator muscle, and help fill out hollows in the cheeks.

Step 2

Position your index fingers in the corners of your mouth. Pull the corners outward toward your ears. Use the orbicularis oris muscle that surrounds the entire mouth to pull your mouth corners back to a more natural position, while creating resistance with your fingers. You do not need to pull your mouth completely back; just 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch is sufficient. Hold the muscle contraction for a few seconds, then use more force to bring your index fingers closer together. Repeat between 25 and 50 times and work your way gradually to two sets per day. This exercise will help strengthen the muscles around the mouth and make the lips appear fuller.

Tips and Warnings

Before performing facial exercises, apply oil or splash water onto the face. The skin should always be well lubricated before you begin. Remember to always wash your hands well before inserting your fingers into your mouth when you perform the exercises.