How to Get a Chiseled Jawline

Co-authored by Danny Gordon

Last Updated: December 2, 2021 References Approved

Strong, chiseled jawlines project confidence and authority. While your jawline depends upon several individual genetic factors, you can still improve your jawline and maximize how it looks. For some, getting a better jawline might entail losing weight; for others, you might take your diet and even wardrobe into consideration. Whether you have a naturally bold jaw or a less prominent one, we'll give you jawline exercises, lifestyle hacks, and cosmetic options to get a chiseled jawline.

Method 1

Method 1 of 16:
Practice chin lifts.

1
Work out your lower jaw and neck muscles through chin lifts. Tilt your head upwards and keep your eyes fixed on the ceiling. Next, strain your lips, as if you were trying to kiss something an inch above you. Maintain the strain for 5 seconds per rep, after which you should relax and give your lips a few seconds to recuperate. You can repeat this exercise as many times as you'd like, although 10 is a good place. This exercise is a great way to improve facial tightness, as the direction and strain work out a wide variety of facial muscles.^{[1]
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Research source}

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Method 2

Method 2 of 16:
Make a fish face.

1
Tone your cheeks and jaw with the 'fish face’. Suck in your cheeks from inside your mouth and try smiling. Hold the form for at least 5 seconds per rep and work your way up to 30-60-90 second holds. It should feel mildly uncomfortable, and by the end of each rep, you should feel a light burn–that's a good thing! Repeat this 10 times for a good starting exercise, and feel free to increase the number of reps as it suits you.^{[2]
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- Exercises like the fish face are very easy to work into your daily routine, so long as you remember to do them. You can do them in the shower or before going to sleep.

Method 3

Method 3 of 16:
Do chin tucks.

1
Chin tucks help with a lean neck, a healthy jaw, and better overall posture. Start by standing with your back against a wall. Pull your chin back towards the wall to create a double chin. It might seem counterintuitive to a strong jaw, but this stretches out your neck muscles and can alleviate a tight jaw. Your head shouldn’t tip forwards or backwards. Hold for 3-5 seconds, then release.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

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Method 4

Method 4 of 16:
Chew gum.

1
Chewing gum is a popular move to improve jaw definition. Chewing gum has a lot of surprising benefits, and while it doesn’t directly work your jaw muscles, it does work your cheeks, which overlay your jawbones.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Best of all, it's a pretty fun thing to do, so it won't take much out of you to make a habit of it.

Method 5

Method 5 of 16:
Smile throughout the day.

1
Work the major muscle behind your cheekbones just by smiling. Smiling works at least 5 muscle pairs throughout your face.^{[5]
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Research source} As it goes with the rest of your body, the more you exercise your face, the better and tighter it'll look. Smiling is a great exercise because it is psychologically tied in with the experience of being happy, so it's not uncommon to notice an improvement in your mood if you make a regular habit of smiling on impulse.

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Method 6

Method 6 of 16:
Rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

1
The right tongue posture keeps your jaw strong and healthy. Don’t let your tongue rest between your teeth. Instead, let it press lightly against the room for your mouth, a little behind your front teeth (this is called mewing). Separate your teeth slightly and keep your lips closed. This resting position will help you keep a relaxed jaw and avoid damaging your temporomandibular joint (TMJ).^{[6]
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Research source} Plus, tongue posture has been anecdotally shown to improve jaw position and alignment.

Method 7

Method 7 of 16:
Try facial massage.

1
Massage your masseter muscle to relieve tension and balance your jaw muscle tone. Start with light pressure from your fingers, and knead out ropey muscle knots.^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Studies show that facial massage may help tighten up skin and reduce wrinkles for a more toned facial appearance.^{[8]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- The masseter muscle is the major jaw muscle on the sides of your face.
- You can also massage your temples and your brow to encourage blood flow and circulation throughout your face. Take two fingers from each hand and rub your temples in small, circular motions. Continue this for 30 seconds per session.
- Massaging temples is best known as a way to combat migraine headaches.
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Method 8

Method 8 of 16:
Cut out refined carbs.

1
Eat healthy food to cut down on facial fat. Refined carbs, also known as processed carbs, are found in many foods like cookies, pastas, white bread, and cereals. These types of foods have very little nutritional value and can lead to your body storing extra fat, including your the face. Instead of processed carbs and refined sugars, make sure to eat lots of fiber-rich whole grains.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Eating a healthy diet will enhance any results you get from exercise.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.}
- In addition to cutting out refined carbs, fill up on fruits,^{[11]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source} vegetables,^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source} and proteins.^{[13]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source} These foods are essential for a healthy diet and can lead to weight loss.

Method 9

Method 9 of 16:
Consume less salt in your diet.

1
Reduce puffiness in your face by cutting down on salt. Salt is one of the most overabundant ingredients in a modern diet, and it causes excess water retention in your body.^{[14]
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Research source} Finding ways of limiting salt in your diet (including focusing on a whole-food diet and cutting out junk food) will have many positive benefits for your skin.^{[15]
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- A lot of alternative diets are built around the idea of strictly limiting salt intake. Do some research, and find a diet plan that works for you and your lifestyle.
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Method 10

Method 10 of 16:
Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

1
Sleep deprivation can cause the corners of your mouth to look droopy. In turn, that drags your jawline down. Studies even show that people who don’t get enough sleep have overall reduced facial attractiveness. Getting enough sleep also prevents your skin from getting puffy.^{[16]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}

Method 11

Method 11 of 16:
Grow a beard.

1
Give your beard a defined neckline to make your jaw look stronger. To decide where your beard's neckline should be, put a finger on your Adam’s apple. Slide the finger to the top of your Adam’s apple, where it meets your neck. That’s where your beard should end.^{[17]
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- One mistake guys make very often is to trim their neckline too high, usually matching the arc of their jaw. This has the effect of making the jaw look weaker and less defined.^{[18]
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  Research source}
- If you tend to trim your beard with a higher neckline, try growing it lower than you usually would, all the while making sure the line is well-defined and reasonably well-maintained.
- Also consider the general size of your face. Beards tend to make faces look smaller by contrast; if you have a larger face, growing a beard might help to even things out.
- On the contrary, if your face is naturally small, you'll want to keep your beard short and trim.
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Method 12

Method 12 of 16:
Choose shirt collars to suit your face shape.

1
Shirt collars help you frame your face to give the illusion of a chiseled jaw. The right shirt collar can help draw attention to your jawbone and provide structure to your neck area. Check out the best shirt collars for your face shape:^{[19]
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Research source}
- Oval faces have their widest point at the cheekbones, and are long compared to other face shapes. If you have an ovoid face, consider yourself fortunate; your face is very versatile and can suit a range of styles.
- Those with round faces will want to pick clothes that make the face look longer. Tight-collared shirts are a great way to go about this.
- Angular faces (a box shape) suffer an opposite concern than the round faces; if your face is angular, you'll want to add a look of fullness to it. Wide-spread shirt collars can be a good help in this regard.

Method 13

Method 13 of 16:
Use makeup to enhance your jawline.

1
Contour and highlight your jaw for an immediate chiseled look. Contour and highlighter create the illusion of depth and shadow from a killer jawline. Keep the makeup subtle so the human eye won't notice anything's been done to tweak your jaw's appearance.^{[20]
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- Contour your cheek and jaw with a light bronzer to make your jawline more eye-catching. Apply your contour lightly in a downward motion along the jawbone, one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone. Blend the product down towards your neck.
- Highlight your jawline lightly to emphasize its shape. Add a vertical line directly above your jawline on your chin. This will improve your jaw's visual definition and add depth to your face.^{[21]
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  Research source}
- Take a little bit of bronzer and dust it along your jaw and neck. Be light with your application here; you just want to make it so that the contouring blends into your natural skin tone.
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Method 14

Method 14 of 16:
Use collagen-enhancing products on your skin.

1
Collagen is the active ingredient in the skin that keeps the skin tight.^{[22]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Some cleansers and toners encourage collagen production in your skin, so it's recommended you do some research when it comes to buying products. Collagen-specific medical injections are also available, but the unnatural side effects make it hard to recommend as anything but a last-ditch option.

Method 15

Method 15 of 16:
Look into dermal fillers.

1
Ask about dermal fillers to improve your jaw's natural sharpness. A plastic surgeon can inject dermal fillers into your jawline to give your jaw a hard, bony-edge look. You’ll need 1-4 injections depending on the result you’re going for, and the injections last 12-18 months.^{[23]
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Research source}
- This method works best for people with a fairly prominent jawline who just want a little extra sharpness.
- Dermal fillers are not to be confused with neurotoxins like Botox. Often, hyaluronic acid (which is found naturally in the body) is used as a dermal filler.
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Method 16

Method 16 of 16:
Consider surgical liposuction.

1
Talk to a plastic surgeon about surgical liposuction for dramatic results.^{[24]
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Research source} Digestive molecules are injected directly into the area you want to target, and they burn down the excess fat, while encouraging positive collagen growth. Talk to a doctor if surgery sounds like something you might be interested in.^{[25]
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Research source}
- If you're looking to get a chiselled jawline, cosmetic surgery is helpful and potentially effective, but the cost and possible side effects make it difficult to recommend unless you have exhausted all other possibilities first.

Sample Exercises and Foods to Eat and Avoid

Exercises for a Chiseled Jaw Line

Foods to Eat and Avoid for a Chiseled Jawline

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I slim down my jawline?

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

A weak jawline is often the result of having excess fat on your body. Switching to a whole foods-based diet and engaging in aerobic exercises will give you the improvements you're looking for.

Warnings

Remember, the most important part of looking good is customizing your look to suit what you've been given naturally.

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