HOW TO FIX DROOPY MOUTH LINES | MARIONETTE LINE EXERCISES

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Marionette lines can make a happy face look tired or even a little miserable. If you are interested in lifting the corners of your mouth and softening that downward pull, you are in the right place.

This step-by-step guide shows you how to fix droopy mouth lines with marionette line exercises that release and lengthen the right muscles, so your natural lift shows through.

MARIONETTE LINE EXERCISES

Follow along with video...

Understanding Marionette Lines and Why They Matter

Marionette lines are the vertical lines that run from the corners of the mouth down toward the chin. These marionette lines can cast a shadow that looks like a frown, even when you feel fine. They are sometimes called depressor lines because the depressor muscles give a downward look at rest.

These lines do more than change the mouth area, and they relate to other features like nasolabial folds. When the muscles that connect the neck and lower face tighten, they can pull the cheeks down too. That creates a tired or heavy look across the whole face, and it often shows up more in certain lighting.

They can look worse when:

• You have side lighting or harsh overhead lighting, like on video calls.

• You have not had enough water.

• You had a late night or have been talking a lot.

• You experience neck tightness from phone or computer use.

The good news is that a few focused techniques, including facial exercises, can help reduce the appearance of marionette lines. Most people think they need to build muscle here. In reality, these lines often improve once you release and lengthen a key neck muscle that drags the mouth corners down.

The Main Causes of Marionette Lines

Two habits often create or deepen marionette lines:

1. Tight, shortened platysma muscle from phone and screen posture. The platysma is a wide neck muscle that starts below the clavicle, runs up the sides of the neck, and connects into the jaw and lower face. When it shortens, it pulls the mouth corners and cheeks downward.

2. Habitual downward expressions involving the depressor anguli oris. Even subtle frowning or pressing the lips can train the mouth corners to sit lower over time.

Once you know the cause, you can fix the pattern. The goal is to release and lengthen the platysma, then retrain the tissues around the mouth to sit higher and wider.

Why Focus on Releasing the Platysma Muscle?

These exercises focus on releasing and lengthening, not building bulk. That is how you get the mouth corners to lift.

Think of your neck as the super highway to your face. A free neck reduces neck tightness, supports better blood flow, less puffiness, and less downward pull on the lower face.

Modern habits, like looking down at phones, create tech neck, which makes the neck look shorter and can cause lines or folds that creep up the face. Free the neck first, and everything you do afterward works better.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Three Key Exercises

These three moves work together. First, release the neck. Second, lengthen along the lines from mouth to chin. Third, fan out toward the ears to create that subtle lift at rest. If time is short, spend 10 seconds on each move daily and be consistent.

Exercise 1: Releasing the Platysma Muscle with a Neck Stretch

This move gently pins the platysma at the chest while you stretch it from above. It should never hurt. You are going for a gentle, deep stretch with a symmetrical smile.

Steps:

1. Cross your hands over your chest and press your fingers under the clavicle bones. You are pinning the muscle down, not digging in. Keep shoulders relaxed.

2. Tuck your bottom lip over top lip and form a symmetrical smile toward your ears. Think of lifting both corners evenly.

3. Keeping that gentle smile, tilt your chin up to about a 45-degree angle. Do not throw your head back. You should feel a stretch in the front of the neck and a slight pull at the mouth corners. Hold for 10 seconds.

4. Return your head to neutral. Repeat with your head turned slightly to the left for an angled stretch, then to the right. As you get used to it, you can lightly pulse the smile to keep lengthening.

Reps:

• If you have time, do each angle 3 times.

• If you are rushing, one set per angle, about 10 seconds, still helps.

Benefits:

• Feels the stretch in the neck without strain.

• Lengthens the platysma and eases the downward pull on the mouth.

• Preps the face for the next two exercises.

Pro tip: Keep the smile even. If one side of your mouth tends to drop, be mindful and match both corners.

Exercise 2: Deep Lengthening Along the Marionette Lines

This facial massage is a deeper release along the line from the corners of the mouth toward the chin. You will use the bony part of your thumbs or the base of your hands to glide and lengthen the tissue.

Prep:

• Use clean hands and a bit of slip. Apply oil with a light layer to help protect your skin and prevent drag, which matters even more as skin gets thinner with age. For comfortable slip, you can use a small amount of a facial oil you trust. If you want inspiration, browse the curated picks in the Age Defying Must Haves collection.

Instructions:

1. Place the hard, bony part of your thumbs at the base of the lines, near the chin.

2. Lean your head slightly forward to get a little more depth.

3. Slowly glide up along each line toward the corners of the lips, keeping pressure steady but comfortable. Pause at the corners.

4. Gently open your mouth. You should feel the tissue release.

Tips:

• Visualize your thumbs sinking into the muscle and lengthening it as you glide.

• You do not need a long hold. Slow, controlled movement is the goal.

• This makes a great preventative exercise, even if your lines are light.

• After cleansing, when skin is slightly damp and slippery, is a convenient time.

Important note: Go slowly to avoid skin damage. Too much pressure or not enough slip can stretch skin in the wrong way and harm skin elasticity. You want depth without drag.

Exercise 3: Fanning Out to Lift and Stretch the Mouth Corners

Now that you have released the neck and softened the marionette lines, this smile lifter exercise and cheek lifter exercise will fan the tissue out toward the ears. This helps engage the risorius muscle, which draws the corners of the mouth outward. It creates a soft, natural lift at rest.

Steps:

1. Optional slip if your skin feels dry. Place the edges of your thumbs at the corners of your lips. Let your head tilt slightly forward.

2. Very slowly draw a deep line from the lip corners out toward the middle of each ear while lifting the corners of your mouth. Imagine lengthening the muscle as you go. Stop and pause.

3. Repeat 2 to 3 times, keeping your movement slow and intentional.

Finish:

• After the last pass, gently sweep your hands down the sides of the neck to just above the clavicles. This helps drain lymphatic fluid and reduce puffiness.

Aftercare benefits:

• Encourages a subtle up-and-out mouth shape.

• Relaxes tense tissue that pulls corners down.

• Supports lymphatic drainage, which can make the lower face look less puffy.

Essential Neck Release for Better Results

Always release your neck before facial work. When the platysma muscle is short, it pulls everything down. When it is long, your face looks lifted and open.

Do this quick series morning and evening, or whenever you cleanse:

1. Cross your hands and press under the clavicles. Keep shoulders down. Tilt your chin up about 45 degrees and hold for 10 seconds. Do not throw your head back.

2. Return to neutral, then turn your head to the left. Find the angle where the side of your neck feels a comfortable stretch. Hold for 10.

3. Return to neutral, then turn your head to the right. Hold for 10.

Helpful cue: Imagine a balloon between your shoulder and your jaw on the side you are stretching. Press your shoulders down as if you are making space for that balloon. You will feel your neck lengthen more without straining.

How to See Results and Make It a Habit

You can see change with short, daily practice. The key is exercise consistency.

• Timeline: Expect visible softening of marionette lines and lift in 3-4 weeks with daily work. If your lines are deep, give it a little longer. Always take one day off each week so muscles can recover, just like an exercise routine.

• Photo tracking: Take a before picture, then repeat in the same light, angle, and time of day after a few weeks. Watch how the appearance of shadows at the corners of your mouth reduces.

• Long term: Keep these moves in your routine for ongoing results. Think of it like face yoga. Some muscles need strength, others need stretching. The platysma and the tissues around the mouth respond well to release and lengthening.

• Daily care: Skin hydration, SPF, and a gentle skincare routine help support healthy collagen production and the skin itself. When the tissue sits higher and the skin is cared for, the whole lower face looks fresher.

Tips that help:

• Consistent daily routine, even if each move is only 10 seconds.

• Photo tracking to keep you motivated.

• Use a little slip to protect the skin during deeper work.

• Keep your neck long during the day. Raise your phone to eye level when you can.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few small tweaks make a big difference:

• Skipping the neck release. The neck should come first. It supports everything else.

• Throwing the head back. Keep your chin at about 45 degrees. You want a controlled stretch.

• Smiling unevenly. Watch for a drooping corner and aim to match both sides with that gentle, even smile.

• Rushing the glides. Slow your pace so the tissue can release.

• Using no slip for deep moves. Protect your skin; slight slip helps prevent drag.

• Confusing this with the pencil technique. That related method often emphasizes strength building over gentle release, so it may feel too intense in this softer context.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What if I feel the stretch more on one side?

• That is common. Spend a few extra seconds finding the angle on the tighter side, and keep your smile even.

How hard should I press?

• Think firm but kind. You should feel the tissue, not pain. Your neck and face should feel gently worked, not sore.

When will I notice lift at rest?

• Many people notice a small change in a couple of weeks. Keep going for 3 to 4 weeks for a clearer shift in how your mouth corners sit at rest, which can help soften marionette lines.

Can I do these during my skincare routine?

• Yes. The neck release pairs well with cleansing. The deeper glides fit nicely after cleansing, when skin has a bit of natural slip.

Should I include the O-shape exercise?

• Yes, the O-shape exercise is a great addition; it targets the mouth area for better overall lift.

Your Daily Plan in 2 Minutes

• Neck release, chin up and hold for 10 seconds.

• Neck release, head left for 10 counts.

• Neck release, head right for 10 counts.

• Exercise 1, stretch with a gentle symmetrical smile, 10 counts in each angle.

• Exercise 2, slow glides up the marionette line with a light slip, repeat twice.

• Exercise 3, fan out from lip corners to mid-ear, repeat 2 to 3 times, then sweep down the neck.

This whole sequence can take under two minutes. Short, daily practice beats long, rare sessions.

Conclusion

You now know how to fix droopy mouth lines with facial exercises like face yoga that work by releasing, lengthening, and fanning the right muscles. A longer neck, a softer platysma, and a gentle outward lift at the corners can reduce sagging in the lower face without harsh methods.

Stay consistent for 3-4 weeks, track your progress in the same light, and protect your skin with a little slip during deeper moves. Want support and fresh ideas to keep going? Keep learning and build your routine one small habit at a time. Your face will thank you.