Plump, rounded cheeks can give many faces a youthful look, while sagging cheeks could indicate aging or health concerns. A fuller face with rounded cheeks tends to be in fashion, and if you want plump cheeks, you have options.
For example, you could undergo a cosmetic procedure, such as fat transfer surgery, or receive an injection of a dermal filler, such as Voluma. Or you could try some more natural approaches that, although not necessarily embraced by the medical community, many people believe to be effective.
13 natural ways to get chubbier cheeks
There are a number of natural methods and home remedies trusted by many to get fuller cheeks. These include doing specific exercises, applying topical products to hydrate your skin, and eating specific foods that are high in healthy fats to gain weight.
1. Perform facial exercises
Also called “facial yoga,” facial exercises tone the facial muscles for a more youthful appearance. A small 2018 study of people doing 30-minutes of facial exercises daily for 8 weeks yielded faces that were “firmer and more shaped like a younger face.”
In general, exercising can make muscles bigger by strengthening them, which can increase the thickness of muscle fibers.
Some facial yoga exercises include:
- Lift the cheek muscles while pursing your lips together and smiling. Then, put the fingers of each hand on either side of your mouth and lift your cheeks by sliding your fingers up to the top of your cheeks. Hold the position for 20 seconds.
- Closing your mouth, fill your cheeks with as much air as they can contain. Hold the position for 45 seconds before slowly blowing the air out.
- Open your mouth into an “O” with your lips over your teeth and smiling. Then put the fingers of each hand on the tops of the corresponding cheek and gently lift and lower your cheeks for a period of 30 seconds.
2. Apply aloe to your skin
While applying aloe to your skin can’t make your cheeks become rounder, it may help reduce signs of wrinkles and give your skin a hydrated, plump appearance.
A 2021 research review of the medicinal properties of aloe vera described its use in cosmetics, including gels and creams. Applied to the skin, aloe vera can act as a moisturizer to help bind moisture to the skin and decrease the appearance of fine lines.
Among other ingredients beneficial for skin, aloe vera contains the antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E. For this reason, many people believe that applying aloe to the cheeks can contribute to more youthful-looking skin.
