Cheekbones are a subtle facial feature that adds framework to the face. Defined cheekbones help your face appear more lifted and youthful, and high cheekbones are a near-universal sign of beauty. Unfortunately, we all lose facial contour as we age - including definition in the cheeks. It’s no wonder why many beauty trends - from contouring with bronzer to dermal filler and even cheek implants - all promise to provide striking contoured cheekbones.
While there are ways to improve facial definition in your cheeks, it’s important to remember that no two faces are alike, so your approach to getting contoured cheekbones should also be unique. In this simple guide, we’ll walk through eight ways to define cheekbones for a lifted, rejuvenated appearance - without going under the knife.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
Managing expectations about your results should be the first step in defining your cheekbones. After all, your cheekbones are a part of your skull - the bones that structure the face and head - and can’t ever truly be changed. You can, however, alter the layers of fat, muscle, and skin that sit on top of the cheekbone or create the illusion of more definition with topical products and makeup.
Nevertheless, you should consider your natural facial composition, age, and lifestyle when contouring cheeks. If you have naturally softer features and skin that is becoming more slack with age, it is unlikely that a nonsurgical method will give you sharp, supermodel cheekbones. Instead of altering your cheekbones altogether, you should aim to enhance your natural features. In other words - work with what you have!
2. Tone and Contour With Microcurrent
Topical skincare products alone likely won’t help you to achieve lifted, contoured skin. After all, your skin sits on top of facial muscles - so it’s critical to tone and define those muscular structures to get the definition you’re hoping for.
Microcurrent Technology is a non-invasive, pain-free solution to enhance facial definition and improve cheek definition. This clinically proven method sends gentle electrical current to the skin's surface layers and deep down to facial muscles to re-energize and tone, creating a more toned, contoured appearance.
When looking for a microcurrent device to contour and lift cheeks, choose an FDA-cleared device. This means it has been rigorously tested to ensure safety and effectiveness. NuFACE microcurrent devices are all FDA-cleared and may provide instant and enhanced cheek definition.
Getting started with NuFACE is easy. First, prepare for treatment by cleansing the skin with dual-sided Prep-N-Glow® Facial Wipes to gently remove impurities without stripping the skin. Lightly mist your skin with the Supercharged IonPlex® Mist to hydrate and prepare microcurrent treatment.
After massaging a few drops of your favorite NuFACE® Ionized Super Booster into your skin, brush a mask-like layer of NuFACE® Microcurrent Activator in sections as you lift. Perform glides and holds with your device to tone, lift, and contour - paying particular attention to the cheeks and cheekbone area. For simple, step-by-step cheek contouring tutorials, download the NuFACE® Smart App and try the 5-Minute Facial Lift or the Cheek Pop treatment.
3. Practice Facial Exercises
Like any other part of your body, the right exercises can help tone your facial muscles. This can help build muscle on the cheeks, leading to more defined cheekbones and a tauter, more lifted appearance.
Cheek exercises are so simple that they can be done anywhere, any time. Although some may look funny in public, they’re great to practice if you work in a private office, while driving from point A to point B, or while relaxing and watching TV.
Tactics such as the social media-popular “mewing” can be as simple as adjusting where you rest your tongue and how you align your jaw to improve and contour your face. Puffing up your cheeks and filling them with air repeatedly or sucking in your cheeks and holding it for 30 seconds can work lesser-used facial muscles and, over time, help define your cheekbones.
4. Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you’re carrying excess weight, it can impact the shape and fullness of your face. Many people find their face appears fuller and less defined with weight gain. Maintaining a healthy weight can help to refine your facial features and enhance the definition of your cheeks.
It’s important to note that genetics and bone structure play a significant role in the composition of your cheeks - so going on a weight loss journey to get contoured cheekbones may not be your best bet.
5. Keep an Eye on Your Sodium Intake
Consuming foods high in sodium can lead to fluid retention and bloating. This can make your face appear fuller or wider than it is, obscuring your cheekbones. If your diet is too high in sodium, it can also have other adverse health effects. Take a look at your diet in combination with other methods to achieve more defined cheekbones, and cut back on high-sodium foods where possible to alleviate bloating and water retention.
6. Stay Hydrated
Hydrating correctly doesn’t just make you feel good — it’s great for your appearance, too. Proper hydration can help your skin appear more radiant and even, and it can also help minimize bloating and puffiness. When your body is dehydrated, it holds onto water to balance things. This can show up in your face, smoothing out your features where you’d prefer them to appear more defined. It may seem counterintuitive, but drinking plenty of water can help you retain less water, which will help alleviate bloating and puffiness.
7. Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Like sodium and a lack of proper hydration, drinking alcohol is a major cause of bloating and puffiness. This goes double if you tend to drink sugary or highly caloric drinks. While indulging occasionally is important, practicing moderation can benefit your skin health and overall wellness. To help banish bloating and a puffy face, consider cutting back on your alcohol consumption.
8. Contour Cheeks with Makeup
The most well-known method of contouring cheeks is with makeup. Bronzer, foundation, concealer, contouring sticks and powders, and highlighters all help to emphasize the high points of cheekbones and contour beneath the cheeks, which results in lifted, firm cheeks, and sculpted cheekbones.
When contouring with makeup, the critical rule of thumb is to apply a darker shade - like a contour stick or bronzer - just under your cheekbones. This creates a shadow effect, making that area look more hollow. Applying a highlighter or lighter-colored concealer to the top of cheekbones or emphasizing cheeks with blush makes them appear rounder and more elevated. Combine these two methods for contoured cheeks and finish with a pop of blush to make cheeks appear rosy and radiant.
Takeaway
While many factors outside your control — namely genetics — can impact how defined your cheekbones appear, you can take some simple steps to get the tone and contoured look you’re after. Working microcurrent treatments into your daily routine is a great way to support healthy skin and get a more defined appearance in your cheekbones. Consistent use allows you to contour and lift the facial muscles and firm cheeks for a sculpted, contoured look.
Sources:
Myofunctional Approaches | London School Of Orthotropics
Salt and water: not so simple | PMC.
Bloating: Causes and Prevention Tips | John Hopkins Medicine
