There is so much misinformation and useless advice when it comes to acquiring a nice jawline. In this article I want to give some actionable advice that will actually get you a nicer jawline..
First, let’s break down what we actually mean when we talk about a killer jawline.
When you look in the mirror and think, ‘Man, I wish my jawline was sharper,’ what you’re really noticing is a combination of a few key things:
Your Bone Structure: Think of this as your jawline’s framework. Your mandible, or the lower jawbone, dictates the basic shape of your jawline.
The wider and more prominent it is, the more striking your jawline will look. And don’t forget about your chin – a strong, prominent chin can really enhance that jawline.
The Soft Stuff: I’m talking about skin and the layer of fat that sits just below it. The less fat you’ve got in this area, the more clearly your jawbone’s natural shape shines through.
Muscle Definition: This one’s about your masticatory muscles – the ones you use for chewing. A well-toned masseter muscle can give your jawline a more square, defined look.
The Neck Factor: Your neck’s shape and size can either make your jawline pop or hide it away. A toned neck and less fat around this area can really draw attention to your jawline.
Skin Health: If your skin is firm and elastic, it’ll help your jawline look more defined. But as we age and our skin starts to sag, our jawline can get a bit lost.
The Angle of Your Jawbone: This one’s all about the angle where your mandible goes upwards towards your ear. The more acute this angle, the sharper your jawline will look.
Body Fat Percentage: The less fat you’ve got overall, the less you’ll have stored in your face, which means your natural jawline will really stand out.
Posture: How you hold yourself can really affect how your jawline looks.
Poor posture, especially when you’re looking down at your phone or slouching over your computer (also known as ‘tech neck’), can give you a double chin, even if you’re skinny.
On the flip side, holding your head high, with your neck long and your shoulders back, can give your jawline more definition.
Now out of all these factors, some of them you can improve, and some of them are purely genetic and the only way you can change it is through surgery.
Let’s talk about how you can influence each of these factors:
Your Bone Structure: This one’s mostly up to your genes, I’m afraid. If you’re born with a certain shape, you’re kind of stuck with it, unless you want to go down the route of surgery, which isn’t for everyone.
The Soft Stuff: Here’s where you have some control.
You can’t target fat loss to just your face, but if you trim down overall, you’ll see it in your jawline too. Get that heart rate up, cut back on junk food, and drink lots of water.
This isn’t a quick fix, but it’s a healthy one that your whole body will thank you for.
Muscle Definition: While you can’t do bicep curls with your jaw, chewing gum can help tone those muscles. Just remember, moderation is key. You don’t want to end up with a TMJ disorder!
The Neck Factor: Again, weight loss and exercise are your friends here.
Specific neck exercises and improving your posture can also help give that jawline some extra pop.
Skin Health: Don’t underestimate a good skincare routine.
Regular cleansing, moisturizing, and using sunscreen can help keep your skin firm and elastic. Hydrate inside and out!
The Angle of Your Jawbone: Sadly, this one’s in the hands of genetics too. The only real way to change this is surgery.
Body Fat Percentage: This goes hand in hand with ‘The Soft Stuff’. The fitter you are, the sharper your jawline will be.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet are the magic combo.
Posture: This one’s all on you.
The better your posture, the better your jawline. It’s that simple. Keep that neck long, shoulders back, and head held high. No more ‘tech neck’!
Strengthen your back, core and glutes. These are the muscles underworked for most people in modern life. And that’s all there is when it comes to the actual meat and potatoes of getting a nice jawline.
The nice thing about all of these is that they’re compounding. Working out and eating better will lower your body fat and give you a nicer jawline – but it obviously has a host of other benefits as well.
Same with fixing your posture, it’ll make your face look better but it’s great for your body too. Because these solutions are compounding, you’ll actually do them because you’ll see improvements in multiple areas.
There are other jawline enhancing techniques that people swear by, and i think they’re worth mentioning here.
A big one is facial massage, which is said to stimulate blood flow, relieve tension, and aid in the removal of toxins.
Utilizing jade rollers or gua sha tools, you can gently massage your face and neck, focusing on the jawline.
However, the scientific evidence supporting these claims is limited, so consider facial massage more of a relaxation and skincare technique than a definitive path to a chiseled jawline.
Next is facial exercises, which some believe can help to tone and define the muscles of the face and neck. These exercises often involve making exaggerated expressions or movements, such as puckering your lips, stretching your mouth wide, or tilting your head back to look at the ceiling while moving your lower jaw forward.
Again, these exercises may help improve muscle tone, but the scientific evidence behind them are limited.