9 Tips to Get Rid of a “Babyface”

Everything you need to know to reduce facial fat and look more mature

Co-authored by Kaveri Karhade, MD and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: December 22, 2024 Fact Checked

If you have a “babyface,” you're probably used to being told you look younger than your age. The typical babyface characteristics—rounder cheeks and a bit more facial fat—tend to make people appear more youthful. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a babyface, and you don’t need to take any action to change things! However, if you’re hoping to reduce facial fat or fullness, there are options. Facial exercises, reducing overall body weight, changing your makeup or hairstyle, or cosmetic procedures can help you slim down your face to appear more mature.

Things You Should Know

While it’s not possible to target facial fat, doing cardio and eating a balanced diet can promote overall weight loss, which makes your face appear slimmer.
You can also reduce facial puffiness and inflammation by cutting back on alcohol or performing lymphatic drainage facial massages.
Contouring your cheekbones with makeup can also make your face look slimmer, more angular, and more mature.

1

Add cardio to your workout routine.

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Doing cardio will reduce overall body fat. While it's not possible to target or spot-treat facial fat specifically, overall weight loss can help make your face appear slimmer.^{[1]
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Research source} Aerobic exercises, such as walking, jogging, swimming, or bike riding are all great activities to help slim your entire body, and by extension, your face.^{[2]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Try to schedule in 30 minutes of physical activity per day, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.^{[3]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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2

Eat a balanced diet.

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In fact, diet has a stronger effect on body weight loss (and by extension facial weight loss), than exercise does.^{[4]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} Eating healthy tends to look a bit different for everyone, but a balanced diet typically includes lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, seafood, and lean meats. ^{[5]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

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3

Cut back on alcohol.

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Reduce alcohol intake to combat puffiness and weight gain. Alcohol dehydrates you and causes your blood vessels to widen, which could cause facial puffiness.^{[6]
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Research source} Alcohol consumption can also lead to overall weight gain, which can make your face appear fuller.^{[7]
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- Try to limit the amount of alcohol you drink to one drink or less per day (for women) or 2 drinks or less per day (for men), or stop drinking altogether.

4

Do facial exercises.

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Try doing facial exercises to tone facial muscles. Although this method hasn't been thoroughly explored in scientific studies, many people believe that facial exercises can slim the face and improve facial muscle tone.^{[8]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

Go to source} Those who have added facial exercises to their beauty routines have even given it a name—face yoga.^{[9]
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Research source} Here’s an exercise to try:
- Smile without showing your teeth, then purse your lips as much as possible.
- Now try to smile even more, forcing your cheek muscles up, all while still pursing your lips.
- Place your index fingers right about the corners of your mouth.
- Press firmly and then slowly slide your fingers from the corners of your mouth up to your cheekbones, continuously applying pressure as you slide.
- Press tightly at the top of your cheekbones and hold for 20 seconds.
- Relax, then repeat the exercise two more times.^{[10]
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5

Do a lymphatic drainage massage.

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Lymphatic facial massage may help remove excess fluid from the face. This can in turn reduce puffiness and make your face look slimmer. It’s important to note, however, that the effects of this practice are likely temporary, so you’ll need to repeat the process on a regular basis.^{[11]
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Research source} Gua sha, a practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, is a popular method of reducing puffiness and inflammation while facilitating lymphatic drainage using a smooth-edged tool to gently scrape areas of your face. ^{[12]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Apply a lightweight face oil to your skin so the gua sha tool can slide across your face more easily.
- Place the gua sha tool under your jawline on one side of your face. Glide it down your neck toward your collarbone, then repeat on the other side.^{[13]
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- Next, glide the tool along your jawline, starting from the center of the chin and moving along your jawbone up to your ear. Repeat on the other side.
- Finally, sweep the tool underneath your cheekbone, starting at the center of your face and moving outward. Repeat on the other side.^{[14]
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- If you don’t have a gua sha tool, you can still perform a lymphatic facial massage by gently dragging two fingers in the same patterns across your face.^{[15]
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6

Contour your face with makeup.

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Slim your cheeks to reduce the appearance of a babyface. Contouring, for example, is a popular method to enhance definition and make the face appear less round.^{[16]
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Research source} It involves adding a darker shade of makeup or bronzer to certain areas on your face to mimic the appearance of shadows. To find the right shade, look for something about two shades darker than your foundation.
- Try contouring your face in a “3” shape. Start by adding your darker shade of makeup to the outer edges of your forehead and at your temples.
- Next, bring the contouring shade down under your cheekbones. This defines your cheekbone and has a slimming effect on your cheeks.
- Finally, continue down and contour your jawline.^{[17]
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7

Choose a slimming hairstyle and color.

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A flattering haircut and color can make your face look leaner. Face-framing layers, for example, can create the illusion of a slimmer face.^{[18]
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Research source} For guys, adding height to the top of your hair and keeping the sides short achieves this too.^{[19]
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Research source} Highlights and lowlights can also create shadows and depth around your face to reduce the appearance of fuller cheeks. Lighter highlights around the ends and darker shades at the top have this effect.^{[20]
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- If you're considering a change to your hair, stop by the hair salon and ask a stylist for their recommendations to make your face look slimmer.
- They'll be able to give you different cut and color options so you can make the right choice for your face shape and personal style!

8

Consider cosmetic procedures to slim your face.

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Some cosmetic procedures can reduce facial fat and roundness. Buccal fat removal, for example, is a procedure where a surgeon removes fat from the area between your cheekbones and jaw bones. Some people opt for this procedure if they are unhappy with the fullness of their cheeks but are otherwise healthy and have a stable body weight.^{[21]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} The cost for this option varies between $5,000 to $20,000, depending on your surgeon.^{[22]
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- Facial liposuction, which involves removing fat deposits from your face through an incision, is another option.^{[23]
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  Research source} The average cost of liposuction at $3,637.^{[24]
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- Non-surgical, injectable options, such as dermal fillers and Botox, are also available.^{[25]
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  - Dermal fillers average $682 per syringe, and Botox costs around $300 to $600 per treatment.^{[26]
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- If you’re considering any cosmetic procedures, make sure you take the time to truly think about the decision and make sure it’s right for you.
  - Whatever you decide, the most important thing is that you feel healthy, happy, and confident!

9

Wait it out.

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Facial fat and fullness naturally reduce over time. As you age, the fat in your face loses volume, causing your face to appear less full and more angular.^{[27]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

Go to source} This means that your babyface will naturally become less and less pronounced as you get older.
- In the meantime, remember to be kind to yourself! Many people find a babyface attractive, so try accepting yourself just the way you are.
- That said, it's totally normal to feel insecure about certain aspects of your appearance—everyone does.
- Try reciting positive affirmations to build body positivity and practice some self-love.

Join the Discussion...

How can I lose face fat?

27

WikiKangarooReader614

Hi all, so, like the title says, I'd like to know some advice for losing face fat. I'm of average build, even somewhat skinny, but my cheeks and... Read More

Laura Flinn
NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Unfortunately, it's not possible to target specific areas to lose weight, but burning fat overall will help make your face look slimmer. A combin... Read More

WikiCheetahGlider673

Some of that "fat" may just be some swelling or inflammation. That be really easy to get rid of just by cutting back on alcohol and drinking a lo... Read More

See all 6 Replies and

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Question

How else can I appear older? I’m short with a bit of a baby face. I’m not insecure about it per se, but people tend to talk to me in a condescending tone, and that’s what bothers me greatly.

Samantha

Community Answer

The best way to act more mature is to ignore them. They will eventually get tired of it once they realize you don't CARE!

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Question

I wanted to know how to get a rounder, more full face, but I can't find an article for that. I don't like my chiseled face. It makes me look manly.

Community Answer

Use makeup for a fuller look. What truly matters is your opinion of yourself.

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Do any of these work for pre-teens?

Community Answer

Actually, having a round face looks pretty cute on pre-teens. It's a matter of opinion. What really matters is how you perceive yourself.

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