Marionette Line Lift

Sit tall at an eye-level mirror. Place both index tips vertically at the outer mouth corners like the cover — other fingers softly curled, pressure about 2/10. Soften a closed mouth. Cue a tiny upward lift of the corners against the light fingertip feedback without a wide grin and without dragging the skin. Hold four seconds. Soften two seconds. Complete eight holds. Never dig into the fold and never yank the neck to fake a lift.

• Primary — Mouth-corner elevators (including zygomaticus/risorius neighborhood) with a quiet upward cue against vertical index feedback at the commissures.
• Depressor anguli oris — Learn not to pull the corners down during the hold.
• Hand cue — Cover shows vertical index tips at both corners with other fingers curled — not an outward-smile resistance set.
• Contrast — Smile Against Resistance smiles out against the tips; Around Lift and Soft Reduction Massage work the fold differently.
• Keep quiet — Frontalis hike and platysma yank. Soft closed mouth is the standard.

Mirror at eye level. Soften the jaw. Set vertical index tips at both outer corners first — then add a tiny upward lift cue like the cover.

Inhale as the vertical indexes settle at the corners. Exhale during the four-second tiny upward lift cue. Soften fully before the next inhale.

• Eye-level mirror
• Clean hands

1. Place both index tips vertically at the outer mouth corners like the cover.
2. Keep a soft closed mouth and quiet brows.
3. Cue a tiny upward lift against the light tips for four seconds.
4. Release two seconds, then complete eight holds.

• Smiling wide sideways like Smile Against Resistance
• Using thumbs or whole palms instead of vertical indexes
• Dragging the skin upward with the fingers
• Clenching the teeth inside the closed mouth

• Beginner: 5 holds of 3 seconds, almost hovering tips
• Standard: 8 holds of 4 seconds as coached
• Sensitive corners: practice the lift without pressure first
• Cool-down: soft closed lips, tongue on the palate for two breaths

• Release the fingers and soften the lips
• Optional gentle corner circles with almost no press
• Check that the jaw did not clamp
• Do not stack another hard perioral isometric immediately

• Builds clearer upward corner-lift awareness
• Offers a precise vertical-index landmark beginners can trust
• Pairs well with gentler corner massage on other days
• Helps interrupt a heavy, downward corner habit

• People wanting clearer mouth-corner lift awareness along the marionette line
• Beginners who like a simple vertical index landmark
• Anyone pairing smile-line care with light isometric work
• Men and women — keep the lift tiny and honest

• Active cold sores or angular cheilitis
• Early days after corner filler or dental work until cleared
• Painful TMJ flares that worsen with smile isometrics
• Anyone advised against perioral pressure

• Pressing so hard the corners crease sharply
• Turning it into a wide outward smile (wrong drill)
• Hiking the brows to “help” the corners
• Only pushing the fingers up without an honest muscle cue

• Morning as a short corner-lift wake-up
• Evening after talking or screen hours when the corners feel heavy
• Before a gentler marionette-line massage as an activation cue
• Skip with cracked corners, cold sores, or until cleared after lip/jaw injectables

• During cold-sore or cracked-corner flares
• Right after aggressive lip peels or injectables
• When smiling sharply triggers jaw or tooth pain