Those are the most prominent of the 17 facial muscles we use to form a SMILE! They’re the ones at the corners of the mouth, which help pull our lips up into a semi-circle.
And surprisingly, there’s been growing demand lately for so-called “smile coaches” who can help strengthen and train those muscles!
Why? According to smile coach Keiko Kawano, many people’s facial expressions got “rusty” while wearing masks during the pandemic. And since smiles do everything from boost our mood, to our attractiveness, to even our career opportunities, it makes sense that some people may need extra help flexing the best smile possible.
Kawano’s advice? Try puffing out your cheeks, like a puffer fish…… and then slowly exhale between your lips with your mouth closed – so you make a “brrrrrr” sound for as long as possible.
Researchers say that’s something most babies do, and it offers a great way to work your Zygomatic Smile muscles. No Smile Coach required.
And YES! You can forward this email to a friend. I’d love that. JT
