Facial Workout Without Exercise, How Device Toning Compares With Face Yoga
Medically reviewed by
4 independent reviewers
Andrew Conrad Barile, PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) | Licensed Physical Therapist (PT) | CEO and Founder, Xtreem Pulse LLC
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Dr. Andrew Conrad Barile is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and the CEO and Founder of Xtreem Pulse LLC, the engineering company behind PureLift. He earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Daemen College and is a licensed physical therapist.
He brings over two decades of clinical and entrepreneurial experience across physical therapy, craniosacral therapy and medical device innovation, built on a working knowledge of human anatomy and muscle physiology.
For PureLift LAB he reviews how current is delivered across all ten levels, from sub-sensory nanocurrent and skin-level microcurrent to motor-level EMS, and how the Infuse pass fits into the same ten-minute routine.
Bertica M. Rubio, M.D.
Board-Certified Physician, Dartmouth Medical School | Medical Director, Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic
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Dr. Bertica M. Rubio is a board-certified physician and Medical Director of the Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic in Redlands, California. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from Dartmouth Medical School and completed her pediatrics residency at UC Irvine Medical Center.
With decades of clinical experience, she specialises in age management medicine, regenerative medicine, wound healing and growth factor therapies, and her practice integrates evidence-based medical science with advanced aesthetic treatment.
For PureLift LAB she reviews articles for medical accuracy across the whole dial, from the gentle nanocurrent and microcurrent settings through to muscle-level EMS and the Infuse pass.
Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS
Board-Certified Otolaryngologist | Head and Neck Surgeon | Fellow, American College of Surgeons | Mount Sinai
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Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS is a board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon at ENT and Allergy Associates in West Nyack, New York. He earned his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
He completed his otolaryngology residency at New York University Medical Center, serves as Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Otolaryngology.
For PureLift LAB he brings a wider clinical lens, connecting at-home facial stimulation from microcurrent to EMS to the anatomy underneath, with the same rigour we apply to every device specification.
Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann
Chair of Angiology, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg | Clinic Director, University Clinic for Angiology
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Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann is Chair of Angiology at the Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane and Clinic Director of the University Clinic for Angiology at the Brandenburg University Hospital.
He trained at the University of Hamburg, was a Max Planck Society Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, and held senior consultant posts at the Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin before his appointment as Chair in 2016.
One of Europe's leading authorities on arteriogenesis, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications and US and EU patents, he reviews for PureLift LAB how the evidence on electrical stimulation is read and where its limits lie.
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A facial device gives your facial muscles a workout by stimulating them with gentle current, so you get consistent muscle toning without having to perform and hold face yoga poses correctly, and the two can be combined.
This article compares the two approaches, such as:
- how a device works the muscles
- how face yoga works
- which gives more consistent results
- how to combine them
- a weekly plan
and many more!
We make PureLift facial devices, so we have been fair to face yoga too.
Key Points:
Both a device and face yoga aim to tone the facial muscles.
Face yoga depends on doing each pose correctly and consistently.
A device stimulates the muscles directly, so technique matters less.
The two can be combined, with yoga as a warm-up and the device for the main work.
Either approach needs weeks of regular practice.
How a device gives your face a workout
Gentle current passes into the facial muscles and makes them work, from a light microcurrent tingle to a visible EMS contraction.
Every PureLift model runs nanocurrent at level 1, microcurrent at level 2 and EMS from level 3 to 10 on one dial, plus an Infuse pass, with a ten minute session and no more than three minutes per side of the face, and works with any water-based conductive serum.
A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured facial electrical stimulation over twelve weeks.
How face yoga works
Face yoga uses held expressions and resistance to work facial muscles. Results depend on technique and daily practice. See our face yoga vs devices article.
Which is more consistent
| Face yoga | Facial device | |
|---|---|---|
| Effort | Active poses | Glide and hold |
| Technique dependence | High | Low |
| Time | 15 to 30 minutes | About 10 minutes |
| Cost | Free | One-time device cost |
Whether facial exercises work is covered in our facial exercises article.
How to combine them
Use two or three face yoga moves as a warm-up, then a device session on the jaw, cheeks and brows.
A weekly plan
Four or five device sessions a week for eight to twelve weeks, with face yoga on the days in between if you enjoy it.
| Model | Price | Output | FDA 510(k) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PureLift Face | $499 | Up to 7 mA at 500 ohms | K190269 | Compact, the simplest way into the range |
| PureLift Pro | $699 | Up to 7 mA at 500 ohms | K230506 | Larger handle for longer home sessions |
| PureLift Pro Edition | $799 | Up to 7.7 mA at 500 ohms | K230506 | More output on the Pro body |
| PureLift Pro Plus | $899 | Up to 9 mA at 500 ohms | K221443 | Our strongest output |
| PureLift GLOW | $999 | Up to 9 mA at 500 ohms | K243587 | Adds red 634 nm and blue 465 nm light |
Do not use any facial current device if you have a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, if you are pregnant or if you have epilepsy, and skip broken or irritated skin. The full list is in our safety article.
Frequently asked questions
Can a device replace face yoga
It can give the muscles a workout without poses, but you can use both.
Is a facial device better than face yoga
A device depends less on technique and takes less time.
How long should a facial workout be
About ten minutes with a device, no more than three minutes per side.
Can I do face yoga and use a device the same day
Yes, with yoga first as a warm-up.
How long until I see results
Several weeks of regular sessions for either approach.
This article sits inside our full map of the category, where we set out all 33 devices we track, what each one carries and what each brand publishes: Nine Technologies on One Dial, What the Rest of the Market Actually Carries.