How to Wiggle Your Nose

Co-authored by Kyle Hall

Last Updated: January 16, 2023 References

Wiggling your nose is a fun trick that takes some practice to learn. Practice wiggling your nose in front of a mirror so you can see what you're doing as you learn. If you’re having a hard time getting the hang of it, keep practicing and don't give up! If all else fails, there are a few techniques you can use to make it seem like your nose is wiggling back and forth.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Learning the Basic Movements

1
Practice in front of a mirror. Learning how to wiggle your nose will be easier if you can see yourself as you’re practicing. If you can’t see yourself, you won’t be able to know whether you’re doing it right or not.
2
Keep your face still. You don’t need to move your face to wiggle your nose. If you catch yourself moving your cheeks, eyebrows, or lips when you’re trying to wiggle your nose, that’s OK. Just try again and work on keeping your face still.^{[1]
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3
Move your nostrils up and down. It should feel like you’re pulling your nose down toward your mouth. When you relax your face, your nose should go back up into place. If you’re having trouble, try stretching your top lip down over your front teeth. Watch how your nose pulls down a little bit. Keep practicing like that until you’re able to move your nose down without stretching your lip.^{[2]
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- Don’t worry if you can’t get it right away. Moving your nose up and down takes practice.
4
Try moving one nostril down by itself. Use the same motion you used to move both nostrils up and down before, but this time focus on one side of your nose. If you’re having a hard time doing it, hold one of your nostrils in place with your fingers while you move the other one up and down. Practice like that until you can move one of your nostrils down without using your fingers.^{[3]
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5
Alternate moving your left and right nostrils up and down. Move your left nostril down and keep your right nostril in place. Then, move your right nostril down while your left nostril goes back up. As you’re alternating between nostrils, you should see your nose wiggling. The more you practice, the faster you’ll be able to wiggle your nose!
- Don’t give up if you can’t wiggle your nose. Keep practicing in front of the mirror until you’re able to do it!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Trying Other Techniques

1
Move your lips back and forth so it looks like you’re wiggling your nose. Close your mouth so your lips are touching. Then, slightly purse your lips and quickly move them back and forth from left to right. As you move your lips, your nose should wiggle back and forth.^{[4]
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2
Flare your nostrils in and out quickly to fake a nose wiggle. Flare your nostrils out and then relax your nose so they go back in. Continue to do this quickly so it looks like your nose is wiggling back and forth.^{[5]
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3
Alternate filling your left and right cheek with air so your nose wiggles. First, puff up your left cheek with air. Then, relax your left cheek and puff up your right cheek. Continue doing this quickly and your nose will wiggle back and forth.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I learn how to flare my nose?

Community Answer

Try looking in a mirror, keeping your face still, and moving your nostrils up and down.