When a smile is not a smile

Posted on Nov 24, 2012

Tiger Woods Smiling

Is this a real smile?

The holidays are usually a happy time, but sometimes a smile is not really a smile. You may be with family, doing business, or meeting people socially. Knowing the difference between real and fake happiness can be important. There are a few simple signs to tell the difference between a real and fake smile.

Lips move up: On a fake smile the lips tend to move out, while a real smile will turn upwards.

Nose crinkles and flares: A real smile uses a muscle group that affects the nose as well as the lips.

Muscles around the eyes create “crows feet”: The most common feature of a real smile is that the person “smiles with their eyes”. If you cover the mouth, most of the time they will still look like they are smiling.

So just remember “M.E.N.” Mouth, Eyes, and Nose.

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