There is a woman I know. Let’s call her Amy. She is a colleague of mine. For years, I’d walked by her desk and send a smile and a hello her way. She’d look up from her work and look so angry! Her face was often contorted in a tight grimace. After a while, I stopped greeting her and just went on my merry way instead.
Interestingly, I got to know her quite well over the years. And I discovered she’s quite friendly. Very friendly as a matter of fact. So what went wrong? Amy had a serious case of resting bitch face. Her face in its natural, neutral position simply looked angry, even though she really wasn’t.
So what can Amy (and others like her) do if your face looks overly angry or way too serious?
First of all, it might just be your face! Some faces have sharper angles than others. Some lips might naturally cast downward, giving a depressed or perturbed vibe. Likewise, some eyes are naturally downcast, which can add a somber feeling to an overall look.
With that said, here are some steps to warm up your face so you appear more receptive and kind.
Look upward. Instead of looking parallel at someone (eye to eye), tilt your head slightly downward so you can look up at them. This causes your eyes to look upward and warm up depressed looking eyes.
Make up for your angry look. If resting bitch face (or RBF as its often called) is mainly caused by tired looking eyes, a little make-up can go a long way. Try putting on highlighting shadow on the upper lid; this naturally opens up and freshens the look of your eyes.
Warm your face with a gentle smile. Smiling does take effort, which is why many of us look grumpy; it’s just easier! Try gently smiling by slightly holding your cheeks up. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown smile but it warms up the face (and can also make you feel a little happier incidentally as well).
The final suggestion? Do nothing with your resting bitch face! You’re allowed to look and feel however you want. Genetics might mean your neutral face looks a little less welcoming than others. And that’s okay!