A polite smile produced mainly by the mouth, often held to meet social expectation rather than to express joy.
A shop assistant greets a hundred customers with the same even smile that never quite reaches the eyes. The expression is pleasant and well meant, yet it is applied uniformly rather than kindled by any one encounter.
Notice when the smile appears and disappears abruptly with no eye involvement. This points to courtesy rather than felt emotion, and the mouth alone is doing the work while the upper face stays still.
A social smile is not dishonest. It is a normal lubricant of everyday courtesy, so reading it as insincerity would be unfair to someone who is simply being pleasant.
A true smile that engages both the mouth and the muscles around the eyes, creating crinkles at the outer corners.
ExploreA very brief flash of true emotion that crosses the face in a fraction of a second before composure returns.
ExploreA rapid raising and lowering of both eyebrows used to signal recognition, interest or greeting.
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