The Art of Reading Faces

For centuries, people have tried to understand aspects of a person’s character just by looking at their face. The ancient Chinese believed that your face was a reflection of your inner spirit. In Medieval Europe, beauty was considered to be synonymous with virtue, and ugliness was sometimes considered a sign of evil. Even in more recent times, phrenology — the study of the shape of the skull — was used erroneously to identify the guilt of suspected criminals. As recently as the 19th century, this remained a popular school of thought.

While these once fashionable ideas have been disproved by modern studies, there are still aspects of the face that may allow us to make a judgment on somebody else. This was made more popular by the TV show Lie to Me, in which Tim Roth played a man who is an expert at reading faces to discover what is really going on with that person. We don’t claim this to be an exact science, and it may be worth putting it in a similar bracket to things like astrology and palm reading. There are apparently over 100 points on the face that can be analyzed, but we aren’t going to tell you about all of them. However, for anyone who has an interest in what their face may be revealing to others, you may just find a kernel of truth somewhere in here.


Face shape

Round: A person with a round face is considered to have a more emotional personality and may be sensitive and caring. Apparently, you guys have very strong sexual fantasies and enjoy being in stable, long-term relationships. 

Oblong: Oblong types are considered to be very practical, methodical and with a tendency to overwork. You are most likely to have a muscular or athletic physique, which some equate to narcissism and may lead to problems in relationships.

Square: A square face is linked to fire and you may appear as aggressive, ambitious or domineering. You have a sharp, analytical mind and are decisive.

Triangular: These face shapes are traditionally associated with a thin body and an intellectual persuasion. Chinese face readers associate this face with creativity and sensitivity, as well as a fiery temperament. 

The Forehead

A wide forehead is supposedly a sign of cleverness and practicality, as well as being idealistic and someone who has many ideas. If your forehead is flat, it indicates someone who is pragmatic, logical and expresses themselves through facts. If you have an "exaggerated" forehead, it references a dreamer, someone who needs a firm plan of action to go alongside their ambitions.

The eyes
How to tell if someone might be lying:

Made famous by Richard Bandler and his ideas of Neuro Linguistic Programming, the idea is that where someone looks as they speak is an indication of what they are thinking. If you ask someone a question and they look up to their right (your left), it means they are accessing their creative brain, which indicates a visual construction. Up to their left indicates they are accessing a visual memory and are likely to be telling the truth. Similarly, looking directly to their right indicates an auditory construction (a lie), and to the left is an auditory memory (the truth).

The shape of the eye may also be revealing. There is a lot of detail here, but we will just cover some of the basics. Prominent eyes that glitter brightly are preferable to small, shifty eyes that display a nervous temperament. Unevenly set eyes suggest a person who looks at things from different perspectives, and often have startling insights into problems thanks to their ingenuity. Eyes that slant upward denote somebody who is an opportunist and are people who know how to get what they want. Many supermodels have this look — as do cats. Finally, deep-set eyes belong to people with an intense, possessive (but observant) nature, and are often associated with writers and creative types.

How widely set your eyes are may also be revealing. Narrow set eyes suggest a narrow view of the world, while wide set eyes are more tolerant and broadminded. They may also have scant regard for authority figures.

Finally, be aware of what is described as "the look." While this is something that cannot be expressed in words, it is something we can instinctively detect when we look at someone. The eyes are the window to the soul, and being able to detect whether they are cold, cruel, warm or amorous is something we all get a feeling for just by looking at someone. 

Eyebrows

Weak or fine eyebrows are believed to suggest someone who is quite indecisive and sometimes lacking in confidence. Conversely, people with bushy eyebrows value assertiveness and tend to have quite strong personalities. Having a unibrow signifies an intense personality, which may be prone to jealousy and possessiveness. These are people who think an awful lot, which may suggest an introspective personality.

The Nose
The ideal nose has a high, straight, full and fleshy tip with gently flared, but protected, nostrils. The fleshy tip indicates cordiality and warmth of personality and deep empathy with others. These types set high standards for themselves and are good mannered. An oversize nose tip results in violent tendencies. The larger the nose tip, the more prone they are to an act of violence. An Aquiline nose portrays strong will, independence and enterprise, while an upturned nose suggests luck in social circumstances and a love of mixing with people.

Mouth
The mouth is linked to communication and sensuality, and the shape of the lips can be quite revealing. A thin top lip and a full bottom lip may indicate someone who cannot reciprocate in a relationship. The opposite arrangement suggests someone who may be overly giving. Full round lips convey a caring and sensitive nature, while small lips are indicative of a mean and self-centered personality. Downward curves suggest someone who will be very hard to please, while upward curves indicate an optimistic character. 

Jaw line
A strong jaw indicates someone who has a very strong value system and may judge you very quickly. The stronger the jaw line, the greater someone’s stamina and endurance. These people may also be considered stubborn. 

In contrast, a weak or receding jaw would suggest somebody who has a weaker willed personality and may be susceptible to the influences of others.

Finally, a jawline that is wider than the ear line denotes someone who is incredibly competitive and hates losing. They do not brook competition.    

Wrinkles

Crow’s feet (the wrinkles around the eyes) are said to be "joy lines." They are said to be a sign of an open heart and someone who spreads joy as they go. The vertical frown lines that appear between the eyes reveal a very logical person — someone who works hard and can be very decisive. The lines that extend from the nose to the mouth are called purpose lines. The emergence of these lines are said to denote people who are moving along the right life path.

An open book
While we can’t say for sure whether these facial characteristics genuinely reveal aspects of a person’s character, they may be worth considering when you meet people — in case they do offer you any small insights. Maybe they will keep you away from that potential bunny boiler.