Resting Bitch Face: Can cosmetic injections help?
“Resting Bitch Face” became a more frequently used term in news stories just a few years ago. But the term “RBF” has been used across digital platforms for over a decade. Conceptually, the term typically means a grumpy looking, condescending, bored, irritated or pained facial expression when someone’s face and mind are actually at rest. If you look ‘grumpy’ when you’re in a neutral state of mind, you too might be “throwing shade,” according to Nordus Consulting who was behind some of the research into Resting Bitch Face. But HOW our facial expressions appear to others, when we’re simply chilling out, will influence how we’re perceived. So if you fear you portray an irritated expression when you’re relaxing or concentrating, read on about whether or not cosmetic injections will help reduce a resting bitch face. Find out if you have resting bitch face on Noldus’s photo testing page.
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Sure, we all get irritated from time to time and this shows up in our facial expressions. But some people have a more ‘bored and irritated’ look than others. If your face looks angry or disgusted when you’re not feeling those emotions (just ask PINK), you might want to explore what can be done to change your resting facial expression using non-surgical options.
Many men and women find their faces don’t reflect their current emotions, especially as we age. That’s because some of our often repeated facial expressions can leave us looking differently to how we feel in that precise moment of time. If your face reflects constant irritation when you’re merely glancing unemotionally at something in the distance, you could be seen by others as exhibiting a “resting bitch face” (RBF) expression. If this occurs for you, you’re definitely not alone in having it.
Read MORE below about what causes “RBF” – and what can be done about bitchy-looking resting faces through cosmetic anti-wrinkle injections, dermal filler injections, lip fillers and lasers. Or call us on (03) 8849 1400 to book your facial assessment by a skilled Injector who knows how to freshen up your look by helping erase the lines that lead you to appear frustrated, angry or bored.
Is there really such a thing as Resting Bitch Face?
Yes. Depending on who you ask, there are from 6 to 8 basic human emotions shared across all cultures: including happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, anger, disgust, contempt, and “neutral.” Each emotion has it’s own expression or ‘micro-expression‘ that involves varied facial muscle movements.
These facial movements nuances indicate to others what we’re feeling, such as via slightly raised brows or narrowed eyelids, pursed lips or scrunched-up noses.
Facial Expressions, and understanding what they actually mean, comes in handy in our socially-focused ‘human tribes’.
So not only is the RBF phenomenon genuine, it’s well known today in the Australian vernacular.
- Culturally, over 7 million people have already watched the YouTube video spin of “bitchy resting face” posted in 2013. So the term is widely recognised by many people.
- It’s been listed in the Urban Dictionary since 2011 (about 7 years).
- It’s been listed in the Oxford Dictionary.
- When the Researchers of Facereader released their findings, most news outlets picked up the stories (that was in 2016), including Washington Post, Sydney Morning Herald, the Huffington Post and CNN.
- Even a New York Times journalist has mentioned the term, depicting the popularity and acceptance of resting bitch face terminology.
So a number of us MAY have a bitchy-looking resting face, that doesn’t necessarily reflect what we are feeling inside at the moment. However, our faces may reflect what we have felt or thought frequently throughout our lives, OR alternatively what our facial structure has given us through our genetic inheritance.
Scientists researched facial expressions and the ‘resting bitch face’ phenomenon.
- Then scientists stepped into the fray of using technology to evaluate the components leading to “resting bitch face” or “bitchy resting face.“
- Researchers studied which aspects of facial expressions led others to perceive negative or frustrated emotions when people were using potentially neutral expressions (resting facial expressions).
- They published their findings around 2015/2016.
- A good summary of their findings can be found by clicking here.
So how DO we explain what causes these RBF expressions and our interpretive reactions?
Researchers studied Resting Bitch Face using proprietary software that detected micro-emotions of facial expressions. These are subtle clues that remain on our faces long after the source of a specific expression (or emotional reaction) was actually in our mindset. Although they may not affect all of us, some of us have more visible residual expressions that render us susceptible to looking ‘unhappy or disgusted’ when we’re not.
Researchers essentially found that neutral facial expressions (a face not asleep but relaxed or at rest), interpreted by others as exhibiting ‘resting bitch face’ qualities – exhibited 4 times more contempt (in theory) than other, genuinely neutral, faces. Their non-neutral facial expressions somehow remained on their faces, or subtle muscular movements rendered a particular expression associated with emotions they might not even have.
It’s not unlike someone with a long history of frowning when concentrating (or pursing lips when inhaling smoke) will end up with certain lines, wrinkles and facial tendencies.
In particular, Scientists and Techies were looking at what caused a ‘condescending’ or unhappy facial appearance using a facial photo analysis software program, called Facereader.
- Their results showed that yes, “resting bitch face” – whether you like the term or not – is NOT a neutral looking facial expression and that it is different from others who DO look neutral when their face is at rest.
- In simpler terms, these might be seen as ‘trace’ emotions or ‘trace’ facial expressions.
- Even though it may not exactly match what the person is feeling, thinking or doing, it sends a message to others we’re in contact with – and can potentially interfere with how we are perceived by others.
Resting Bitch Face: Do cosmetic injections help a ‘bitchy looking’ resting face’?
- Cosmetic Injections can certainly reduce the ‘resting bitch face’ appearance in most people.
- But they must be done properly, with a skilled analysis of the facial features, bone structure and skin health, to get a good result that also looks natural.
It’s not just women – men have it also, and more men are seeking injections to reduce a down-turned or lopsided smile, furrowed brow lines, crow’s feet wrinkles and facial asymmetry.
If part of your resting face is impacted by deep frown lines (furrows between the brows, known as the ‘elevens’), a downturned smile or marionette lines (deep wrinkles running from your nostrils to the outer corners of your mouth), chances are you DO look grumpy – even if you’re feeling over the moon.
What cosmetic injections can do to help a resting bitch face is:
Benefit 1 – Reduce Furrows with Wrinkle Relaxing Injections
Reducing the brow furrows can give you a smoother and more neutral look (but a good anti-wrinkle solutions injector will NOT leave you looking “frozen” in any shape or form…just refreshed and relaxed).
Benefit 2 – Leave you looking less angry, less fatigued
Ageing changes to the skin and face often leave us looking tired or angry when we’re not feeling those emotions at all. Cosmetic Injections can help render your facial expression less fatigued or less angry. However, cosmetic injecting is a medical science and an art form. Good results require a skilled analysis in terms of what solutions to inject, and where to inject these anti-ageing solutions, over time; plus a seasoned injecting strategy and injecting skills to minimise your chances of bruising or other side effects.
Benefit 3 – Correct for Facial Asymmetry
Dermal Fillers along with Anti-Wrinkle Injecting Strategies can improve facial symmetry or lip symmetry. Thinly pursed lips are typically interpreted as being angry, frustrated or repressed. A quality injecting professional can use natural-feeling, long-lasting dermal fillers to enlarge your lips to a fuller state so they look ‘less thin-lipped and grim’).
Quality Cosmetic injection treatments can help you look pleasingly pouty, but not puffy and over-filled.
Find out more about reducing the ‘resting bitch face’ look by calling to schedule an injecting assessment with one of Melbourne’s top Clinicians at Coco Ruby Skin & Anti-Ageing Clinic. Phone us on (03) 8849 1400 or send an enquiry form today.
We look forward to helping you look happier, more rested and ‘neutral’ when your face is simply at rest. Be sure you do your homework, also, on what makes a good injecting experience and injector, and how to care for your skin before and after injections, to optimise your results (and read the consent form to understand the benefits and risks of injections). Your Clinician will give you honest advice and a thoughtful injection strategy to keep you looking your best but natural (avoiding the over-filled or frozen look)!
