“Are you mad?”
“Are you okay?”
“Are you angry with me?”
“Smile, everything will be okay!”
If you are routinely asked these types of questions or are prompted to smile more, you may have RBF (cue horror music!)
“Resting bitch face, also known as RBF, or bitchy resting face (BRF), is a facial expression that unintentionally appears as if a person is angry, annoyed, irritated, or contemptuous, particularly when the individual is relaxed, resting or not expressing any particular emotion.” --Wikipedia
The definition is from Wikipedia, but the science is real. There really is RBF and FaceReader software that proves it!
We hear a lot about women with RBF, most notably Kristen Stewart, Victoria Beckham, and Anna Kendrick, but it’s an equal opportunity employer and includes men such as Kanye West, Johnny Depp, and Mark Wahlberg.
What causes RBF?
Having a downcast mouth and/or eyes gives off the impression and can be read by others as sadness, anger, or contempt. Downturned mouths mimic the anger and contempt microexpressions while downcast eyes mimic sadness.
So what’s a girl and guy to do?
A few tips include:
- Slightly engaging your upper cheeks. It takes some practice but very subtly smiling can really help give off a more positive expression.
- Try slightly looking up when talking with people to give your eyes a more open appearance.
- When in meetings or on video calls (where I notice my RBF the most!), try to nod, tilt your head, and show engagement more often.
- If you wear eye makeup, you can try to apply shadow and eyeliner to make your eyes appear more neutral and open.
- Embrace it! It’s who you are and what you look like.
Your co-pilot,
