5 Tips For A Nice Smile
Gone are those days when a photograph meant a poker face and an unblinking stare. The invasions of social media and photo sharing apps have made it so that selfies and photo shoots are now the norm.
With the never-ending SnapChat story that is now our lives, it is imperative to know just how to get the right smile for the perfect photo. Some photos require a silly face, some a smoldering gaze, some the now so popular duck face and when you do not know the rules to the photo session, you can always fall back on the good smile.
If you are like me and tend to take off and hide whenever a camera lens comes within a yard of you; or, hold an impassive massively awkward face for every picture, today is our day of reckoning. It is time to drop that photo/smile phobia like a bad habit.
Smiling is not just key for an awesome picture, it also naturally enhances relaxation. It improves your looks and studies have even shown that people who smile more often are more likely to live longer (fact)?
Tips to Having a Nice Smile
1. Appear Natural
The rule of thumb when doing anything is making sure to do it with ease and as make it seems as natural as possible. Same applies with smiling. A natural, genuine smile appears much better than a fake or forced one. Everybody fake smiles, for sure. It’s born out of reflex; bumping into a friend, a polite smile hello, a professional smile. Nonetheless, a genuine smile should appear natural; it starts slower for one thing and eventually looks way more beautiful.
Always smile fully and gently
2. Dental Hygiene
Your dentition is, of course, the key focus of your smile. Having bad oral hygiene will mar the effects of your smile, no matter how naturally or perfectly you flash your teeth. The basics of brushing and flossing at least twice a day apply here. Go the extra mile by not ignoring those recommended dental checks.
No one wants to look at yellowing, split or blackened teeth; schedule a routine check with your dentist. Dentist visits are no fun for sure but, consider this a suitable sacrifice for having that killer grin. If you have uneven or cracked teeth, your dentist may need to file them evenly, and, if your problem is yellowing or stained teeth, then whitening by Phoenix AZ Dentist is just what you need. Because, hey, who doesn’t want a toothpaste-ad-worthy pair of teeth.
3. Smile with Your Eyes
This may seem cheesy enough but, smiling does not exclude the other features of your face. Imagine how off it would look if your full set of teeth were exposed and your eyes were a dull, flat, empty vast land.
When you smile, even when you are consciously creating a fake smile, try to ensure that your eyes show the joy that your eyes are seeming to convey. Some have so mastered the art of eye smiling that it seems they have on a smile even without moving their lips.
If you notice people with genuine smiles on their faces, you may note that their eyes are slightly crinkled at the corners and the eyes appear to be sparkling or ”dancing”. This is because a natural smile also involves the eyes and happiness is always reflected in the eyes.
So, next time you’re curving those lips, don’t forget the eyes also.
4. Check Posture
Some people complain about how they look in a photo because it gives the illusion of them being fatter or shorter than they appear. This is mostly due to maintaining a bad posture in everyday life or while taking a photo. Sometimes, nervousness causes us to stand awkwardly while waiting for the flash to go off, it happens to the best of us. Awkwardness and unease can also force a forward hunch of the shoulders or an abnormal tilt of the head, which may come out as unsightly in the photograph.
To avoid these, try to relax when having your photo taken. Also, practice a good posture at all times, holding your chin up and your back straight when you smile lends that air of reality.
5. Start Smiling
You know how everyone says “practice makes perfect” and it usually does? Well, the same applies to smile. Smile at all times, keep that smile on our face while walking down the street, talking to your boss and even scrubbing the toilet!
Practice smiling like you are practicing for a job interview. Even when you’re not in the mood, smile. Eventually, you will notice that smiling comes more easily to you and even when it’s fake, it appears genuine to others around you.
If smiling still seems like a difficult, trivial thing to do, here are some of the added benefits smiling has been proven to have
- Mood Lightener
Smiling is known to lighten the mood of the wearer tremendously. Even when you are in a bad mood, try to keep a smile on your face. Before you know it, you are putting in no effort, and the smile is just there naturally.
- Longevity
Believe it or not, actual studies have shown that people who smile more often have a likelihood of living longer than those who do not. Research on this if you are in doubt.
- Boosts Attractiveness
Smiling, of course, creates a much more pleasant look on a person’s face. Some say that a perfect smile is much more effective than a million-dollar facelift and I have to say they are quite right.
- Age Tonic
Smiling relieves age lines and wrinkles. Some would say that smiling introduces premature laugh lines around the eyes and mouth but, those are the good kind of brackets. Laugh brackets are better than frown lines and wrinkles on the forehead.
- Spreads Like Wildfire
Laughing/smiling is just as contagious as a yawn. Try keeping a smile on your face in a crowd of frowning people and watch how some begin to smile. Also, smiling at passersby or even customers greatly improves their mood and makes them want to return the favor.
Smiling is by far the cheapest, the easiest formula to boost your mental, emotional and physical health and it is sitting right there, just waiting to be used. So, smile today. Let loose that million dollars grin and let the world know that you are happy and it should be, too.