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The muscles around the eye don’t move
When a smile is genuine, the muscles around the eyes are engaged, and so a noticeable change happens in those muscles. A fake smile usually doesn’t cause that change in those muscles.
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The whole face smiles
When a smile is genuine, the whole face appears to be smiling. When a smile is fake, the mouth usually smiles on its own, leaving the rest of the face intact.
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Genuine smiles usually last for some time
While it’s not a rule, genuine smiles usually last for a few seconds on the face even when a person looks away. The more emotionally charged the smile is, the more likely it is to last on the face.
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The bottom teeth in the mouth don’t appear
When a person fakes a smile, his bottom teeth can usually be seen through his mouth. If a smile is genuine then the bottom teeth might not appear. It’s important to note that the appearing of the lower teeth doesn’t always indicate that the smile is fake.
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Lines appear around the eyes when the smile is genuine
Not only are the eyes involved when a smile is genuine, but also lines around the eyes -called crow’s feet- are usually formed.
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Genuine smiles are late coming
Some people suggest that genuine smiles don’t appear instantly, but they take their time to form. (See Why some people never smile?)
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More facial muscles are involved in genuine smiles
Generally, a genuine smile triggers more facial muscles than a fake smile.
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Eyes close in genuine smiles
When a genuine smile is emotionally intense, the eyes might close a bit. (See Why random strangers smile at you?)
How to differentiate between a genuine smile and a non-genuine smile?
How can you tell the difference between real and fake smiles? How to tell a genuine smile from a forced one?
