How to Improve Your Facial Appearance

Let’s run a quick experiment. Here are five names.

• Mona Lisa
• Dalai Lama
• Beyoncé
• Captain Jack Sparrow
• Your first love

What image comes to your mind first when you read each one?

Chances are we recall a person by their face first. It doesn’t matter if fictional or real, historical or contemporary, someone we’ve known personally or only encountered through media. The face is so elementally important it is even used as an action verb in the English language. The following excerpt from “Poem of Faces” by iconic American poet Walt Whitman speaks clearly to the visceral excitement of seeing the face of someone personally dear to us [1].

“Out of this face emerge banners and horses – O superb! I see what is coming, I see the high pioneer caps — I see the staves of runners clearing the way, I hear victorious drums.”

Banners and victorious drums. Not a bad welcome! It’s worth putting in the time and effort to make your face so memorable and welcome on a Zoom screen.

Makeup (if any)

Bare skin works. However, it is best to moisturize or powder beforehand to improve visibility. Dry skin reflects light poorly whereas extra-oily skin can reflect a harsh glare. Proceed accordingly.

Keep make-up minimal for a natural look. Too much can be distracting, either stealing the show on a short call or preventing focus during a long meeting.

Accentuate eyes and lips, particularly if using a lower resolution camera.

Attention: makeup is for men too!

When French couturier Jean Paul Gaultier launched his men’s cosmetics line in 2003, it was touted as the first of its kind. In 2020, media icons such as Men’s Health and GQ magazines regularly review and rank the latest men’s makeup brands and trends. See one of their tutorials below. About a third of American men under 40 years old reported having tried or being willing to try makeup [2]. Now is a great time to experiment with the basics from the comfort of your home office.

Grooming

Remote working (and particularly working from home in 2020) has expanded the range of professional looks for men.

For example, the beard is in! If you have let your facial hair grow out more than usual, it is important to keep your new look neat. Aim for clear outlines and silhouettes. Stray strands can blur your image and minimize you.

Vital to be mindful!

Digital communications bring us in direct contact with an increasingly greater number of people. It is important to be mindful of any expressions and embodiments of human diversity, including people living with a facial difference. Please, refrain from judgments and allow that people may have valid non-logistical reasons to limit or restrict their on-screen presence. Open communication is key to accommodating all team members and guests.

To learn more about this, please, visit the Face Equality page at https://faceequalityinternational.org/

References

1. Walt Whitman. “Poem of Faces” from “Leaves of Grass”. 1856. Available at https://whitmanarchive.org/published/LG/1856/poems/27
2. Joanna Piacenza. “Men’s makeup brands say stigma has fallen.” Morning Consult Agency. October 28, 2019. Available at https://morningconsult.com/2019/10/28/as-beauty-norms-blur-one-third-of-young-men-say-theyd-consider-wearing-cosmetics/