I BET you don’t know the SECRET Meaning of these Mouth Gestures!

The Success Bistro
5 min readJul 20, 2022

Yes, The Success Bistro just made a video about mouths.

And yes, before you even ask, we made another body language video to add to our list.

The wondrous world of mouth-body language is very unique and intriguing. The difference between the meanings of pursed or sucked-in lips can shock you. Things like licking one’s lips or gasping for air can as well.

In this ultimate mouth guide, you will learn:

  • how to know when someone wants to talk with you before you even speak
  • when to smile during a business meeting (and when not to)
  • the hidden meanings behind different lip cues
  • and so much more!

The 5 Kinds of Smiles

The only facial expression recognized with 90% accuracy among people all over the world is happiness. So this emotion’s main cue — a smile — is universal. We’ve broken down the five main kinds of smiles you may encounter in your day-to-day life.

And #1 is The Duchenne Smile

The Duchenne smile indicates genuineness. The flexing of the zygomaticus major, a muscle found near the eyes correlates with the amount of happiness we are feeling. Another muscle near the eyes that cause crow’s feet or creases along the face is the orbicularis oculi. When the presence of both of these muscles is missing, then the person lacks the Duchenne smile therefore their smile is not real.

#2 The Model Smile

This is the kind of smile actors have when they’re walking down the red carpet. It’s big and it’s showy, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate true happiness.

#3 The Half Smile

Aka the smirk, aka contempt. This half-smile is also called “duping delight” and is used when someone tries to get away with something, outwits someone, or lies. It’s pretentious, it screams “I’m better than you”.

#4 The Fake Smile

This smile is generally used to be socially accepted or signal that we are open to communication. You may also fake smile at…

The Success Bistro

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