What do we really look like?!

I know EXACTLY what you mean. Home mirrors sometimes make you look flawless along with similar mirrors and lighting and then when I get some pictures developed, I saw the hideous scars and discoloration and dark spots on my face. I was in horror from then on about how mirrors make everything seem perfect, when in reality you look more like a monster.

That's a good question, actually--or at least I think so, lol!

I think we must average out to people--they think of us as a conglomerate of all the lighting. Soooooo, be sure you keep people moving with you to some dark places too so you get a better average!

Seriously, I do think it is an average of sorts. Isn't that what we do about others? Maybe that's why people generally tend to think our skin looks better than we think it does. We focus on the worst lighting and they think cummulatively. People also don't look as closely at us as we do ourselves. Ever notice how often people will say they never even noticed something obvious and humiliating to us--like the sprout hanging from your lip, or the ketchup on your eyelid?

I use to think that woman were more gossipy than men but I am finding that isn't true. Where I work the major gossips are men and they are vicious.

I do agree that woman are more critical of other womans looks.

oh no U4IA, what is the type of vicious comments that the men make at your work??
I'm just curious.

Hey, people are people. Be careful of stereotypes. Women and men can both be mean, but it is not gender- related. There is more pressure on women to look perfect, so naturally there is a societal element here that can work against women to be more competitive in this way, but that still doesn't mean all of us buy into it, because we don't.

I would love to know how others see me. I wish I could borrow someone else's eyes for one day just to see myself with them!!
The few of the people I actually will discuss my complexion problem with tell me all the time that I make it out to be worse than it is. And that other people do not see every tiny little flaw that I look at. But my problem is that I stand right in front of the mirror and look at myself as close up as I can and I don't like what I see. That's why my one friend says people don't stare up that close in your face and most likely don't notice what you are seeing. But I guess we can never really know what others see.

I agree lisa, i'd love to have someones eyes for a sec to see how hot or ugly I look, lol. It would be either really depressing or really good for my self-esteem.

I think we're all uglier than we think we are. sometimes.

And sometimes we're prettier than we think we are. or something.

there i hope that helps lol

It's also probably hard to distinguish what we look like on the surface from what we put forth from the inside out. Sometimes you can "look" awful but still pretty if you have that "happy glow" that keeps people from noticing your flaws. Instead, they just get an overall impression of attractiveness. I've seen some very beautiful people who are technically "ugly" if you were to evaluate them without their animation, confidence, and personality adding to the mix--for example, Barbra Striesand--big crooked nose, tiny, close set eyes, thin lips--yet she's feels beautiful, acts glamorous and sophisticated and by exuding those things you look past the obvious flaws.

i agree. well put http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Thanks, and so is your Jude Law comment in the "from" section, lol!

thanks guys for your feedback!
But really I guess i want to know- Can a mirror possibly detect more than what a person can see with their own two eyes?
I wish there was a study on this because I'd really love to know for sure....