How to Smize

Co-authored by Traci Halvorson

Supermodel Tyra Banks coined the word "smize" to mean "smile with the eyes." Since then, models have been all about smizing to get a genuine-looking smile in their photographs. If you're trying to model, or just want to improve your headshot or profile picture, you can master the smize. Practice crinkling your eyes and then put it all together with the right chin tilt and mouth position. You'll look stunning!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Practicing the Components

1
Loosen your shoulders and relax. Roll your shoulders back and forward to loosen them.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Traci Halvorson
Modeling Agent
Expert Interview. 28 May 2021.} Tilt your head from one side to the other to relax your neck. Take deep, calming breaths, and try to visualize something that makes you happy, like a memory of goofing off with your friends.^{[2]
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- Making sure your upper body is loose will avoid the stiff, robot-look of some fake smiles.
2
Pick a focal point. Select a small and specific point in the area as your focal point. This will make sure that your gaze is steady and confident, instead of wandering vaguely in all directions.^{[3]
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- Your focal point should be about eye-level.
- At the photo-shoot, your photographer may request that you look directly into the camera, or somewhere in the distance. If you're supposed to look in the distance, it's especially important to have a specific focal point, so your eyes don't glaze over.
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3
Laugh a little. Laughing loosens up your whole body, makes you happy, and will make your smize look way more genuine. Think of something silly or ask the photographer to tell a joke. If that doesn't work, force a fake laugh.^{[4]
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- Even fake laughing can loosen up your face and make you relaxed and smiley.
4
Practice squinting your eyes without moving your mouth. A true, genuine smile doesn't stop at the mouth. It also causes your eyes to crinkle up. For a smize, you're trying to do a pretty tricky task--making a fake smile for a photoshoot look really genuine. Get the eye crinkle down by doing it again and again until you can crinkle your eyes with your mouth hardly moving.^{[5]
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- Try to squint mostly from the bottom of your eye, tightening the lower lid.^{[6]
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- Look into a mirror to help you practice.
5
Apply light eye-make up, if you want to. Go for some light eyeliner by your upper lashes. If your eyeliner makes too harsh a line, take some matte dark eyeshadow and brush it close to the lash line instead. If you want to step it up a little, curl your eyelashes and apply a bit of mascara.^{[7]
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- Avoid really dark or dramatic eyeshadow, because that can take the focus away from your cute smile crinkles and make your smize look more like a glare.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Putting it All Together

1
Move your face slightly toward the camera. This will accentuate your jawline. It will also make your head look more prominent compared to your body, which draws attention to your great smize. ^{[8]
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- While you're moving your face, make sure that your shoulders are still staying relaxed and natural.
2
Tilt your chin down slightly when you're being photographed. Tilting the head down makes your eyes look bigger. This is especially important when you want people to see your cute smize.
- Make sure not to over-do it on the tilting, though. You don't want to give yourself a double-chin!
3
Smile very slightly with your mouth. It's hard to really smile with your eyes without moving your lips, so give yourself a break and let your lips smile a little bit. The trick is to just not go for a full teeth-baring grin. Your mouth will have an alluring, Mona Lisa look, and your friendly, crinkling eyes will pull the whole thing together.^{[9]
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- Avoid pouting. While this might look good on a few supermodels, it makes most people look grumpy.^{[10]
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4
Squint your eyes a little and smize. You've practiced all the various aspects of the smize, so now you're ready to put it all together for full effect. Remember to relax your shoulders, pick a focal point, tilt your chin down, and think happy thoughts.^{[11]
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- Aim for a relaxed, playful look. If you tap into some genuinely happy moment, it will shine through in your photos. You'll look confident, and at ease with yourself.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I look more attractive while smiling?

Traci Halvorson
Modeling Agent
Traci Halvorson is a Modeling Agent, Former Model, and the Owner of Halvorson Model Management (HMM) in San Jose, California. HMM is a full-service, licensed talent agency representing over 300 professional models and actors. With over 25 years of experience in the modeling industry, Traci specializes in scouting, managing, advising, and launching modeling careers in the Bay Area. Traci holds a BA in Public Relations & Business Management from San Jose State University and also specializes in Marketing, Image consulting, and is a certified Life-Career Coach.

Traci Halvorson

Modeling Agent

Expert Answer

Do your best to look happy. It's all about walking with your shoulders back, having confidence, maintaining eye contact, and making it look like you're happy to be there.