Want to Look More Attractive? Skip the Botox — and Smile

I’ve always believed that wrinkle-relaxing injections are totally worth it — they smooth out the lines, take the edge off tired or cross expressions, and generally make me look… better. So I was slightly rattled by a new study that suggests if it’s attractiveness we’re chasing, a simple smile might do more for us than tweakments.

Surely wrinkle-free = more attractive?

The study in question, titled Face Value: The Effect of Facial Aesthetic Treatment on First Impressions and Partner Preference, was published in the journal Perception. It found that treatments like Botox and fillers do make people look more attractive — but only a little bit.

In the researchers’ words: “A single session of minimally invasive facial aesthetic treatment leads to more positive perceptions on dimensions related to attractiveness — but these effects are relatively small.”

How small? Less than 0.1 on a seven-point scale. In contrast, a smile (according to previous research) can increase perceived attractiveness by 0.4 points. That’s not massive either — but it’s four times the boost you get from fillers or toxin.

But what about softening negative expressions?

That said, I do think the study missed something important: the power of toxin to reduce negative facial expressions. Most people start with Botox because they’re bothered by a permanent frown or downturned mouth corners — both of which can make us look cross, tired or miserable, even when we’re not. And surely looking fresher, less grumpy, and more relaxed counts as “more attractive”?

Do tweakments boost confidence?

Also, there’s the confidence factor. Even if tweakments don’t dramatically change how others rate your looks, they can shift how you feel — and behave. And confidence, as we all know, is magnetic. This particular study didn’t explore confidence levels, but others have shown that people often feel more self-assured after aesthetic treatments, and that can absolutely enhance how they come across.

Smiling still comes out on top

Still, it’s hard to argue with the power of a smile. It’s instant, free, and pretty much guaranteed to make you more appealing. Smiling makes us look happier, friendlier and more engaged — and, crucially, it invites a response. You smile at someone, they smile back. That moment of connection makes both of you feel better.

There’s another bonus that didn’t come up in the study: smiling literally lifts your face. According to practitioners who use 3D imaging tech in tweakments clinics, a full smile activates the cheek muscles and adds the equivalent of around 12% more volume to the mid-face. That’s a great look — especially if, like me, your face is gradually losing volume with age. A smile really can make you look miles better.

Read the Face Value research