Transforming RBF (Resting Bitch Face): Follow These 8 Steps to Permanently Eradicate RBF

Chill with Your Face, Bud:

Ever get hit with these questions on a day when you're feeling ace:

You’re running angry, man?
Something grind your gears?
Did I poke the bear?
Why the long face, dude?

If so, and you've probably figured it out by now, you might be rockin' what's known as "Resting Bothered Face" (or RBF).

What's the deal with Resting Bothered Face?

Resting Bothered Face is a thing people - mostly ladies, and occasionally dudes like Kanye West - struggle with. This constant "I don't give a damn" or "I'm about to pop a cap" look can make people think you're a cranky old bear when you're really just chillin' and resting your dome.

While doing research for my book Double Takes, I stumbled upon this wild study about the science of Resting Bothered Face. It turned out there's a reason why some folks look relaxed when they're just chillin' and others look like they've just taken a bunch of stuff from a chemistry set.

What causes Resting Bothered Face?

Jason Rogers, a scientist who studies behavior, took pics of celebrity faces and ran 'em through a high-tech machine to see what made some people look bothered and others look like they're on vacation in Paradise. He discovered that a neutral face usually shows around 3% of hidden emotions. But those with RBF have an average of 6% underlying emotions, most of it being contempt.

Contempt is when you smirk just a bit, raising one side of your mouth. If your face does that on its own, people might unknowingly view you as a hater or a jerk when you're just keeping it 100.

"European people are seen as stoic and not showing a lot of emotion," said Rogers. "And a lot of the people touted as having RBF are women."

Want to learn more about contempt and its role in our perception of dudes and dudettes? Check out our article on "The Science of Contempt."

Resting Bothered Face is in the angles.

People who rock RBF tend to have features that dip downward naturally. For example, some folks' eyes are set lower, making them look tired or sad. Others have their mouths angled downward, giving them a perpetual pouty face. That's what causes my RBF.

Notice how my lips droop just a tad like a sad clown. That's probably why people think I'm upset when I'm just kickin' it.

Just like the features that make a face, there are subtle variations in your mug that send strong messages to the people you hang with.

Hijack Your Selfie Time

You can wipe out your RBF by making your mirror time more productive-no fluff or silly grinning here. Step one: take five minutes every day-maybe while brushing your teeth or post-shower-and stare down your reflection like you're the king or queen of the world. Force a smirk and hold it for 30 seconds, three times.

Step two: ramp it up-tilt your head slightly up, arch your brows like you just scored the winning goal, and ease up those mouth corners. Test it: does the grin scream "approachable" or still "leave me alone"? Real story: a barista practiced this while flossing-and went from "grumpy" to "laid-back" vibes in a week!-folks started tipping more. Step three: snap a selfie mid-grin, compare it to your old RBF mug, and tweak it till the frown's gone.

Just keep this in your routine-five days straight-mirror on, phone timer buzzing. It's not fake cheer-it's rewiring your default to avoid the RBF trap. Guaranteed: people will start saying "You look better lately" without breaking a sweat.

Cure Your Resting Bothered Face in 7 Easy Steps

If you've been struggling with Resting Bothered Face, here are seven easy peasy tricks to stop rockin' that annoyin' look.

Lift your chin. When you're talkin' to people, lift your chin up to make your eyes more open and less droopy.
Elevate your eyes with makeup. For those droopy eyes, use eyeliner and shadow to give more attention to your upper eyes and make them appear more open.
Replace your neutral frown with a small smile. If your lips naturally slim down, lightly lift your cheeks – no toothy grin required – and wave goodbye to the frown.
Give an eyebrow flash. An eyebrow flash is when you lift your brows in recognition whenever you see someone. This flash shows, "I recognize you and I'm friendly!" Try flashin' to appear more approachable.
Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Stick your tongue to the back of your front teeth-similar to uplifting your chin-to help relax your muscles and assist with the tiny smile.
Accessories can help. A pair of fake eyeglasses or fun earrings can shift your appearance and even mask your RBF. Dress up - wear bright colors – to counteract an unapproachable face.
Own it. You're not obligated to change your face. If you choose to embrace your RBF, people will judge you based on your words and actions, not just your face.

8 Famous Dudes with Resting Bothered Face

If you have Resting Bothered Face, you're not alone. These famous dudes have made their angry yet handsome faces famous.

Neil Patrick Harris. NPH said during the 2018 Golden Globes, "My resolution this year is to not scowl so much." "I realize that even just pondering that, I'm scowling. I'm not mad. Apparently, I do this while I'm thinking," he joked.
Kanye West has a very iconic RBF. He can go from happy to serious in the blink of an eye.
Gordon Ramsay has a pretty scary RBF on Hell's Kitchen.
Eminem has RBF in most of his photos, including his Instagram account.
Simon Cowell is well-known for his RBF on America's Got Talent and The X-Factor.
Leonardo DiCaprio is also known for his RBF.

7 Female Resting Bothered Faces (RBF)

Ladies can get RBF too. And sometimes, it might be more common than you think:

Kristen Stewart has RBF. She's been called out on various websites to smile more.
Emily Blunt. Emily Blunt has been told she has RBF.
Kourtney Kardashian. Take a look and decide for yourself if Kourtney has RBF or not.
Cara Delevigne has been told she has RBF.
Victoria Beckham. High-fashion designers can get RBF, too.
Queen Elizabeth II. Yes, even Queen Elizabeth herself has a bad case of RBF.

How to Create a Resting Bothered Face

Want to use Resting Bothered Face to your advantage? Actress Emma Roberts perfected her RBF for the TV show Scream Queens. Here's how to create a hater's Resting Bothered Face.

Narrow your eyes. Look real mad and activate those between-the-brow furrows.
Purse your lips. Close them tight and make 'em disappear.
Twitch your mouth like you've got some serious beef, but try to control yourself.
Make the exit. If you're in a conversation, flick your hair and end it to avoid any awkward after-RBF moments.

Use your RBF to fend off unwanted catcalls, focus on your remote work without being disturbed, or make a statement to your biggest enemy.

Other Resting Face Types

Not every resting face is bothered. There are various emotions you might see in resting faces:

Resting Murder Face. The face a serial killer might wear. A cold, hard stare is essential.
Resting Happy Face. People with this face always look happy, as if they're enjoying life.
Resting Shade Face. This face gives away that someone is up to no good.
Resting Sad Face. Do people think you're always about to burst into tears? You might have Resting Sad Face.
Resting Creep Face. This face shows you're always on the lookout for somethin' strange.
Resting Surprised Face. People with this face have raised eyebrows and seem like they're constantly amazed.
Resting Smug Face. Nowadays, everyone's got a "I'm better than you" face.
Resting Grinch Face. This face says, "I hate Christmas."

How Common is Resting Bothered Face?

Back in the day, cavemen had Resting Bothered Face. Check out this old-school dude if you don't believe me.

So if you've got Resting Bothered Face, no worries! Learn to practice self-love, stop being a people pleaser, and boost your self-worth to reach a better place than trying to wipe that RBF away. Trust me, I know from experience.

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European people may be perceived as stoic and less expressive due to their tendency to exhibit lower levels of hidden emotions, a characteristic often linked to Resting Bothered Face.
In the realm of health and wellness, understanding the science of contempt and its role in shaping our perceptions of others is crucial, especially as it pertains to mental health and women's health.
Aside from Resting Bothered Face, there are other resting face types that convey different emotions, such as Resting Happy Face, Resting Shade Face, Resting Sad Face, and Resting Creep Face, all of which play a significant role in nonverbal communication and fashion-and-beauty choices.