Spotting a narcissist can be difficult. After all, they are usually very charming and well-liked by many people around them. By the time you realize that you are dealing with a narcissist, you are often knee-deep in emotional abuse and manipulation. The earlier you figure out who they are and get out of there, the better. So how do you spot a narcissist early-on? According to this study, this can actually be done by looking at their eyebrows.

Study Shows You Can Spot A Narcissist By Their Eyebrows

Spotting a narcissist just by looking at their eyebrows may seem like a pretty crazy concept, but this study shows that this is actually possible. A study done by the University of Toronto found that people with “distinguished eyebrows” were more likely to exhibit traits of narcissistic personality disorder.

In order to determine this, the research team photographed 40 undergraduate students with neutral facial expressions. The students then underwent a psychological evaluation called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory to determine how narcissistic each student was. They then presented the photos to other students and asked them to evaluate how narcissistic they thought each person was.

The results showed that the students used eyebrows as a way to guess the other students’ narcissistic tendencies. It turns out that eyebrow thickness and density were the best indicators of a narcissistic personality. Furthermore, when the researchers swapped the narcissistic persons’ eyebrows onto the faces of non-narcissistic people, the students then pegged the non-narcissists as narcissists and vice versa.

Why Does This Happen?

So why do eyebrows make spotting a narcissistic easier? The truth is the scientists weren’t really sure. One theory is that narcissists tend to hold themselves to a higher standard of physical appearance. Because of this, they are more likely to keep seemingly smaller details, such as their eyebrows, well groomed. Eyebrows are important for facial recognition and mate selection, both for men and women. Narcissists are likely more aware of this and do their best to give themselves the best edge for attracting others.

Another Way To Detect A Narcissist By Looking At Their Face

More recent studies have shown that often, when a narcissist is presented with failure or criticism, they have a particular muscular reaction in their face. This reaction is characterized by small, twitching movements in their eyes and forehead. If you present a criticism or failure to them, even something minor like a detail in a story that you were therefore or an incorrect coffee order, you will see these tiny movements. This is subtle, however, so you could miss it if you’re not watching closely.