Ferguson identified 4 female facial expressions commonly seen on magazine covers: the chocolate box expression with a half or full smile and minimal teeth showing; the invitational expression focusing on the eyes with a closed-mouth smile and tilted head; the super-smiler expression showing a full face, teeth, and cheesy smile with a tilted head; and the romantic/sexual expression depicting a male and female seeming dreamy and very romantic or sexual. Millum also categorized expressions as carefree linked to sports showing activity; practical with focused eyes and closed mouth; seductive with slightly closed eyes aiming to look confident; comic being very exaggerated trying to act funny; and catalogue being very artificial and posed with wide eyes and big

1. Categorizing Facial Expressions
Male and Female

2. Ferguson and Millum
• Marjorie Ferguson (1980) identified 4 female facial
expressions that are typically on a front cover. Those
expressions are called the chocolate
box, invitational, super-smiler and romantic/ sexual.
• Trevor Millum (1975) also identified these categories
of male and female expressions:
carefree, practical, seductive, comic, catalogue.

3. Chocolate Box
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Female expression
Half or full smile
Minimal or no teeth showing
Face isn’t fully facing the camera

4. Invitational
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Female expression
Focuses mainly on the eyes
Mouth closed although smiling
Head slightly to one side

5. Super-Smiler
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Female expression
Shows full face
Showing teeth
Cheesy smile
Head tilted either back or forth

6. Romantic or Sexual
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Female expression
Includes male and female in photo
Seems as if it’s a dream
Very sexual or romantic

7. Carefree
• Male and female expression
• Can be linked to sports
• Shows they are active and healthy

8. Practical
• Male and female expression
• Eyes focused and mouth closed
• Seems to be concentrating

9. Seductive
• Male and female expression
• Eyes slightly closed
• Aim to look confident
• Small expression although still
shows through

10. Comic
• Male and female expression
• Very exaggerated
• Trying to act comical and funny

11. Catalogue
• Male and female expression
• Very artificial and posed
• Model will probably have their eyes wide with
a big smile