Looksmaxxing Glossary — Every Term Explained

Why You Need This Glossary

Walk into any looksmaxxing forum or subreddit and you’ll immediately hit a wall of jargon. “Mogging,” “canthal tilt,” “norwooding,” “hunter eyes” — it reads like a different language because, honestly, it kind of is.

This glossary covers every major term used in the looksmaxxing community. We’ve kept the definitions clear and honest — including noting when a concept is legit and when it’s mostly internet cope.

Terms are organized A-Z for easy reference.

A

Ascension

The process of improving your looks and “ascending” to a higher level of attractiveness. In the community, this usually refers to a noticeable jump — going from below-average to average, or average to above-average. Someone who’s “ascended” has made visible improvements, whether through grooming, fitness, surgery, or all of the above.

Alar Base

The width of your nostrils at the base. This measurement comes up in rhinoplasty discussions. A wide alar base is sometimes considered unfavorable in looksmaxxing circles, though proportionality to the rest of the face matters more than the raw measurement.

B

Bonesmashing

Hitting your face with a hard object (bottle, fist, mallet) to supposedly trigger bone remodeling and growth. Based on a misapplication of Wolff’s Law. There is zero clinical evidence this works, and real risks include nerve damage, fractures, and permanent asymmetry. We have a full breakdown of why you shouldn’t do this.

Bloatmaxxing

Intentionally gaining facial fat to fill out hollow cheeks or under-eyes. This is mostly a meme, but some guys with very lean faces do note that gaining a few pounds improves their facial aesthetics. The line between “healthy weight” and “bloatmaxxing” is basically nonexistent.

C

Canthal Tilt

The angle of your eye measured from the inner corner (medial canthus) to the outer corner (lateral canthus). A positive canthal tilt means the outer corner is higher — associated with a “hunter eyes” look. A negative canthal tilt means the outer corner droops lower. The looksmaxxing community heavily emphasizes this, though in reality it’s one of many features that contributes to eye area attractiveness.

Chad

Originally internet slang for a stereotypically attractive, confident man. In looksmaxxing, “chad” describes someone with elite-tier facial aesthetics — strong jaw, defined cheekbones, positive canthal tilt, good facial harmony. The term has become so mainstream it’s almost a parody of itself at this point.

Chadlite

A step below chad. Good-looking but missing one or two elite features. In PSL terms, roughly a 6-6.5. Most classically handsome guys you’d meet in real life would be “chadlites” by looksmaxxing standards.

D

DYOR (Do Your Own Research)

Common advice when someone asks about surgery or procedures. The community emphasizes personal research over trusting any single source — including forums and this guide. Good advice in general.

E

Eye Area

Considered by many in the community to be the single most important region for facial attractiveness. Includes eye shape, canthal tilt, upper eyelid exposure, brow ridge, under-eye support, and interpupillary distance. The emphasis on eye area is actually somewhat supported by research — studies show people focus on the eye region most when judging faces.

F

Facial Thirds

A proportionality concept from classical art and plastic surgery. The face is divided into three vertical sections: hairline to brow (upper third), brow to nose base (middle third), nose base to chin (lower third). Ideally these are roughly equal, though slight variation is normal. An elongated midface or short lower third are common looksmaxxing concerns.

Forward Growth

Refers to the forward projection of the maxilla (upper jaw) and mandible (lower jaw). Good forward growth gives a defined side profile with a projected midface and strong chin. Recessed forward growth results in a flat or “weak” profile. This is a core concept in orthotropics (Dr. Mew’s framework).

Frauding

Using angles, lighting, filters, or any trick to look better in photos than you do in real life. The community is obsessed with detecting frauding in before/after photos and rating posts. Also called “looksfrauding.”

G

Gonial Angle

The angle of your jaw where the mandible meets the ascending ramus — basically the angle at the corner of your jaw. A sharper (lower-degree) gonial angle creates a more defined, square jawline. A higher angle creates a softer, rounder jaw. This comes up a lot in jaw implant and jaw surgery discussions.

H

Halo Effect

A well-documented psychological bias where people assume attractive individuals have other positive qualities — intelligence, competence, trustworthiness. This is real science, supported by decades of social psychology research. The looksmaxxing community cites the halo effect as a key reason why improving your looks has cascading benefits beyond dating.

Hardmaxxing

Making permanent changes to your appearance through surgery, injectables, or medical procedures. The opposite of softmaxxing. Examples include rhinoplasty, jaw surgery, hair transplants, Botox, and dermal fillers. Higher risk, higher cost, but potentially higher reward.

Hunter Eyes

Deep-set eyes with a prominent brow ridge, positive canthal tilt, and minimal upper eyelid exposure. Named because they supposedly resemble the eyes of a predator — focused and intense. This look is heavily idealized in the community. Think young Alain Delon or Sean O’Pry. The opposite is “prey eyes.”

I

IPD (Interpupillary Distance)

The distance between the centers of your pupils. The community has specific ranges it considers ideal (typically around 63-70mm for men). In practice, what matters more is the ratio of IPD to face width rather than the absolute number.

L

Lookism

Discrimination or preferential treatment based on physical appearance. Also the name of one of the forums that helped shape the PSL rating system. The looksmaxxing community is built on the premise that lookism is real and pervasive — a belief that mainstream psychology actually supports through halo effect research.

Looksmaxxing

The practice of maximizing your physical appearance through any combination of grooming, fitness, skincare, style, and potentially surgery. The umbrella term that covers everything from basic hygiene to jaw implants.

M

Mewing

A tongue posture technique popularized by Dr. Mike Mew where you press your entire tongue against the roof of your mouth. Proponents claim it can improve jaw definition and facial structure over time. The evidence is limited — might work for growing kids, almost certainly won’t restructure an adult’s bones. We have a detailed evidence review.

Midface Ratio

The proportional length of the midface (from eyes to mouth) relative to the total face. A shorter midface ratio is generally considered more attractive and youthful-looking. A long midface is one of the most common looksmaxxing complaints.

Mogging

Outshining someone in looks when you’re standing next to them. “He mogged everyone in the group photo.” Can be used as a verb (“he’s mogging you”) or a noun situation (“that was a brutal mog”). It’s community slang that means one person’s appearance makes another’s look worse by comparison.

Mogger

Someone who consistently mogs others. A person who stands out as significantly better-looking in any group setting. In PSL terms, usually PSL 6+.

N

Norwood Scale

The standard medical classification system for male pattern baldness, ranging from Norwood 1 (full head of hair) to Norwood 7 (extensive hair loss). “Norwooding” or “going norwood” means your hair is thinning or receding. This scale is used by actual hair transplant surgeons, not just the looksmaxxing community.

NW (Norwood)

Shorthand for Norwood. “NW3” means Norwood 3 — moderate temple recession. You’ll see this in hair transplant discussions constantly.

O

Orthotropics

The philosophy and practice developed by Dr. John Mew (and continued by his son Dr. Mike Mew) that emphasizes correct oral posture, breathing, and swallowing to guide facial development. The mainstream orthodontic community is skeptical. Some principles (like nasal breathing) have good evidence; others (like adult facial restructuring through mewing) are disputed.

Overbite / Underbite

Dental and skeletal alignment issues where the upper teeth extend too far over the lower (overbite) or the lower jaw projects beyond the upper (underbite). Both can affect facial aesthetics and are correctable with orthodontics or jaw surgery.

P

Prey Eyes

The opposite of hunter eyes. Round, wide-set eyes with visible upper eyelid, negative canthal tilt, and minimal brow ridge. The community considers this a less masculine eye type. “Prey eyes” describes the open, startled appearance — like a prey animal. This is one of those terms the community obsesses over disproportionately.

PSL Rating

The rating scale used across looksmaxxing forums, named after PuaHate/Sluthate/Lookism. Runs 1-10 but is deflated compared to normal social ratings. A PSL 5 is a genuinely decent-looking person. We have a full breakdown of the PSL scale.

R

Recession

In looksmaxxing, this usually refers to either hairline recession (receding hairline) or maxillary/mandibular recession (jaw/midface sitting too far back). Both are major topics of concern.

Ramus

The vertical portion of the jawbone that connects the mandible body to the skull. A long, prominent ramus contributes to the defined, angular jaw look that the community values. Ramus length is mostly genetic and difficult to change without surgery.

S

Softmaxxing

Improving your appearance through non-permanent, non-surgical means: skincare, haircuts, grooming, fitness, style, posture. This is where most guys should start and where you get the best return on effort. Softmaxxing includes everything from a better skincare routine to getting jacked at the gym.

Statusmaxxing

Improving your social status, career, wealth, or influence as a way to increase overall attractiveness. The community recognizes that attraction isn’t purely physical, and status plays a significant role. Sometimes used dismissively (“just statusmaxx bro”) but it’s a legitimate component of real-world attractiveness.

Subhuman

A harsh term used in the community for someone rated very low on the PSL scale (typically 3 or below). This is one of the more toxic parts of looksmaxxing culture. No one is subhuman based on their appearance. If you’re spending time in spaces where this word gets thrown around casually, consider finding better communities.

T

Top Third

The upper portion of the face from hairline to brow ridge. Includes forehead shape, hairline, and brow ridge prominence. A receding hairline (norwooding) affects the top third significantly.

U

Under-Eye

The area beneath the lower eyelid. Hollowed under-eyes (tear troughs), dark circles, and puffy under-eye bags are common looksmaxxing concerns. Some of these are addressable with skincare, sleep, and hydration; deeper structural issues might require filler or surgery.

W

WPWW

“Would Pass as White Woman” — not a looksmaxxing term. You might see this confused with other forum acronyms. The looksmaxxing-relevant meaning, if any, varies by context.

X

Xeno-Estrogen Avoidance

A fringe looksmaxxing practice of avoiding environmental estrogens (plastics, certain foods, chemicals) to supposedly maximize testosterone and masculine facial development. Some of the underlying science about endocrine disruptors is real; the looksmaxxing application is often exaggerated. Basic measures like reducing plastic use and eating well are reasonable regardless.

Z

Zygomatic Arch / Zygos

The cheekbone. In looksmaxxing, prominent zygos (high, wide cheekbones) are considered attractive for both men and women. Cheekbone prominence is mostly genetic and can be enhanced with fillers or implants, though these are less common than jaw or chin procedures.

Using This Glossary

This is a living reference. Looksmaxxing culture evolves fast, and new terms appear regularly. The most important thing is understanding the concepts behind the jargon — many of the underlying ideas about facial proportions and aesthetics have real foundations in plastic surgery and psychology, even if the forum culture wraps them in layers of nihilism and internet slang.

Take the useful parts. Leave the toxic parts. Focus on actionable self-improvement rather than endlessly categorizing and rating.