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Human LIE DETECTOR (How to Read Anyone!) | Top Facial Expression Expert Annie Särnblad

Globally recognized speaker and strategic advisor to Fortune 500 companies Annie Särnblad is often referred to as a "human lie detector" due to her remarkable expertise in reading facial expressions.

Annie SärnbladguestLewis Howeshost

Oct 25, 20231h 12mWatch on YouTube

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CHAPTERS

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Chapter summaries

Microexpressions as “deep listening” and the basic lie-detector idea
Annie frames microexpressions as a powerful form of listening, while Lewis tees up the central premise: facial expressions can reveal when words aren’t aligned with what someone feels. Annie immediately anchors the concept with a quick example of spotting mismatch in real time.
- •Annie calls microexpressions “the very deepest of listening skills.”
- •Lewis asserts you can tell if someone’s lying from facial expressions; Annie agrees, emphasizing mismatch between face and words.
- •Annie shares an anecdote where noticing a client’s reaction helped her adjust her approach in a meeting.
- •Early examples introduce the idea that specific facial movements can reveal discomfort or hidden reactions.
FACS, universality, and why facial expressions differ from body language
Lewis asks about the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and what expressions to look for. Annie explains the scientific lineage and makes a key distinction: facial expressions are universal, while body language varies more by person.
- •Lewis introduces FACS and the idea of coding many muscle combinations.
- •Annie links the research foundation to Darwin’s observations across different groups of people.
- •Annie says universal facial expressions appear regardless of geography, age, and even in people born blind.
- •Annie contrasts facial expression universality with body language variability between individuals.
Physiology of emotion: blood flow, reflexes, and trauma triggers
Annie describes emotions as physiological events that change blood flow and muscle movement, often before conscious thought. Lewis connects this to intentional control, environment-driven reactions, and how trauma can trigger rapid responses.
- •Annie explains fear, anger, sadness, nervousness, and arousal through changes in blood flow and bodily readiness.
- •Annie says microexpressions can precede conscious thought, using a hot-coffee reflex example.
- •Lewis explores how intentional thinking can influence reactions, while Annie notes trauma increases rapid triggering.
- •Annie demonstrates how fear shows up in the face, including neck tendons and widened eyelids.
Hardwired—not learned: why facial expressions aren’t just mimicry
Lewis asks whether expressions come from mirroring parents or are innate. Annie argues they’re hardwired and shows how microexpressions reveal what someone feels even when words say something else.
- •Lewis questions whether facial expressions are learned through imitation or encoded biologically.
- •Annie says facial expressions are not mimicry; they are hardwired.
- •Annie gives an example: someone saying “Great” while showing sadness/vulnerability.
- •Annie reframes microexpressions as a way to “listen” beneath words.
Disgust and the “no face”: translating microexpressions into simple cues
Annie explains how she teaches simplified “signature” markers for each emotion, using disgust as an example. She describes the “no face,” how it appears in everyday life, and how it can signal social or situational rejection.
- •Annie describes disgust as a macro expression with distinct facial components and a protective function.
- •She teaches a simplified cue: “nostril shadows” as a fast indicator of disgust/‘no.’
- •Disgust can signal something physically unpleasant or socially toxic/unwanted.
- •Annie emphasizes brief flickers can still convey a clear ‘no’ even without overt hostility.
Why master facial communication: connection, protection, and better decisions
Lewis asks for the top benefits of mastering facial communication. Annie summarizes the core value as improving empathy and safety—using facial cues to adjust communication, lead better, and know where to ask deeper questions.
- •Annie’s three-part benefit framing centers on empathy and safety (connection and protection).
- •Microexpressions can guide how to support someone who’s uncomfortable or vulnerable.
- •In high-stakes settings (like business commitments), fear cues can indicate uncertainty despite confident words.
- •Annie says facial signals show “where to dig” rather than providing full explanations of why.
Can skilled people “get away” with lying? Acting, dissociation, and thought control
Lewis challenges whether someone can lie without leaking tells. Annie discusses the possibility of running “two parallel lines,” why acting complicates reading, and how changing your internal focus can shift what your face shows.
- •Annie says a “really good spy” can create two parallel lines of existing.
- •They discuss actors and how embodying roles can make the body feel like it lived the experience.
- •Lewis connects this to sports performance states and needing time to shed a persona after intense effort.
- •Annie shares her method for changing expression by repeating “loving kindness” to change her internal state.
Teaching kids (and adults) to read safety: real smiles, mirroring, and the “chin” cue
Annie explains how she taught her children to name and recognize expressions early, building a vocabulary for safety. She distinguishes real joy from fake smiles using cheek movement, and highlights the chin as a key indicator of empathy and vulnerability.
- •Annie prioritizes a core rule: facial expressions should match the words, especially for safety.
- •She describes practicing macro expressions with children and pairing expressions with words early.
- •Annie explains a “real smile” cue: cheeks rising and “smile bags,” not just the mouth or crow’s feet.
- •She identifies the chin pucker as a strong sign of empathy/vulnerability and says it’s hard to fake.
Spotting intent in relationships: who cares vs. who uses you
Lewis asks how to distinguish people with good intentions from those who want to use you. Annie says facial expressions reliably reveal intent, especially through empathy cues and expression-word alignment before emotional attachment forms.
- •Annie contrasts supportive reactions (empathy/vulnerability cues) with mismatch signals like contempt/disgust while speaking kindly.
- •She argues microexpressions provide fast feedback before someone becomes emotionally attached.
- •She emphasizes balancing protection with recognizing who genuinely wishes you well.
- •Annie describes mirroring as a sign of connection and emotional alignment.
Narcissistic patterns: missing kindness, overdone eye contact, and “parrot” love-bombing
Lewis asks how to recognize narcissistic tendencies while dating or in relationships. Annie focuses on the lack of kindness/empathy toward others, along with behaviors like intense gaze and rehearsed phrases designed to work on people.
- •Annie says narcissistic tendencies show up as not caring when others are hurt (absence of kindness cues).
- •She notes narcissists may show vulnerability about their own pain, but not for others.
- •She describes overdone eye contact as a pattern she sees in narcissists.
- •Annie shares examples of rehearsed identity-marketing (“nice to taxi drivers”) and tailored ‘parrot’ messaging, including via text to avoid live cues.
“Crazy eyes,” fear held too long, and the need for context
Lewis asks about differentiating psychopathy, narcissism, and genius. Annie explains a specific visual pattern—upper eyelids pulled back and held—as a potential warning sign, while stressing that context matters and it can also appear with instability or trauma.
- •Annie describes “crazy eyes” as holding the upper eyelids pulled back (showing sclera) beyond normal fear moments.
- •She demonstrates the creepiness of mixing fear-eyes with joy/arousal in the lower face and calls out-of-context mismatch alarming.
- •She says you must interpret expressions in context; one sign doesn’t automatically equal a dangerous person.
- •Annie notes this look can correlate with severe instability, including risk of harm to self or others, in her experience.
Business screening and leader coaching: open-ended questions, suppression tells, and CEO loneliness
Lewis pivots to partnerships, hiring, and what powerful leaders seek from Annie. Annie recommends open-ended questions and watching for match/mismatch, describes “suppression” as holding back, and explains why leaders hire her—often to see what’s underneath and address people problems.
- •Annie recommends open-ended questions (e.g., why someone wants a role) and watching whether face matches words.
- •She describes a “suppression” signal (a ‘bubble’/holding-back mouth posture) as useful information in meetings.
- •Annie explains leaders often feel exposed when she reads them, and she sometimes ‘live narrates’ their expressions.
- •She says leaders bring her in for under-the-surface insight, but often reveal deeper issues like loneliness, lack of trusted counsel, and people problems.
- •Annie lists major leadership challenges: everyone saying yes, difficulty delegating and trusting, and the need to model behavior that scales.
Quick lie-spotting checklist, gender patterns, and closing “three truths”
Lewis asks for simple lie-spotting keys, and Annie adds both facial and language-based cues. They close with reflections on vulnerability, self-judgment, and Annie’s three truths—ending with her definition of greatness.
- •Annie’s lie cues include mismatch signals like the ‘bunny rabbit nose’ appearing during positive statements.
- •She adds body-language leakage (head nodding/shaking vs. words) as a culturally dependent tell in Western contexts.
- •Annie highlights language cues: qualifiers (“mostly”), unnatural extra words, and distancing language (“that woman,” “the wife”).
- •She says many men ‘lie to themselves’ about comfort/capacity, while women can be overly self-critical and self-deprecating.
- •In the “three truths,” Annie emphasizes that almost everyone is struggling (be kind), authenticity as the path to real love, and valuing neurodiversity; she defines greatness as loving well and being well loved.
Abrupt final anecdote begins: a legal case and someone overextending after an accident
After the formal close, Annie begins a new story about being on the defense in a case involving a woman injured in an accident. She suggests the woman presented as okay but had overextended herself, before the transcript cuts off mid-thought.
- •Annie introduces a case where she was on the defense side.
- •She describes a woman who had been hurt in an accident and acted “a-okay.”
- •Annie notes it’s possible to be hurt and later be fine, but signals something about overextending herself.
- •The episode transcript ends abruptly before the point is completed.

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