FACS (Facial Action Coding System) Photo References

collage of Facial Action Coding System action units and AU labels

FACS Photo References is an image library of action units (AUs) and action descriptors (ADs) from the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). All references are performed by the author, who is FACS-certified with 14 years of experience in facial muscle isolation.

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HOW TO CITE: Academic and educational use is permitted with proper citation. See the How to Cite This Page for details.

Neutral Pose

FACS Action Unit

FACS AU1 - inner brow raiser: neutral vs. frontalis medialis contraction. Expert reference by Melinda Ozel.
AU1 - inner brow raiser is activated by medial frontalis contraction. Note the raise in the central forehead area. Contrary to many literature assertions, inner brow raiser does not need to be perfectly lifted at the innermost brow tips. It often occurs slightly lateral to the brow start.
FACS AU2 - outer brow raiser: neutral vs. frontalis lateralis contraction. Expert reference by Melinda Ozel.
AU2 - outer brow raiser is activated by lateral frontalis contraction. Note that the peak of the raise typically occurs at the arch of the brows, causing the resulting brow shape to appear more angular than a full frontal belly contraction.
FACS AU4 - brow lowerer: neutral vs. mostly corrugator supercilii contraction (in this specific example). Expert reference by Melinda Ozel.
AU4 - brow lowerer is activated by any combination of the following brow lowering muscles: corrugator supercilii, depressor supercilii, and/or procerus. For isolated GIFs of corrugator supercilii and depressor supercilii, click on the image above to view the Facial Muscle Anatomy Function Guide.
FACS AU5 - upper lid raiser: neutral vs. levator palpebrae superioris contraction. Expert reference by Melinda Ozel.
AU5 - upper lid raiser is activated by the contraction of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle and depending on nervous system state, Müller’s (superior tarsal) muscle as well. Note the increased sclera visibility and the decreased distance between the upper eyelid and lower eyebrow border.
AU6 - cheek raiser - Melinda Ozel - Face the FACS
AU7 - lid tightener - Melinda Ozel - Face the FACS - blendshape - blendshapes - blend shape - blend shapes - FACS - Facial Action Coding System
AU8 - lips toward each other - howler mouth - blendshape - blendshapes - blend shape - blend shapes - FACS - Facial Action Coding System

NOTE: I have temporarily removed “Howler Mouth.” Determining the best way to break it down that isn’t redundant to shapes like “vertical lip tightener.”

nose wrinkler example with neutral pose and nose scrunch pose
AU10 - upper lip raiser - levator labii superioris - caput infraorbitalis - disgust expressions - - Melinda Ozel - Face the FACS
AU11 - nasolabial furrow deepener - zygomaticus minor muscle - - blendshape - blendshapes - blend shape - blend shapes - FACS - Facial Action Coding System
AU12 - lip corner puller - zygomaticus major
AU13 - sharp lip puller - levator anguli oris
AU14 -dimpler- buccinator
FACS AU14 - dimpler: neutral vs. posterior buccinator contraction. Expert reference by Melinda Ozel.

NOTE: I have coined two differentiations of the dimpler action: y-axis dimpler and z-axis dimpler. I have done so because the existing FACS facial actions do not effectively encompass the depth of expression possible to achieve from the buccinator muscle (the muscle driving AU14).

There are two types of dimplers that I have observed:

1) y-axis dimpler – involving outer portions of the lip corners compressing against each other in a vertical plane (superior and inferior buccinator)
2) z-axis dimpler – involving the inner mouth portions of the lip corners pushing against the teeth and inner cheeks (posterior buccinator)

AU15 - lip corner depressor -depressor anguli oris
AU16 - lower lip depressor
AU16 - lower lip depressor
AU17 - chin raiser - mentalis
AU18 - lip pucker - incisivus labii superioris and incisivus labii inferioris muscles - Facial Action Coding System

AD19 - tongue show

AD19 - tongue show - FACS - Facial Action Coding System

AD = action descriptor

AU20 - lip stretcher - risorius - Facial Action Coding System - FACS - blendshape - blendshapes - blend shape - blend shapes
AU21 - neck tightener - Facial Action Coding System - FACS - blendshape - blendshapes - blend shape - blend shapes
AU22 - lip funneler - FACS
woman performing FACS-based lip tightener expression
AU23 - vertical lip tightener - orbicularis oris

NOTE: Vertical lip tightener (which I also refer to as “lip cincher”) is not an official FACS shape. I have coined this action in order to further break down the functional movements of orbicularis oris. See more here. These refinements of orbicularis oris actions are critical to applications like lipsync and nuanced expression detailing.

AU24 - lip presser - orbicularis oris
AU24 - lip presser involves the pressing of the upper and lower lip against one another from the contraction of the marginal part of orbicularis oris. AU24 may also be referred to as "lip pressOr" depending on which Ekman inconsistency you prefer to follow. In the latest 2002 FACS Manual, AU24 is consistently referred to as "lip pressEr." However, in the 1978 FACS Investigator's Guide, and in Ekman's subsequent writings (e.g. in What the Face Reveals), it is referred to as "lip pressOr." Looks like we will have to wait until the next release of the FACS Manual to settle this pressing matter.
AU25 - lips part - Facial Action Coding System
AU26 - jaw drop - Facial Action Coding System
AU27 - mouth stretch - Facial Action Coding System digastrics and pterygoids
AU28 - lips suck -Facial Action Coding System - FACS - action unit - orbicularis oris
AU46 - wink - orbicularis oculi - Facial Action Coding System - FACS - blendshape - blendshapes - blend shape - blend shapes
AU45 - blink - orbicularis oculi - Facial Action Coding System - FACS - blendshape - blendshapes - blend shape - blend shapes

How to Cite This Page

To ensure this citation is tracked correctly, please refer to the official record on Google Scholar.

APA:
Ozel, M. (2020, September). FACS (Facial Action Coding System) Photo References. Face the FACS. https://melindaozel.com/facs-lite-still-fast/

BibTeX:

@misc{ozel2020facslite,
  author = {Ozel, Melinda},
  title = {FACS (Facial Action Coding System) Photo References},
  year = {2020},
  month = sep,
  howpublished = {\url{https://melindaozel.com/facs-lite-still-fast/}}
}

References & Further Reading

  1. Carl-Herman Hjortsjö. (1970). Man’s face and mimic language. Studentlitteratur.
  2. de Sanctis Pecora, C. (2020). One21: A Novel, Customizable Injection Protocol for Treatment of the Forehead with IncobotulinumtoxinA. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, Volume 13, 127–136. https://doi.org/10.2147/ccid.s237519
  3. Ekman, P., Friesen, W. V., & Hager, J. C. (2002). Facial action coding system. Research Nexus.
  4. Netter, F. H. (2019). Atlas of Human Anatomy (7th ed.). Elsevier.
  5. Standring, S., & Tubbs, S. R. (2025). Gray’s Anatomy. Elsevier.

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