I’m Kayla, and I test stuff for a living. Gear, apps, even wild ideas. This time, I “tested” PSL in the looksmaxxing scene like it was a product. Weird? A little. But I wanted to see if it helps or just messes with your head.
If you just want the Cliff Notes, I dropped my original field notes on trying PSL in looksmaxxing over on Sharpman—feel free to peek before diving in here.
You know what? I thought PSL meant pumpkin spice latte. Cute. In looksmaxxing, folks use PSL to mean your “personal looks score” or “perceived SMV level.” Fancy words for: how hot people think you look, 1 to 10. It blends your face, body, style, and even how you carry yourself.
I used it for six months. I tracked stuff. I changed a few things. Some wins. Some fails. Let me explain.
So… what is PSL, really?
- It’s a score from 1 to 10.
- People rate face shape, skin, hair, height, frame, teeth, style, voice, and vibe.
- They also list nerdy face bits: jawline, cheekbones, eye area, brow, nose, lips, and “canthal tilt” (how your eyes slant).
- It’s not science. It’s people judging. That’s the truth.
PSL can feel like a game. But the points move. The room, the light, the mood, the culture—these shift your “score.”
If you’re curious how seasoned looksmaxxers break down each category (and even play with an interactive slider for your own traits), the online calculator at PSL Scale lays out the typical weighting of face, body, and style elements in plain view.
My starting point (and feelings I didn’t expect)
I took plain face pics in a window. No filter. Hair up. Neutral face. Looksmax folks would call them “PSL pics.”
My first self-score? Maybe a 4/10. That stung. I’ve had acne scars since high school. My jawline is soft. My midface? A bit long. At least that’s what someone told me in a forum. Oof.
But I kept going. I treated PSL like a checklist, not a verdict.
Real changes that actually helped me
I’m sharing exact things I did, with real stuff I used. I’m not a doctor, so ask yours if you try skin or hair products.
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Skin care that stuck
- CeraVe cream cleanser morning and night.
- Vanicream SPF 50 every day. No excuses.
- Tretinoin 0.025% at night for 6 months (derm prescribed). It helped texture.
- A cheap humidifier helped my skin not feel tight in winter.
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Hair that matched my face
- I booked a barber who knows face shapes. We went shorter on the sides, kept some height.
- I used a matte clay, not shiny pomade. Shiny made me look greasy in photos.
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Beard and brows
- A light beard line with a Remington trimmer made my jaw look sharper.
- I tidied my brows. Not thin, just clean. It opened my eyes up a bit.
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Teeth and smile
- Crest Whitestrips for two weeks. Small change, big pop in photos.
- Practiced a soft smile in the mirror. Felt silly. Worked anyway.
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Posture and body
- Pull-ups, goblet squats, and brisk walks. Three days a week.
- Ten pounds down over four months by eating mostly whole foods and more water.
- Shoulders back, chin slightly tucked. It added “presence.” Sounds corny. But true.
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Style that didn’t fight me
- Slim (not skinny) jeans and chinos. Old Navy had a good fit for me.
- A plain tee and a Uniqlo chore jacket. Simple lines clean up your frame.
- Clean sneakers. People notice.
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Camera tricks that aren’t tricks
- Face the window. Raise the phone a little above eye level.
- Don’t press your chin to your neck. Give a tiny bit of space.
- Natural light beat any filter. Every time.
On nights I wanted deeper guidance, I browsed the concise grooming breakdowns on Sharpman and cherry-picked the tips that suited my routine. One piece that really landed was their no-fluff guide on advice for young men—what I tried, what worked, what flopped; it helped me prune my own checklist.
After three months, friends said, “You look fresh.” A coworker asked if I got new glasses. I did: thin frames from Warby Parker. Light on my face. That helped, too.
Stuff that flopped (or felt bad)
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Jaw exerciser toy
- It gave me jaw pain in a week. My dentist said, “Please stop.” I listened.
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Hardcore “mewing”
- I tried it for months. No big change. But it did help me keep my mouth closed and not mouth-breathe. That’s something.
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Symmetry apps
- I got stuck on tiny flaws—left eye a hair lower, one nostril wider. It dragged my mood down. I deleted the apps.
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Harsh lighting
- Bathroom downlight made me look tired and old. Side window light was kinder. Lighting is half your PSL. No joke.
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Over-editing
- Once, I smoothed my skin too much. A friend went, “Are you okay?” That was my sign to keep it real.
My “score,” if you care about numbers
- Before: I felt like a 4/10 on camera.
- After six months: I felt like a 6/10 on most days, 7/10 on great hair days.
- In person, with good posture and a clean fit, I felt even higher. Energy does add points.
Do these numbers matter? Only a little. I used them like mile markers, not gospel.
A quick PSL cheat sheet I wish I had
- Face: clear skin > sharp jaw. Good sleep helps both.
- Eyes: trim brows, avoid harsh top light, and blink away dryness.
- Hair: shape > length. Find a barber who talks about head shape.
- Teeth: brighten a shade or two. Don’t glow in the dark.
- Frame: shoulders and waist ratio matters. Simple, fitted clothes help.
- Vibe: calm voice, gentle smile, steady eye contact. People remember this.
- Photos: window light, slight angle, camera a bit high. Done.
The part no one tells you
PSL can mess with your head. It can feel like you’re a number. You’re not. Culture and taste swing fast. One person loves freckles. Another loves sharp cheekbones. Trends change. Kindness, humor, and trust? They don’t.
I set one rule: if a change made me sad or hurt, I stopped. If it made daily life easier—skin care, sleep, posture—I kept it.
Who should try PSL (and who shouldn’t)
- Try it if: you like checklists, you want a tidy plan, and you can keep it light.
- Skip it if: you get anxious from scores, or you’ve had body image struggles. It’s not worth the spiral. Talk to someone you trust.
For a different first-person angle (with a few fictional twists), peek at LTB looksmaxxing: a first-person story to see how someone else navigated the same maze.
My verdict
PSL in looksmaxxing is a tool, not truth. It helped me make clear, small upgrades. It also pushed me toward a rabbit hole I didn’t need.
- What I loved: structure, quick wins, better photos, cleaner style.
- What I didn’t: number chasing, nitpicking, and that “never enough” hum.
My rating: 3.5 out of 5. Helpful in short bursts. Harmful when it runs your day.
I also wanted to gauge whether my mini–glow-up actually translated to real-world attention on dating platforms. If you’re curious too, the rundown of the best free local sex apps walks you through which services have the liveliest nearby communities, plus safety pointers and screenshot examples so you can test your new look without wasting swipes. Likewise, travelers who want to put their new confidence to the test abroad—especially in the City of Light—can hit up the insider-packed Paris hookups playbook for neighborhood-by-neighborhood bar picks, etiquette tips, and safety cues that will steer you clear of tourist traps and boost your odds of meeting someone fun.
If you try it, treat PSL like salt on fries—use a little, taste often, and stop before it burns your mouth. Honestly, that’s the whole game.