Writing physical appearances realistically

No person in the history of ever has stood in front of the mirror and categorically gone over their physical features. When I look at my reflection I don't think "My curly golden brown hair framed my face like a crown and big hazel eyes blinked. I had two twin freckles making their own happy pattern across my cheek, leading down to where my full lips were curved into a smile."

YEAH RIGHT.

It's normally a little more like this. "Yikes, why do I still look like this?" or "Oh lovely, a new pimple." I'm not saying that we don't notice our good features. But to have a character just talk about their own body or face seems off.

There are a few different ways you can portray appearances realistically. These tips are what I find most useful to remember.

1. Self-perception is huge if a character is describing their own physical appearance. Let's use the picture from above again and let's call her Rebekah. Rebekah is obviously super cute and has beautiful eyes. But Rebekah might not see herself that way. She might think those smile lines around her cheeks make her look old rather than happy. Rebekah might not notice how pretty her eyes are. Take those factors into account when you have a character describe themselves.

2. It comes off as more natural when another character describes a physical feature on someone else since they are the one actually looking at it. What would someone else notice about your character? These descriptions should be relatively fleeting unless the observer is interested in our character in a romantic/physical way. Be realistic. How often do you just sit and examine someone else's appearance?

3. The reader doesn't need to know every feature all at once. You can work those physically features in when they occur naturally throughout the story. In reference to the photo above, you could say something like, "Rebekah brushed the bangs away from her eyes, trying to get a better view of what was on the road in front of her." That's more natural than telling us out of context that Rebekah has bangs the first time she's introduced into your story.

There you have it! Best of luck as you endeavor to create more interesting and realistic characters.