Like the other parts of the human body, the nose can be observed for specific gestures that can give you an idea of what a person is experiencing at a certain moment.
Some of the most common reactions the nose exhibits that you should carefully take note of are:
- Flared: If you see someone coming towards your direction with his or her nostrils seemingly widened then it is likely that that individual would be confronting you. On the other hand, if you see your supervisor with his or her nostrils widening while over the phone then it is best for you not to bother him or her. When nostrils widen, it allows more air to be breathed in and out and is a sign that the body is preparing itself for an unpleasant confrontation. This can also be interpreted as the person contemplating about something and about to make a judgment.
- Wrinkled: The nose wrinkles when it detects an unpleasant odor or even to express distaste on something both physically or metaphorically. You would usually see this expression while watching people playing card games that drew or were dealt with bad cards. This can also be interpreted as the other person not being happy with the ideas he or she has. This gesture appears when there is an upward push coming from the mouth, pushing of the cheeks or a pulling from the top.
- Sniffing and Touching: This gesture can usually be observed when the temperature’s cold or when a person is sick. This can also be a body language expressing distaste toward a thought or literal odor and may show on one side of the nose, paired with a twitching mouth. This is also sometimes complimented by touching which may be interpreted as a behavior of someone who is lying. Keep in mind that when a person lies, his or her blood vessels located in the nose dilate which makes the nose swell and red which tends to irritate the nose and ultimately, the person.