You’re standing in front of the bathroom mirror, and you catch a glimpse of yourself. Your hair is a mess, your clothes are wrinkled, and you have a big zit on your nose. But then you remember that you’re supposed to be getting ready for your date, not picking yourself apart. So you take a deep breath and remind yourself that you’re beautiful, even if you don’t feel like it at the moment.

But then you put yourself together and go on this date. Once your date sees you they look mesmerized and say that you’re the most beautiful person they’ve ever seen. And suddenly, all of your insecurities collapse and you feel confident again. So what are you supposed to say?

A palpable silence starts to insert itself between the two of you and your date is still standing there admiring you and waiting for a response. Should you thank them? Should you downplay it and say that you don’t look good at all? Or should you just ignore it, go with the flow and see where the conversation takes you?

There’s no right or wrong answer, but it can be helpful to have an idea of what to say when someone pays you a compliment or says that you’re beautiful. That way, you won’t be caught off guard and end up saying something that you’ll regret later. So next time someone tells you that you’re beautiful, try one of the options below:

5 Things to say when someone calls you beautiful:

1- Thank them:

When someone calls you beautiful, one of the best things to do is thank them. It might be self-explanatory but even when you’re the most beautiful person alive, not everyone would admit to it. The people who pay you compliments on your looks are obviously trying to be nice, even if you do look incredible.

It’s always nice to hear a compliment and they know it too. Even if you heard a million compliments before, they don’t hesitate to give you a new one to be friendly. So thank them for it!

And even if you don’t believe them, it’s still important to be gracious and grateful for it. Just say something like, “Thank you, that’s really kind of you to say.” It’ll take the pressure off and make the other person feel good too. Trust us, it’s a win-win.

2- Never be rude about it, instead smile at them:

There is nothing worse than complimenting a girl on her looks and having her roll her eyes, so don’t be this rude and entitled person. Unfortunately, it happens more often than not in women’s restrooms in public places. We all heard a similar story or gossip from one of our female friends. And, it’s exactly this type of behavior that would make a beautiful girl look horrendous, instantly.

Whether you’re complimenting a friend on a new haircut or telling your partner that they look nice, it’s always a bummer when your words are met with a cold response. And there’s perhaps no colder response than the good old eye roll. When someone rolls their eyes after you’ve complimented them, it’s pretty clear that they don’t appreciate your words.

Maybe some people do this to prove that they’re used to getting compliments or that they’ve heard it all a billion times before. However, nothing can justify such a dirty attitude. It can make the nice person who complimented them feel foolish and embarrassed as if they’ve said something wrong.

And worst of all, it can make them question whether or not they should bother giving compliments at all. This simple fact could turn them into a bitter and negative person, themselves. So next time you’re tempted to roll your eyes after a compliment, try to remember how it makes the other person feel.

Saying nothing at all and barely smiling at them, is in fact a better option if you really cannot be bothered to socialize or have a very closed-off type of personality.

3- Return the compliment:

When someone calls you beautiful, it’s always a good option to return the compliment. Not only does it make the other person feel good, but it also helps to create a positive atmosphere.

It can be easy to take compliments for granted, but taking the time to return one can really make a difference in someone’s day. You don’t have to believe that they are beautiful, but it is polite to return the gesture. This shows that you appreciate the compliment and that you are confident in your own appearance.

So you can simply say “Thank you. I think it’s a nice shirt you’re wearing.” This is a polite way to acknowledge the compliment without getting into a lengthy conversation about it. So next time someone pays you a compliment, don’t be afraid to return the favor. Chances are, you’ll both end up feeling good about it.

4- Never downplay it:

It can be really nice when someone pays you a compliment, and if they happen to say you’re beautiful, that’s even better. Of course, there are always going to be people who are quick to downplay compliments or seem uncomfortable when receiving them, but in general, it’s always best to just accept them graciously.

Downplaying compliments by saying “Oh, it’s just make-up” or “Ah, it’s this new dress that fits me nicely” can quickly get old. When someone gives you a compliment don’t try to justify it for them, just take it instead.

You’re allowed to be beautiful and whatever tools you used to achieve your look don’t matter. We’re pretty sure that everyone around you made an effort too before coming out that day, even if it’s just by brushing their hair, taking a shower, or putting on perfume.

So simply accept the compliment with a smile or thank the person. You can never go wrong with just saying thank you. If you downplay it, you are essentially saying that the person’s compliment is not valid. But by accepting it, you are acknowledging that what they said is true and that you appreciate hearing it.

So next time someone pays you a compliment, don’t feel the need to justify it for them and downplay it.

5- Don’t fish for more compliments by disagreeing with them:

There’s no need to try and fish for more compliments by disagreeing with the person or acting like you don’t believe them; just say thank you and move on. Everyone knows that getting in an argument or almost a fight about how what they said is not true; can just be an old way to fish for more compliments.

If you need some self-love and to start believing in yourself more; work on it privately. It will be better than pouncing on anyone who tries to give you a compliment and making them justify it for hours. After all, it never hurts to have someone think you’re beautiful, so why not just enjoy it?

Plus, the more you try to get people to confirm how beautiful you are, the more shallow and self-centered you will seem. And at the end of the day, it’s much more important to be a good person than to be a beautiful person. So just say thank you, and don’t worry about it too much.