History Main / GlamourFailure

* In ''Anime/FateGrandOrderAbsoluteDemonicFrontBabylonia'', the goddess Ereshkigal takes over the goddess Ishtar's body at night. She pretends to be Ishtar to learn about the main character. However, when she sneezes her true appearance can be temporarily seen.

* ''TabletopGame/GURPSBanestorm'' features occurrences of the trope:
** The [[spoiler:Emperor of Megalos]] is actually a shape-shifting [[spoiler:demon]], who occasionally suffers minor lapses of concentration leading to brief displays of inhuman features. His horrific personal behavior may be a bigger clue to the truth.
** Vampires on ''Banestorm'''s world of Yrth have a clutch of standard vampire flaws (a dread of running water, no body heat and a deathly pallor, vulnerability to sunlight), but can pass as human if they can hide these. One vampire mage, [[spoiler:Lord Claudius Maskill]], has achieved a position of political power using social skills and magic, but is in danger of being exposed by his vampire features, and at least one of his mind-controlled victims is going inconveniently insane under the strain.
** "Medusas" in the setting appear to be female humans (or occasionally elves or orcs), but with a mass of serpents instead of hair, which can be concealed with difficulty.

* ''ComicBook/ArchiesSonicTheHedgehog'' has an example in Dr. Eggman -- specifically, Dr. Robotnik as he appeared from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' onwards. He is actually a seperate and distinct being from the original Dr. Robotnik, and was originally known as "Robo-Robotnik", with his ''Adventure'' appearance being refered to as "Robo-Robotnik [=v2.0=]". Outwardly, he appears like any other [[HumanAliens Outlander]]. Beneath his opaque glasses, however, are the one tell that he is [[RoboticReveal actually a highly advanced robot]]: his [[ElectronicEyes Electronic]] BlackEyesOfCrazy with [[RedEyesTakeWarning menacing red irises]].

* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': Jasmine has a NightmareFuel face (rotten, giant eye-sockets crawling with maggots) that is only visible to [[spoiler:those inoculated with her blood]] as well as [[spoiler:her father, Connor]].

* In ''Webcomic/YokokasQuest'', Copycat chooses to [[MorphicResonance retains his purple eyes]] when copying another person's appearance. Mao [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-5-page-20/ recognized who Copycat was]] from his purple eyes, and [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-5-page-42/ identified that someone wasn't Copycat]] (who Copycat [[VoluntaryShapeshifting had previously mimicked]]) from his lack of purple eyes.

* In ''Webcomic/YokokasQuest'', Copycat always [[MorphicResonance retains his purple eyes]] when copying another person's appearance. Mao [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-5-page-20/ recognized who Copycat was]] from his purple eyes, and [[https://yokokasquest.com/comic/chapter-5-page-42/ identified that someone wasn't Copycat]] (who Copycat [[VoluntaryShapeshifting had previously mimicked]]) from his lack of purple eyes.

** Nobody notices it but in Chrysalis's first appearance where she is disguised as Cadance, her horn glows the wrong color when using magic and just before she imprisons Twilight underground her eyes glow green.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', anything Aku transforms into has the same black/green/red color scheme he does, and his true form shows up in reflections. He managed to disguise himself as a beautiful woman and fooled Jack in one episode, after which Jack stayed alert; a second attempt at masquerade led to Aku being totally outmaneuvered.

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'': Beast Boy retains his green color when changing into other animals. This would make infiltration difficult.

* Cole in ''Series/{{Tracker}}'' could sense the life force of another alien if they were close enough. Varied with hybrids, though, Mel was part Cirronian but though Cole seemed to have suspected, he couldn't pick up on her life force. Also could be impaired if he was too close to lodestone.

** The T-1000 in ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' could imitate anything it touched, within certain limitations. However, when it's too hot, its mimicking technology got a bit... twitchy. Beyond that, your only clues are his precise movements and a BluffTheImpostor moment when he's imitating John's foster mother. The dog trick works on the T-1000 as well. Probably because it can imitate shape but not smell.

* ''Fanfic/AfterTheFallMiraculousLadybug'' has a mundane variant: after Weredad [[ForWantOfANail exposes Adrien as Chat Noir]], Adrien's worldview is completely shattered. As he's thinking over everything, he realizes who ''Ladybug'' is, and proceeds to deduce the identities of all the other Miraculous holders. [[spoiler:Including that Papillion [[ArchnemesisDad is his father]].]]

*** In addition, wizards get an ability called the Sight, or the Third Eye, which allows them to see the true nature of whatever they are looking at, cutting through all illusion and glamour. However, you can never ever forget what you see with the Sight, and some of the things so seen can really screw with your mind. In one case, Harry takes a look at a particularly nasty critter, and its true form is so horrid that it gives him pause whenever it comes to mind up to three books later.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': The Dark Eldar use strange technology to appear youthful and [[EvilIsSexy sexy]] to the majority of beings, but it doesn't work on [[PsychicPowers psykers]] and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent daemons]]. To them, the Dark Eldar appear in their true forms, as hideous, rotting corpse-like monsters.

* [[EyesNeverLie Unusual eyes]]: Red, pink, purple, or yellow-colored eyes, AnimalEyes or [[HellishPupils vertical pupils]].

** In "End of Days" Dean gets an EleventhHourSuperpower; given that he's hours from being dragged into Hell, he can now see a demon's NightmareFace even when they're possessing a human. [[spoiler:Lilith cleverly gets around this by possessing Ruby's host (kicking Ruby back to Hell in the process), since Dean can't tell the difference between one demonic face and another. By the time he ''does'' figure it out, it's too late.]]

* In Myth/NorseMythology, Odin gave up one of his eyes for wisdom. He usually is unable to fully conceal this.