I just upgraded to a brand new computer, so I wanted to revamp my Skyrim game with the best mods my new rig can handle. Naturally, after vanilla-ing my game and installing some choice ENB mods, I wanted to overhaul my characters to look as realistic as possible. I’ve been using the same face texture mods for over a year and I decided to explore all the other mods out there – here is a comparison (from best to worst) of all the face texture mods I tried:
TL:DR; The best female face texture mod IMHO is SG Female Face Textures Renewal!
+Bodies, Face, Hairseparator +Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Enhancer -CBBE-+High Poly Head SE +Feminine Khajiit Textures (Grey Cat and Leopard) CBBE +Feminine Argonian Textures (Chameleon and Lizard) CBBE +CBBE 3BBB +DemoniacTexture +Schlongs of Skyrim SE +BakaFactory Animated Beasts co*cks +Tempered Skins for Males - SOS Full Version. Jan 14, 2017 I'm using CBBE curvy and I'm trying to get the fair skin complexion texture on all female bodies. It is the best texture I have found to use with the Bijin mods to minimize the neck seams. Here's my problem: All of the females from 'Bijin Wives' have the correct texture (fair skin complexion) but do NOT have the 3d animated vagin*.
*All the following photos are taken in the same location/lighting using a modified version of the Poupouri Morning Star ENB (less saturated, more sub-surface scattering). All the face settings for the character are exactly the same in each photo.
Vanilla Skyrim female face texture [rating: 1/10]
As you can see, the vanilla Skyrim female face texture is a little (lot) haggard. There are some weird coloring issues, like the dark rings around the eyes and the white ring around the mouth. The lips are just one pale mess with no amount of dimension. All in all, not very cute.
SG Female Face Textures Renewal [rating: 10/10]
This is my personal favorite – I like that the eye area is a little brighter, giving my character a fresh and awake look. I also like the lip texture, which has just the right amount of gloss. My only complaint is that the skin is a little too flawless, but that can be easily “corrected” with some dirt/scar overlays.
Real Girls Realistic Body Texture for UNP [rating: 9/10]
This mod gets a close second place rating from me. It looks very fresh and clean. If you’re into the no makeup look, this is a great mod option. The only thing I don’t love is that the skin texture has some red undertones that look weird with my ENB (but it may not be a problem if you’re not using an ENB).
Women of Skyrim [rating: 8/10]
Here’s another texture mod that I think is great. The baseline eyeliner is a bit too dark for my taste, but I like the baseline lip color especially the matte quality that it has. The skin texture itself looks pretty realistic as well, with visible pores and fine lines.
Coverwomen [rating 5/10]
Skyrim Cbbe Face Textures Mod
There are 4 different version of the Coverwomen mod and I tried them all. I thought the eyes were a little too mascara-y and the lips were too pale. The mod made my characters all look like they were wearing glittery stripper makeup, except for version 4 of Coverwomen, which made my character look washed out and eye baggy.
Mature Skin Texture and Body [rating 5/10]
I used the “young” version of this skin texture on my character and it made her face look really saggy. I will say, the skin texture itself looks realistic, so if you’re making an older character, it could work really well for you. But, I don’t recommend using the “young” setting to make a “young” character.
Skyrim Cbbe Body Textures
Better Females by Bella [rating 4/10]
I tried both the standard v3 version of this mod and the no makeup version. As you can see, the standard version’s makeup is super intense. I don’t love it – she looks like a drag queen Barbie doll. The “no makeup” version is slightly better, but the lips are still weirdly shiny and there’s too much glitter going on for my taste.
Univision Face [rating: 4/10]
This texture is way too smooth and plasticky for me. The nose shadow in particular is very slight, so it gives my character a one-dimensional Voldemort-like look. This texture could be good if you’re looking to make a very CGI/anime looking character, but it’s not very realistic.
Ok, hope you guys found that comparison helpful! I know everyone has their own taste, so try not to take offense at my opinions – if you have other thoughts, feel free to share in comments. Also, read my post on more realistic male face textures ;)
