A portrait made with care does not need to flatter every feature.

Flattery and attention are not the same offering, and people can tell which one they received. A picture that softens everything says the maker was worried about your reaction; a picture that looks closely, including at what is uneven, says they found the whole face worth studying. The second is warmer even when it is less pretty. Care shows up as accuracy rather than improvement.

This applies well beyond pictures. When you describe someone, resist smoothing them into a compliment, and say the specific thing you have noticed. Most people would rather be seen properly than be told they are wonderful in a way that could apply to anyone.