Haha yeah it could look like it was some OTT liquify xD .. but yus, thank you, I;m glad oyu like it :)

It’s two images :) ... *slowest reply ever* .. I prefered the face in the more direct image, I combine and match where needed :)

It is technically a manipulation by semantics. I’d counter by saying that as a photographer this is not what most would in anyway consider clean up, slight grading and some other processing as manipulation.