A Beautiful Guide to Faces

Although beauty is often culturally defined, there are still a few hallmarks of beautiful faces that tend to extend across widely different groups. For one, symmetry is a prized ideal. Human beings tend to be more drawn to faces that are symmetrical because they indicate better fertility. There are also certain ratios and distances between particular features that add up to a more beautiful face. By using advanced computer mapping systems, experts have singled out movie star George Clooney for having an almost perfect mug. The dimensions between his lips and nose are ideal, as is the spacing on almost every other area of his face.

The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians All Knew It

When one looks at the ancient statues from Greece and Rome, it is easy to spot examples of the Golden Mean Ratio. The Golden Mean Ratio is a formula that uses pi to use a sort of beauty mask. When one uses a computer program to put the mask over these faces, it is easy to see how quickly they conform. Not to be outdone by their European neighbors, Egyptian artists also adhered to these standards of facial beauty when creating pieces. The Nefertiti Bust, purportedly from the year 1345 BCE, is extremely close to the Golden Mean Ratio. Nefertiti, the mother of the famous King Tut, was renowned as one of the greatest beauties of her time.

How to Fake a Perfect Face

Of course, not everyone is as genetically blessed as Clooney and other super symmetrical stars such as supermodel Christy Turlington. Luckily, there is a lot that can be done for those who find themselves lacking. First, makeup can go a long way in creating the perfect pout and emphasizing smaller eyes. The contouring trend — designed to help people mimic high cheekbones — is just one example of a low-cost way to artificially paint the perfect face. In this case, highlighter and a deep bronze color are used to play up certain features while putting others in the backdrop.

The Eyes Have It

A perfectly sculpted set of eyebrows can also help to make a face appear more beautiful. Framing the features, they are very important. Also, they are one feature that changes according to the current style. Between the mid-1990s and now, for instance, the style has grown considerably thicker. Interestingly enough, reality star Kim Kardashian's eyebrows have been hailed as some of the most appealing brows in the world. Does that mean you should get a brow lamination kit? Of course, there are also more permanent "hacks" one can make to acquire the perfect features. When looking at before and after pictures of celebrities, it is often somewhat easy to spot cosmetic enhancements that have been made.

Humans Simply Can’t Help Staring at Faces

Scientific research has proven that even very small babies are obsessed with looking at faces. Furthermore, they will stare at attractive faces longer, thus leading researchers to believe that interest in attractive faces is very deeply ingrained in human beings. Similarly, when people see a facial deformity on someone for the first time, they will also have an almost involuntary reaction. The brain’s obsession with faces is so intense that people even will sometimes see faces where they don’t exist; this phenomenon is called pareidolia. It’s what accounts for people seeing faces in a passing cloud, a slice of toast, or even on Mars. As technology continues to evolve, there are even filters that can help people to look more attractive based upon the universal markers. Through the search for beauty, human beings can learn a lot more about themselves.