beauty

This is what the “most beautiful” male and female faces look like.

Image via iStock.

In case you were wondering what the most universally attractive face looks like, scientists have spent countless hours researching to determine this important fact.

A very worthy study led by Kent University’s Dr Chris Solomon used a software program (one that’s normally used to draw up e-pictures of wanted criminals) to map out the facial features of men and women that we find the most attractive.

Over two months, they analysed different hairlines, nose length and width, thickness of lips and more and had the results rated on attractiveness by 100 people.

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The researchers were then able to piece together composite pictures showing the most universally attractive faces of men and women. Behold: these are the most ridiculously good looking people staring back at you, according to science.

The ideal faces (according to those living in the UK)

 

Dr Solomon and his team (who were commissioned to do the research by Samsung) found that we prefer “sexier” looking women and “masculine” looking men.

Surprised?

“For the male face of beauty, women drew a more feminine face than men - women rate a softer jaw-line, slimmer face, fuller lips and clean-shaven look as the most attractive, compared to the more masculine appearance that is considered the most attractive by men,” he explained.

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“Interestingly, for the female face of beauty women rated a sexier appearance as the most beautiful than their male counterparts - women perceived fuller lips, a slimmer face, larger eyes and higher cheekbones as the most beautiful, more so than the male population.” (Post continues after gallery.)

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What’s a little concerning here is the fact that the man's face looks completely natural, whereas the woman’s face is clearly made-up. It looks as though she's applied blush, brow pencil and a smokey eye.

Are we to believe that women aren’t able to be deemed universally attractive without a full face of makeup on? Ugh.

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The lack of diversity in the pictures is also worrying, but Dr Solomon says there’s a reason for this:

“It's important to note that these are the idealised faces according to those living in the UK, so a study in Asia or Africa for example would no doubt have different results.”

Apparently actress Natalie Portman and model David Gandy are the closest embodiments of the most beautiful faces. We’ll stick our idea that women and men of all shapes and sizes (and nose widths) are beautiful, thanks.

Do you think there’s any truth to this study?

Check out some of The Glow team's favourite body image quotes from some celebs we love:

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