The Underlying Science Behind Your Beauty

The Underlying Science Behind Your Beauty 
by Michael Doorey (Guest Author - FIT Major in Fragrance and Cosmetics) & Dr. Shamil.

Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to certain individuals? Why you find some faces more pleasing than others? For the longest time, it was thought that attractiveness was purely arbitrary. However, research has suggested that the answer to who we find attractive and why is found on a much deeper, evolutionary level.

Of course, it is true that there is beauty in diversity, and that people find may find unsuspecting individuals attractive, but there is usually reasoning behind it. This reasoning also often goes on unnoticed and works on a subconscious level. This leads us to believe that there are some general agreements about beauty that withstand time and culture. In general, people prefer average faces. This isn’t to say that we prefer faces that are just “alright”, but that we prefer faces that genetically follow common patterns. This average of faces is found attractive due to its familiarity. People tend to be drawn to things that they are more accustomed to. As we grow more familiar with something or someone, we are less apprehensive and find security in what is already known.



Probably the most well supported reasoning for innate attraction is symmetry of the facial features. Research scientists have found that newborn babies prefer to look at attractive faces with a great level of symmetry, suggesting that face recognition and appreciation is hardwired at birth, rather than learned. This is proof that attractiveness is not in the eye of the beholder, it’s innate to a newborn infant. Symmetry is linked to like-ability and agreeableness, which may be why more symmetrical people find making friends or keeping a job easier. Symmetry is also related to your perceived health and overall well-being. The ability to distinguish symmetry from a group of people was used by our ancestors, and many animals still today including us, to determine genetic quality and developmental stability. This knowledge is then further considered when thinking about wanting to conceive children with the best genetic disposition regarding health and wellness.



On another subconscious level, beauty and attractiveness are also related to the reward system of our brain. Like how when you eat a slice of cake, you experience the pleasant taste and overall nice feeling. In this case, your brain in rewarding you with a release of dopamine for finding a food source with immediate energy potential, namely the sugar. Similarly, when you catch sight of someone you find attractive, your brain also releases dopamine. This is your brains way of signaling to you that you have found a potential mate. This reward system in relation to the beauty we find in faces reinforces behaviors that are evolutionary beneficial for our species.

The science behind beauty as suspected goes much further beyond just our facial features. It’s the overall appearance that gives us signals of what makes up an attractive person. For example, fuller, lighter colored hair is perceived as youthfulness and vitality. Having prominent facial hair, for men, signifies adequate testosterone levels and strength. As for the body, good posture tells us how a person carries himself or herself and reflects their physical ability and confidence. Body mass index is important when considering how proportionate someone is and tells us how well he or she looks after their body.

It may seem that many of these ideas are not relevant or don’t hold substantial weight in modern society, where we have more complex relationships with each other. However, we still search for these common traits among people, which determine almost immediately how we feel about them, and whether we wish to get close to them in an intimate sense, or as a partnership where we offer each other something beneficial. As evidence, we have figured out ways to enhance the perception that we are healthier, more symmetric, and well proportioned.



We cheat the system, so to speak, through cosmetics, style, and through treatments. Cosmetics can give a healthier looking complexion, boost the look of symmetry, help you to remain looking youthful. With your style, you can give others the perception that you’re taller, thinner and well groomed. Cosmetic treatments and surgeries are also becoming widely popular. This is a way to physically alter your appearance to achieve symmetry, however the genes containing your original features are still passed on. The only way to truly project an image of overall well-being is to live a balanced life with choices that are beneficial to your body. If you treat your body well, it will continue to treat you well.


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