I read about this once a long time ago and thought it was interesting. After reading the article, I did notice that most celebrities had symmetrical facial features. In reality however, I don't tend to notice a person's symmetry.

I gathered (although the article didn't really say this) that you only notice symmetry subconsciously. I don't think you can really look at a person and determine whether or not their face is symmetrical.

Double Post:
This is hilarious. My daughter made these for me in Photoshop. This first picture is the original (unphotoshopped) picture.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...land/face1.jpg


Here's one using only the right side of my face:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4.../rightside.jpg

And here's one using only the left side of my face:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...d/leftside.jpg

This is pretty hilarious. I hope more people do this. Anyway, apparently I'm not one of the "beautiful people." Damn you and your symmetry, Denzel!

Your face is pretty...


...uh, symmetrical. Yeah. >_>.

Alice, I still think you're hawt, unsymmetrical and all.

And I think this study about symmetry is a bunch of crock. I mean, they've changed their opinion on coffee being good or bad, so why not this?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I've heard of the whole symmetry thing before, but too much symmetry (as can be seen) doesn't settle with the brain well.

Aside from a stray mark through my right eyebrow and a broken nose (not very noticeable, but I can fit four quarters up my right nostril and only three up left), I don't really have de-balancing marks, blemishing, scars, or lumps on my face--even with a shaven head (see my profile pic; lumps like to hide in there sometimes...)

If your opinions are strong enough (and let's face it most peoples are) then these would probably be more of an influence on attractiveness than facial symmetry alone. However, the research does make sense, despite being imperceptible to most people on a concious level.

There have also been studies (oft repeated and proven) that show women will, given the chance, pick a man most genetically dissimilar to themselves based on the odour of their sweat, which chemically indicates the genetic makeup of the individual. She'd pick someone of different genetics in order for his DNA to fill any gaps in the defences of her own immune system, so any offspring would develop better defences, having 'more bases covered' so to speak.

Of course, most guys would wear an artificial scent that masked this, but I can see how there could be some truth in the research and the reasons why.

So that's what I've been looking for all this time.

I'd think twice before dismissing this article off-hand. Sure, sure; "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," and whatnot, but let's be honest -one could do worse than look symmetrical.

On the other hand, the article does contain one obvious flaw. While symmetry may be important, it can only take second place, at best. Because we all know what really makes people attractive.

And that's red hair.

I'm gonna have to agree with Moth. People with red hair are about a million times hotter than people without red hair.

I heard this claim a few years ago when I first starting going to college, studying photography and composition, the rule of thirds, etc etc etc etc......
At the time I just accepted it as a fun fact and filed it away in my brain with the other information that I accept as "true without need for evidence". And that was that for a long time. Sure, every so often I'd see a pretty girl and notice her symmetry, or see an actor and notice his.

But then I started to do some reading into The Golden Ratio last year after my friend mentioned it. Even though I was familiar with it and its "mathematical symmetry" from an algebra class years past, I was intrigued. So I looked into its real-world examples and noticed that almost every single thing that looks "good" is built upon the Ratio. For instance, the best photographs are composed with different objects in the foreground and background aligning to the Ratio within the frame.

It's pretty interesting stuff if you want to look into it, just check out a mathematics encyclopedia, or even wikipedia, and you'll get an idea of how practical it is. It ain't called "The Divine Proportion" for nothin. Hyuck. :cow:


PS - I like how Sass' pic is photoshopped. lolz

An interesting read, brought up some neat points.