| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kathryn |
Posted - 11/03/2005 : 04:04:46
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4396230.stm
Women with high levels of the sex hormone oestrogen have prettier faces, research suggests.
The findings make evolutionary sense - men are attracted to the most fertile women, the University of St Andrews team told a Royal Society journal.
Oestrogen levels during puberty can impact on appearance by affecting bone growth and skin texture, they said.
But make-up masks this effect, allowing less attractive women to compensate for their lack of natural mating cues.
The team of psychologists at the University's Perception Lab photographed 59 young women's faces aged between 18 and 25 and analysed their sex hormone levels.
They then asked 30 volunteers - 15 male and 15 female - to rate the faces according to attractiveness.
Both male and female volunteers rated the faces of the women with the highest hormone levels as the most attractive.
These faces tended to have classically feminine features, such as larger eyes and lips and smaller noses and jaws.
However, when the women in the photographs were wearing make-up, no relationship between attractiveness and oestrogen was found.
The researchers believe that, while make-up improves facial appearance, it may be masking cues normally seen in the face.
Head of the study, Miriam Law Smith, said: "Women are effectively advertising their general fertility with their faces.
"Make-up can improve appearance across the board, but it will obviously help people who are less attractive more."
For example, eye make-up can be used to make the eyes appear bigger and foundation can make the skin look clearer.
"Our findings could explain why men universally seem to prefer feminine women's faces.
"In evolutionary terms, it makes sense for men to favour feminine fertile women - those that did would have had more babies," she added.
Dr Tony Little, a lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Liverpool, said: "It's a very interesting study.
"The findings make sense. There are clear benefits to choosing particular types of female faces. Oestrogen is related to fertility.
"The findings about make-up are also interesting. The implication is that women are employing a deceptive strategy. They can fool the male visual system with make-up."
He said his studies with co-worker Craig Roberts showed female attractiveness also fluctuated throughout the menstrual cycle, peaking at a woman's most fertile days.
When we walked through Little Italy I saw my reflection come right off your face
I paint pictures to remember, you're too beautiful to put into words
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| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| kathryn |
Posted - 11/04/2005 : 13:23:12
quote:
Originally posted by Cult_Of_Frank
And my hat is off to Jediroller for funniest comment of the day (sorry other conteders).
 "Join the Cult of Frank / And you'll be enlightened"
Dean, you are so right. It's the day's second-best post, after this gem by Carolyn, who we can all agree is very atrractive and sometimes hormonal woman:
http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14851
When we walked through Little Italy I saw my reflection come right off your face
I paint pictures to remember, you're too beautiful to put into words
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| Cult_Of_Frank |
Posted - 11/04/2005 : 12:47:01
And my hat is off to Jediroller for funniest comment of the day (sorry other conteders).
"Join the Cult of Frank / And you'll be enlightened" |
| VoVat |
Posted - 11/04/2005 : 10:42:18
So you're advising that women spread beer on their faces? That's stupid!
"If you doze much longer, then life turns to dreaming. If you doze much longer, then dreams turn to nightmares." |
| Superabounder |
Posted - 11/03/2005 : 21:51:27
quote:
Originally posted by kathryn
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4396230.stm
"The findings about make-up are also interesting. The implication is that women are employing a deceptive strategy. They can fool the male visual system with make-up."
And beer. Beer is 10 times more effective than make-up.
I tend to think of human beings as huge rubbery test tubes, too, with chemical reactions seething inside |
| danjersey |
Posted - 11/03/2005 : 19:41:28
i think the atraction is more to do with scent. |
| jediroller |
Posted - 11/03/2005 : 04:20:03
So we're supposed to look at the face now?
"Quit shouting those rerun songs at me! I'm doing what I want to do, and I don't care what you think you need!
—Play that song 'Jesus is the Answer'!
—Come up here on stage and play with my balls."
--Wesley Willis Vs. a Fan |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 11/03/2005 : 04:09:27
Drink more soy milk, ladies.
 I have joined the Cult Of Frank/And I have dearly paid |
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