Defining Beauty: Symmetry

Bb. Pilipinas 2008 - Judge at Mr. and Ms. Gensan 2010
Tuna Festival - General Santos City

Everybody wants to be beautiful.

Regardless of what they say, one wants to have a pleasant appeal to other people they interact with.  Although some are quite obsessed to wanting to have the perfect face, most of us are quite contented with having a face to flaunt without the chance of traumatizing someone -- be it us or the nosy bystander.  

But before we yank beauty products and go to hair salons, it is essential to understand, what makes one beautiful.  And no, it's not the make up, it's not the glossy shimmer, nor is it the inner glow of goodness pouring out of us (but that is an extra point in our character *smiles).  

Beauty must be understood as something beyond make up and clothes.  

The Ancient greeks somewhat grappled on this as they celebrate beauty and even basked in their intoxication of this.  Remember Helen of Troy? She was not celebrated for her kindness nor generosity...not even for her intellect, but the greeks put up toasts on her physical beauty (they often refer to as perfection) that would put our most extravagant parties to shame.

But the question is...what makes her so beautiful?

Plato wrote an answer to this conundrum -- the golden proportions.

"The width of an ideal face would be 2/3 its length, while a nose would be no longer than the distance between the eyes."

It's proper to give credence to the Greeks' attempt to find the fundamental proportions of beauty --but this is only partially correct.  Modern Science has given a proper name to what the greeks are looking for -- SYMMETRY -- but not merely with proportions but with similarity between left and right.

Notice how you look weird if your eyebrows are not of the same shape or if your brows are arched differently.  So scrap the "beauty is in the eye of the beholder crap".  Symmetry is actually what we are looking for when we look at other people.  Symmetry is the factor that makes one attractive regardless of how they are dressed or made up.  Symmetry is that one thing we are attracted to but cannot point our finger at because it is something that is not blatantly and screamingly obvious even if it is one of the fundamental defining factors that shapes one's looks.  Studies shows that babies stare most at faces of symmetric individuals.

According to a University of Louisville study, when shown pictures of different individuals, Asians, Latinos, and whites from 13 different countries all had the same general preferences when rating others as attractive -- that is those that are the most symmetric. - Charles Feng

What does this tell us? 

Before picking the right color pallete, the correct foundation, look in the mirror first and find what is not balanced in your face.  Check if your eyebrows are arched correctly and most importantly, arched similarly.  Check your cheekbones if one is higher than the other and learn how to put on blush or bronzer that will create an effect of a more symmetrical face  Your nose, your lips, your teeth... and invest in beauty products that will help you put these in symmetry.

Find a hairstyle that complements your facial bone structure.  Choose a shade of lipstick that will not overpower your eyes if you have a strong pair.  Learn how to put on make up that is complimentary.  Figure out what is more symmetrical in your face and accentuate it.

Beauty in ancient times have also been associated with balance.  And the "symmetry research" asserts this belief.  You must learn to find your balance.  So you have to be careful.

Do not over-correct your face, or you would end up looking even more weird.

I'm not saying that you hop in on the next surgical safari.

Symmetry creates balance and defines beauty but little imperfections create personality.  A little askew here and there will not make you ugly...so don't obsessed with having the perfect face...remember, the greeks are only partially correct.  Symmetry is one of the crucial foundations of being attractive...but does not define the totality of beauty.

Build your beauty regimen and experiment with what you have rather than treat make up like painting on a blank canvass.  Your face has it all...all you have to do, as they say in jewelry making, is embellish it.  Stop looking for what is not in your face, but rather try to enhance the good and accentuate your facial assets.

A stubby nose is not inferior to a long one, an almond pair of eyes is not more beautiful than the chinky pair.  Thin lips is as good as the pouty ones.  Work with what you have and you would be surprise to find that you posses something no one else has.

So what do you do now?

I'd say, start on shaping your eyebrow correctly and work on your skin.  Pimples and blemishes create distracting points and accents destroying your natural facial balance.  Notice how your face lights up after your eyebrows are shaped correctly and how glowing you seem to look after you've gotten rid of your blemishes. 

Oh...and raise that chin a little bit...and don't forget to smile sometimes.  Being beautiful starts with feeling beautiful.