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Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast

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Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast. / Ward, R.A.; Jones, A.L.; Russell, R. et al.
In: Evolutionary Psychology, Vol. 13, No. 1, 01.01.2015, p. 210-229.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

HarvardHarvard

Ward, RA, Jones, AL, Russell, R & Ward, R 2015, 'Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast', Evolutionary Psychology, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 210-229.

APA

Ward, R. A., Jones, A. L., Russell, R., & Ward, R. (2015). Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast. Evolutionary Psychology, 13(1), 210-229.

CBE

Ward RA, Jones AL, Russell R, Ward R. 2015. Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast. Evolutionary Psychology. 13(1):210-229.

MLA

Ward, R.A. et al. "Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast". Evolutionary Psychology. 2015, 13(1). 210-229.

VancouverVancouver

Ward RA, Jones AL, Russell R, Ward R. Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast. Evolutionary Psychology. 2015 Jan 1;13(1):210-229.

Author

Ward, R.A. ; Jones, A.L. ; Russell, R. et al. / Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast. In: Evolutionary Psychology. 2015 ; Vol. 13, No. 1. pp. 210-229.

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast

AU - Ward, R.A.

AU - Jones, A.L.

AU - Russell, R.

AU - Ward, R.

PY - 2015/1/1

Y1 - 2015/1/1

N2 - The use of cosmetics by women seems to consistently increase their attractiveness. What factors of attractiveness do cosmetics alter to achieve this ? Facial contrast is a known cue to sexual dimorphism and youth, and cosmetics exaggerate sexual dimorphisms in facial contrast. Here, we demonstrate that the luminance contrast pattern of the eyes and eyebrows is consistently sexually dimorphic across a large sample of faces, with females possessing lower brow contrasts than males, and greater eye contrast than males. Red-green and yellow-blue color contrasts were not found to differ consistently between the sexes. We also show that women use cosmetics not only to exaggerate sexual dimorphisms of brow and eye contrasts, but also to increase contrasts that decline with age. These findings refine the notion of facial contrast, and demonstrate how cosmetics can increase attractiveness by manipulating factors of beauty associated with facial contrast.

AB - The use of cosmetics by women seems to consistently increase their attractiveness. What factors of attractiveness do cosmetics alter to achieve this ? Facial contrast is a known cue to sexual dimorphism and youth, and cosmetics exaggerate sexual dimorphisms in facial contrast. Here, we demonstrate that the luminance contrast pattern of the eyes and eyebrows is consistently sexually dimorphic across a large sample of faces, with females possessing lower brow contrasts than males, and greater eye contrast than males. Red-green and yellow-blue color contrasts were not found to differ consistently between the sexes. We also show that women use cosmetics not only to exaggerate sexual dimorphisms of brow and eye contrasts, but also to increase contrasts that decline with age. These findings refine the notion of facial contrast, and demonstrate how cosmetics can increase attractiveness by manipulating factors of beauty associated with facial contrast.

M3 - Article

VL - 13

SP - 210

EP - 229

JO - Evolutionary Psychology

JF - Evolutionary Psychology

SN - 1474-7049

IS - 1

ER -