Cross-Cultural Study of Facial Beauty

Abstract

This research studies proportionality, thinness and smooth skin as cross cultural facial beauty attributes. Participants (N =450; males = 216, females = 234) were college students from three cultural areas: Mozambique (N = 150), Brazil (N = 150) and France (N = 150). They evaluated 25 facial images from real people of a mixed-race background (descendants of White and Black: all young females 18–24 years) for proportionality, thinness and smooth skin. The results show agreement between Mozambicans and Brazilians on the salience of proportionality and breadth of face as beauty attributes. The French participants were different in preferring a thinner face profile as a beauty quality.