Why Do We Perceive Certain People as Beautiful?

By Caroline Lee

Beauty, although greatly subjective, exists within surprisingly consistent boundaries in many societies. Beauty standards have constantly changed throughout humanity, varying between cultures and eras but still consist of many common desired features. I deeply resonate with the idea that inner beauty holds deeper value than outward appearance. Yet, as humans, we adore beautiful things to the point where it can alter our well being and many of our daily life decisions, often more than we realise.This raises an important question: how are beauty standards formed, and why do certain traits continue to be seen as beautiful throughout time?

   In order to understand how beauty standards are set, we first have to analyze our current beauty standards. For a female, clear skin, symmetrical facial features, a youthful appearance, fit and proportional body, shiny hair, good posture, and curviness are seen as attractive globally. While an attractive male similarly requires traits like clear skin, facial symmetry, athletic build, youthful appearance,  broad shoulders, height, and a good posture. Moreover, according to the national library of medicine, body dissatisfaction was higher in women than in men suggesting that female beauty standards are more rigid, bearing more weight over how they are perceived in comparison to males.

 Symmetry has always been a highly desired trait for humans which can be seen from prehistoric handaxes, Greek architectures, and artworks all around the world.  A study conducted by the Berlin Institute of Technology, suggests that this has to do with the millions of years humans have survived due to symmetrical things and our appreciation towards it. In nature, plants, animals, and even trees often exhibit symmetrical patterns, which humans have historically associated with nourishment and vitality. This consistent exposure may have conditioned our brains to associate symmetry with positive emotions and survival. Therefore, the attraction towards symmetry could have first formed from simple pattern recognition millions of years ago. Furthermore, there are numerous studies that show the correlation of a symmetrical face to fertility. The Evolution and Human Behavior journal published research about how women with more symmetrical facial features had, on average, 13% higher levels of estradiol (female sex hormone) indicating greater fertility.  

   Our skin, being the largest organ of the human body, is a visible indicator of our body’s health condition. Having clear skin often connects to youth, good hygiene, and fertility, which are subconsciously linked to survival and reproduction. Other traits like fit body, height, curviness, and good posture all have relations to the health and reproductive strength of individuals, further explaining our instinctive attraction to them. Over generations, humans who preferred traits linked to higher fertility were more likely to produce offspring, gradually passing down these preferences within our species. Ultimately embedding them into our modern beauty standards.

     Nevertheless, there are currently some questionable beauty standards in our society. A main example of this would be the extreme skinniness of women being overly demanded today. Although maintaining a healthy weight is beneficial, being excessively thin can be damaging. In the 1920s, the early film cameras made actors and actresses look more weighted, encouraging a slimmer body figure for them. As celebrities became thinner, fans began to idealize their bodies, further reinforcing this beauty standard. This ideal was later solidified when the media began promoting extremely thin supermodels such as Kate Moss in the 1990s. Moreover, as food became more abundant, being thin became often associated with discipline and a higher social status in society. On the other hand, during the Renaissance era, fuller figures were found to be more attractive as they represented wealth and fertility at a time when food was not easily accessible. Moreover, in many Asian countries, fair and pale skin is seen as attractive because it once signified high social status and the lack of outdoor labor. This standard continues to this day due to constant media exposure and the ongoing promotion of this trait.

   Beauty standards are influenced by a combination of biological evolution and shifts in culture. Though some ideals, such as health and symmetry, have natural origins, many others are social constructs that change along with the society. Recognizing this helps us question unrealistic expectations and embrace more inclusive definitions of beauty. After all, the most lasting form of beauty is not found in flawless skin or a skinny body, but in one’s character. 

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