Much of the previous work has also established that feminine female faces are rated more attractive than masculine female faces by both men and women across cultures (Penton-Voak et al., 2004; Rhodes, 2006; Muñoz-Reyes et al., 2015).
A nose that is straight or with a dorsal hump is considered more masculine than a nose with a gentle curvature and a lift at the tip of the nose. Masculine lips also tend to be thinner. Generally speaking, men have chiseled features and larger bones, while feminine faces tend to have softer, rounder contours.
Still others have found that a mixture of mature features (large lower jaw, prominent cheekbones, and thick eyebrows) and neotenous features (large eyes and small nose) is the most desirable configuration of male faces (Cunningham, Barbee, & Pike, 1990).
In female faces we found both male and female participants preferred feminine faces to androgynous faces in high attractiveness, but no preferences in low attractiveness.
Studies have shown that women tend to prefer more masculine faces when judging for a short-term than for a long-term relationship. Indeed, in a variety of studies cycle effects are often more likely seen when women judge for short-term relations (Gangestad & Thornhill, 2008).
Women in both experiments rated the male faces with feminine traits as more attractive than the distinctly masculine faces.
Women, on average, tend to be more attracted to men who have a relatively narrow waist, a V-shaped torso, and broad shoulders. Women also tend to be more attracted to men who are taller than they are, and display a high degree of facial symmetry, as well as relatively masculine facial dimorphism.
Typical masculine characteristics of the top half of the face: The hairline sits further back on the skull and makes the forehead appear higher– a receding hairline further enhances this effect. The forehead frontal bones protrude more and create a sense of deeper set eyes – female foreheads are more rounded or convex.
The forehead isn't often considered a particularly distinctive facial feature, but it does have noticeable differences between genders. Male foreheads are typically larger than female foreheads because they are wider and higher.
Square Face Shape
The angle of the jaw is sharp rather than rounded. This is the most classically masculine face shape.
So, if you want to know if you are truly attractive, take a close look at both your physical appearance and your personality traits. Chances are that if you are confident and kind and use positive body language, like maintaining good eye contact and posture, others will find attractive qualities in you.
A face judged as dominant typically features small eyes, low brows, large chin, a more angular face and a low forehead (see also Keating, 1985; Lorenz, 1943). Studies of sexual dimorphism (e.g., Penton-Voak et al., 2001) reveal that males have a bigger jaw, and a more prominent brow ridge and cheekbones.
It was found that women with low and median incomes find men with muscular arms the most attractive, whereas women who have higher incomes prefer a man with defined abs and a larger chest.
Evolutionary psychology studies note that physical features and dimensions that suggest youthfulness, physical health, mental and emotional well-being, strength, and fertility are considered physically attractive, since those are desirable qualities in a mate from a biological and reproductive standpoint.
Confidence, kindness, happiness, dignity and intelligence all ranked in the top five out of 19 attributes that people said make the opposite and same sex beautiful.
There are several facial features that enhance femininity with one of these being that a feminine face is characterized by a heart shape or inverted triangle; this means the lower face is narrower than the upper and the jaw is tapered. This is in contrast to the square jawline that characterizes a masculine face.
The term “doe-eyed” says it all; female eyes often appear larger and wider than those of their male counterparts. That's because a woman's orbital bones are less pronounced, which means the browbonecasts less shadow over the eye area, making it appear larger – even though it is roughly the same size.
Many studies, using different averaging techniques, including the use of line drawings and face profiles, have shown that this is a general principle: average faces are consistently more attractive than the faces used to generate them.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons conducted a poll to see when we reach peak attractiveness and apparently it's in your 30s for both men and women. Women are reportedly most attractive at age 30 while men reach peak attractiveness at age 38.
Traits of a masculine lip
Masculine lips have a greater distance between the nostrils and the border of the upper lip. We also refer to this as the height or length of the upper lip. More space between the nose and the upper lip is recognizable as a masculine trait.