Common standards in facial esthetics: craniofacial analysis of most attractive black and white subjects according to People magazine during previous 10 years

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present case-control study was to determine--using the 10 most recent annual listings of the most beautiful black and white people--whether any common, measurable esthetic parameter could be extracted from both groups.

Materials and methods: A total of 80 women (40 white and 40 black), who had been included in the list of People magazine's 100 most beautiful people during the previous 10 years, were selected. Lateral photographs of all 80 subjects were obtained from Internet databases, oriented, and sized. A modified photogrammetric analysis was performed on the lateral view of each subject to obtain the angle and proportion measurements. Differences between the 2 groups were compared with 95% significance using the Student t test for independent samples.

Results: Facial similarities in the 2 ethnic groups were observed for the angle of the inferior facial third, labiomental angle, angle of facial convexity, and cervicomental angle. These results point to a similar conformation of the lower part of the face in relation to the neck that was shared by both groups of beautiful women. Additionally, both groups showed similar results for the lower lip projection. Likewise, similar proportional measurements were found for the upper lip proportion, notwithstanding differences in protrusion.

Conclusions: Modern society is changing the classic concept of facial beauty because of globalization and the prevalence of multiethnic communities in the developed world. Independently of ethnic origin, beautiful women tend to have similar facial features that are a mixture of both black and white features.