How To Use The 'Golden Ratio' Test To Measure Your Facial Symmetry & Beauty
If beauty was a math equation...
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How do we measure beauty?
The poets and romantics might argue that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this doesn’t explain why so many actors, models, and stars are universally accepted as beautiful simply by exhibiting features we all consider attractive.
That's because the human eye naturally favors things that are symmetrical and even. It's known as having a "Golden Ratio" face.
Often, what we're looking at is less about looks and more about proportionality. Natural beauty, or what society has declared natural beauty, is not as random as we might like to think it is, and can actually be easily quantified.
For centuries, mathematicians have used the Golden Ratio to measure beauty in objects and people.
Ancient Greeks first detected what we now know as the Golden Ratio after observing its frequent appearance in geometry. The ratio has a constant value of Phi=1.618, and has been used in art, architecture, book design, and even music to optimize beauty and symmetry.
Ancient Egyptians employed the golden ratio to build the pyramids; these perfectly symmetrical structures remain one of the most wondrous architectural feats in the world.
In Asia, the Golden Ratio was even used in the practice of Feng Shui to bring order and harmony to a space through balance and symmetry.
Leonardo da Vinci and his fellow Renaissance artists used the ratio to define symmetry in structures, including the human body, to create something aesthetically pleasing to the human eye.
Ever noticed how perfectly even Mona Lisa’s features are? We have the Golden Ratio to thank for that.
Centuries later, scientists and mathematicians are still reverting to this measurement to define facial symmetry and help explain why society has created certain beauty standards.
By measuring the facial proportions of some celebrities who are often hailed to be beautiful, it's possible to see a common trend.
Some of the most beautiful people in the world also have enviably symmetrical faces.
The Natalie Portmans, Beyoncés, and Bella Hadids of the world don't even need to be measured for us to see that they're beautiful, so it's no surprise that they have some of the most even, symmetrical features in Hollywood.
Beyoncé is best known for her beautiful voice, but her facial features are just as captivating. Her striking eyes are equidistant from her hairline and her lips, just as the Greeks would have wanted.
Natalie Portman's perfectly crafted bone structure looks like something Renaissance sculptors would have chiseled from marble. It's easy to measure that the length of her face is close to 1 1/2 times its width, which is in keeping the Golden Ratio measurements.
The Hadid sisters are two of the most beautiful siblings to walk the Earth, but it's Bella who best represents the ancient beauty ideal. Her eyes, nose, and lips are perfectly placed and even in their proportions.
While we all know true beauty lies beneath the surface, it’s still fun to assess whether or not the Renaissance artists would have considered us worthy of painting.
Here's how to measure your beauty using the Golden Ratio test.
1. First, the length and width of the face must be measured to quantify symmetry.
Measure from the start of your hairline to the point of your chin. Then, measure the width of your face at its widest point (which is usually at your cheekbones).
2. Next, divide the length by the width.
The Golden Ratio defines the ideal result as roughly 1.6, which means a beautiful person's face is about 1 1/2 times longer than it is wide.
3. The next stage is to measure the distance between your features.
Measure 3 segments of the face — from the forehead hairline to a spot between the eyes, from between the eyes to the bottom of the nose, and from the bottom of the nose to the bottom of the chin.
If the numbers are equal, or close to equal, the Golden Ratio test determines this to be more beautiful.
4. Finally, symmetry and proportions are determined by measuring your features.
On a “perfect” face, the length of an ear is equal to the length of the nose, and the width of an eye is equal to the distance between the eyes.
Using these measurements, ideal beauty is quantified by assessing how equal your proportions are, and by how far from the Golden Ratio your measurements vary.
Mathematicians and scientists would argue that symmetrical, even features are what is most aesthetically pleasing to the human eye. But since we all know some of the most attractive people have striking features that defy symmetry, don't take it to heart if your measurements aren't perfectly even.
It's all about what's on the inside, anyway.
Alice Kelly is a writer and storyteller with a passion for lifestyle, entertainment, and trending topics. When she’s not creating content for YourTango, you can catch her working on creative fiction and vintage shopping.