Beauty Concepts Using Facial Proportions | by Kendra Clark
Improving facial aesthetics relies on an understanding of the norms of facial proportions . designed the Parthenon in Athens , which is considered one of the most perfect buildings ever created . 4
We may be unaware , but we subconsciously judge beauty by facial symmetry and proportion . Cross-cultural research has shown that no matter the ethnicity , our perception of beauty is based on the ratio proportions of 1.618 . The closer the face comes to this ratio , the more beautifully it is perceived . For example , the ideal ratio of the top of the head to the chin versus the width of the head is 1.618
Leonardo Da Vinci , one of the most influential artists of the Renaissance , used the golden ratio to make significant contributions to beauty measures . Leonardo Da Vinci followed the Roman architect Vitruvius , in which Da Vinci created his perfect man in 1490 . He was known as The Vitruvian Man . The Vitruvian Man illustrates how symmetry and proportions apply to a human ’ s body and face using the golden ratio . Many Renaissance artists followed Da Vinci , using the golden ratio extensively in their drawings and sculptures to achieve balance and beauty . Since the divine proportions seem to evoke an aesthetically pleasing effect , several studies have been performed . They have also shown that beautiful faces have facial measurements close to the golden ratio . 5 This golden ratio is used to mark out the ideal proportions on a patient ’ s face and plan aesthetic enhancements .
How do we use the golden ratio to measure ideal facial proportions ?
The distance from the top of the nose to the center of the lips should be 1.618 times the distance from the center of the lips to the chin . The hairline to the upper eyelid should be 1.618 times the length of the top of the upper eyebrow to the lower eyelid . The ideal ratio of upper to lower lip volume is 1:1.6 - the lower lip should have slightly more volume than the upper lip .
While many experts have postulated that not all beautiful faces conform to the golden ratio , the golden ratio is still considered an ideal description of facial beauty .
In 2001 , Stephen Marquardt , a prominent oral surgeon , followed the golden ratio and proposed an ideal face template based on it . He called it the Phi mask , or the Golden Mask , and claimed that all beautiful faces must fit perfectly into the mask . It attracted much attention , as it was claimed to visually define a universal standard for facial beauty . 6
Two other concepts that have helped define facial aesthetics are the rule of horizontal thirds and the vertical fifths rule . Regarding the horizontal thirds rule , the upper third measures from the midline point of the normal hairline to the glabella ( the smooth prominence between the eyebrows ). The middle third measures from the glabella to the subnasal ( the
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