Not Color, but This Eye Detail Affects Facial Attractiveness

Eye color is not necessarily the feature that attracts the most attention. According to a new study, the way a face is perceived may be influenced by a much less noticeable element: the amount of white of the eye visible around the pupil.

A person may stay in our memory from the very first glance, without us being able to determine why. Alongside the shape and color of the eyes, eyebrows and eyelashes, the visible whiteness around the pupil also appears to play a role in the impression a face creates.

The findings show that faces in which a larger area of the white of the eye is exposed are rated as more attractive. This feature may make the eyes appear larger, more open and more expressive.

The research, conducted by researchers at the University of Quebec, was published in the journal PLOS One. For the study, photographs of 50 male and female faces were modified by slightly changing the amount of visible white, without creating an artificial appearance of the eyes.

The photographs were then evaluated by 162 participants, who had to rank them according to attractiveness.

In the versions where less white was visible, it accounted for around 31.5 percent of the eye’s surface. In the versions where more was exposed, the percentage reached around 43.8 percent.

On average, the highest attractiveness ratings were given to faces with more visible white in the eyes. Participants also considered these faces more sociable and trustworthy, Telegrafi reports.

Researchers have put forward several possible explanations for this result. According to one of them, greater exposure of the white creates the impression of larger, more open eyes, making the face appear fresher and younger.

A larger area of visible white may also make it easier to distinguish the direction of someone’s gaze. This aspect is important in communication because through the eyes we understand where a person’s attention is directed and how they may be feeling.

The study’s authors emphasized that people are extremely sensitive to the eyes of others.

The amount of visible white does not remain the same throughout life. The study shows that it is most pronounced between the ages of 20 and 25, while after this period it may gradually begin to decrease.

Natural processes that affect the skin and muscles around the eyes with age may contribute to this change. For this reason, researchers believe that more visible white may be one of the features unconsciously associated with youth and a healthy appearance.

This does not, however, mean that eyes with less exposed white are less beautiful. Attractiveness is determined by many elements, and its perception varies from one individual to another.

The study demonstrates that even features we barely notice can shape a first impression and the way we perceive someone’s gaze.