Beauty School: The Golden Ratio
Hi everyone,
Beauty is something that has both enthralled and confused civilization for thousands of years. While you might think that math and science have nothing to do with aesthetics, they of played a big role in the development the arts as we know it. Something called the Golden Ratio, or Divine Proportion, is almost an integral part of what the world might call "perfect beauty." I won't go all mathematical on you, but basically it's all about harmonious proportions.
Based on something called the Fibonacci Sequence, the Golden Ratio finds its origins in nature. Take a look at the symmetry here:
If you're using the Golden Ratio as the definition of beauty, then a beautiful person should have a symmetrical and proportionate face. Nefertiti was supposed to have fit the Golden Ratio, at least based on the famous Bust of Nefertiti:
Jessica Simpson has often been cited as being close to perfectly beautiful according to the Golden Ratio. But in all the studies that have been done, no one has ever scored a perfect 10.
In terms of facial beauty, here are the ratios that define "perfect beauty�:
- The ratio of the length of the face to its width is approximately 1.6. That means that the face is about 1.5 times longer than it is wide.
- The face is then divided into three sections: hairline to right in between the eyes, from between the eyes to the bottom of the nose, and from the bottom of the nose to the very bottom of the chin. The lengths of each of these segments should be about equal.
- Ear length should be equal to nose length, and the width of an eye should be equal to the distance between the eyes.
Add these three numbers together to get your ratio. 
For me personally, I think numbers are numbers. That's not to say that people whose faces fit the Golden Ratio aren't beautiful, but I honestly do think that it's the imperfections that make real beauty. Perfection can be boring, and it's the small quirks that make all of us beautiful in our own interesting way. The Golden Ratio is too limiting in what is considered to be aesthetically pleasing.
What are your thoughts on the Golden Ratio? Do you think there's any merit to the math or is it outdated and irrelevant? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
<3 Mish
Photo Sources: Moviestvmusic.com, Hynesva.com, Creation Revolution, All Art News, Blogspot
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31 comments
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Beauty is relevant to how you measure it. You may see some person as beautiful while someone else doesn't. Besides, I believe a person's soul affects how others percept their beauty - a person with a beautiful soul will be beautiful to others, a person who is soulless will be boring and may not be seen as beautiful. Everyone is beautiful in their own way, measurements and numbers don't define beauty.
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I doubt that scoring the perfect 10 makes anyone look beauty.
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I love this! But it's more like the proportions for a perfect face. Beauty varies, for example I think the cute asian look is my definition of beauty, the bigger and rounder eyes, the small, defined noses, and the V-line faces.
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Wow, this is wicked interesting! But to answer your question, I think it's irrelevent since beauty is in the eye on the beholder. Also, because my face definitely nowhere near symetrical!
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this is a nice way to learned makeup
i took up the golden ration during my college days and its called arithmetic progression and the like.. we also used it in the engineering field as well
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I personally think looking into sacred geometry will give you a better perspective over the golden ratio. The imperfection its self is perfection.
Golden ration isnt just maths. It been found everywhere all around the world dating back to ancient egypt, dating back to tibet etc. Its the seed of life and its actually in our chromosoms. In our DNA.
It shows how we as human beings are connection to everything, essentially to the universe.
Sacred geometry is beautiful. If you watch the tv show TOUCH by Keither sutherland, it explains it there without boring anyone out.
Like i said before, imperfection its self is perfection. All balances out.
There is also a beautiful book on that topic, its great.
I guess going back to beauty, working on a imperfect canvas makes things more interesting because you get an opportunity to get different perspectives looking at a different angle.
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Like age, Golden Ratio is just a number :)
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On the count of I am a math major student I like seeing how math plays a role in different areas. I like this article although I don't believe in it
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In April of this year, Florence Colgate won a beauty contest for having a perfectly proportioned face.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2132896/Florence-Colgate-Girl-Britains-beautiful-face.html
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Beauty comes from within...you can have the most symmetrical face and the most perfect bone structure, you could have the finest clothes and the most magical hair. But you can never put makeup on a mean spirit.
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I do believe that imperfections are beautiful, and that God created all women beautiful. I have heard about an interresting study, though, stating that average dimensions for the face involve the distance from pupil to pupil being about 46% of the width of the full face, and the length from the midpoint of the eye to the midpoint of the mouth being 36%. My apologies if you don't want to hear about more numbers.
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I've heard of the Golden Ratio, suprisingly enough, it was used to describe the pattern in which a serial killer killed in.
On the subject of beauty however, I think that it is totally irrelevant. Although, some studies show that we are attracted to those with facial symmetry similar to our own, so I suppose I must take that into consideration.
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Inperfections are gorgeous - look at all the amazing models with gapped front teeth or wide spaced eyes etc. I love everything that makes people unique!
xo Emilie @ http://www.hungrydelights.com/
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I do think it's outdated. I remember people talking about it and say that a face that is almost perfectly symmetrical is unnerving. Guys like quirks
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I've heard that Halle Berry has the most perfect face and is entirely symmetrical - which I would totally agree with! I don't think it's an outdated idea, I think it's interesting, but we can find beauty in all people, imperfections, assymetrical or not!
I'm a mommy with a makeup problem...http://www.jennysuemakeup.com
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I think beauty is very subjective, someone who has a proportionate face is probably not prettier than someone with flaws. Everyone has a different definition of beauty, and there are much more to beauty than just looks
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There's a saying that God does not create in straight lines. That is to say, nothing in nature is a perfect straight line. So when God created us all, why would He adhere to man-made ratios of perfection? Just so we can determine what "beauty" is?? I trust that the individual ways in which He made each and every one of us defines "beauty" because true beauty is within every person and how we treat each other.
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I tried this for myself and it actually seemed to follow the ratio very well, but I don't believe that determines me as beautiful. I just find this as a basic ratio that is handy to use when sketching. To me it's just a general rule, meaning in a basic way people will generally have ratios close to this, but that not to say it has to be exact. -
No one has a perfect face :) Our beauty is our imperfections :)
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