According to Dr Marisa Coen in her essay for The Science of Relationships, fuller lips have long been desired by women because, as evolutionary psychology suggests, they signify strong mating potential. “Facial features serve as a cue of attractiveness,” explains Coen.
Well, quite a lot, as it turns out that full and sumptuous lips are the most preferable lip shape of them all — but according to a global study, there's one key trait that distinguishes the perfect pouts from their equally plump, yet sub-par, counterparts.
According to a survey done by the Insider among over ten thousand people from 35 countries; the majority of participants picked the most symmetric and full lips over others. The study also indices that pouting lower lip is almost as attractive as having full lips.
In the subjective assessments, a lip proportion of 1 to 1.6 (upper lip to lower lip) was rated as most attractive: average score of 4.21 out of a possible 5. The 1:1.6 proportion is widely accepted as the "golden ratio" for beautiful lips.
It is thought that females desire fuller lips because it signifies strong mating and maternal potential. Basically, the research indicates that we are more likely to be more affectionate towards an adult with softer, childlike features such as jutting cheeks or plumper lips.
Chinese women had the thickest lower lip, as well as the greatest upper lip volume. Male lips were found to be more similar to each other across ethnic groups; however, Caucasians men had the thinnest lips. Men of Chinese descent had the largest total lip volume.
After recording the measurements of the lips and surrounding skin area, the team noted that the thickness of the upper and lower lips decreased with age while the width of the lips broadened as well.
The study polled over 1,000 people in 35 countries. Of those polled, 60% said they found a symmetrical, 1:1 top to bottom ratio the most attractive lip (think Scarlett Johansson). The next highest-rated, according to the poll, was a larger bottom lip compared to the top lip (like those rocked by Kylie Jenner).
Full lips were deemed the most attractive feature but the appeal of thin lips increased by more than 40 per cent once make-up had been applied.
So, eyes are definitely an asset to consider. Lipstick and lip gloss were made for a reason, you know. Guys do like to look at women's lips, especially if they look thick and youthful. Acne is never sexy, ladies.
The Golden Ratio
If we follow the Phi Ratio of Beauty, otherwise known as the “Golden Ratio” of 1.618, the perfect lips would be 1.618 times larger than the top lip and 1.618 times wider than the width of the nose. If you're determined to accentuate your lips, you may find it helpful to keep these proportions in mind.
1. Angelina Jolie. She has, without a doubt, the sexiest pout in the history of lips. In fact, there are online tutorials for women on how to get lips like her.
Women with full lips are extremely confident and courageous. They are social butterflies. They are also very generous and caring in their relationships. When they care, they care very deeply.
Full lips are the most common of shapes and are typically defined by lips that are equally plump on the top and bottom.
Studies have also shown that Caucasian women were found to have thinner lips than Asians, with the smallest upper lip height and volume.
First impressions count, especially when it comes to the laws of attraction. And as shallow as it might be, research reveals the facial feature men find most attractive on a woman: her lips. So when you meet someone new and notice his eyes, he's actually looking at your lips.
Cupid is the rarest of all lip forms. Cupid has a powerful, youthful appearance, and is very prominent in pre-adolescent females. Due to the natural growth process in a female's lips, the fullness of the lips fill in the middle first, then the sides.
Cupid or Cupid's Bow is the rarest of all lip shapes.
Cupid's Bow on lips is usually very prominent in pre-adolescent girls. As an individual grows old, the fullness of the lips fills in the middle first.
Meet Andrea Ivanova: Woman with world's BIGGEST lips | Times of India.
Understanding Aging Makes Beauty Timeless
Figure 1: In guys, the maximum upper lip thickness is reached around age 16, whereas it maximizes at 14 in girls; however, it begins to thin in both sexes after age 16.
According to Ryan Neinstein, M.D., a plastic surgeon in New York City, our lips are made up of blood vessels, which become dilated during kissing.
Answer: If you gain weight after fat transfer to your lips, will your lip increase in size as well? When fat is transferred to another part of your body, it can have the potential to grow if you gain weight. The amount of fat transferred to lips is generally small (1-2 mL for each lip).
Some people are born with naturally thin lips, a result of genetics and DNA; however, thin lips can also occur as a result of age. As the skin loses its elasticity, which occurs when collagen production slows, this can have a damaging effect of the lips, causing them to lose firmness and take on a thinner appearance.
Whereas the rest of the face may not show signs of getting older until patients reach their late 20s to 30s, lips can begin to lose important volume starting in the late teens. As the process continues and the mouth loses collagen, the lips can begin to flatten out and appear much thinner in just a few short years.