What Makes a Face Attractive: Key Factors

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Discover the biological & psychological factors behind attractiveness

Co-authored by Dr. Mike Mew and Eric McClure

Last Updated: March 25, 2026 Fact Checked

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• What makes a face attractive?
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• Biological Factors
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• Psychological Factors
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• Enhancing Attractiveness
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• Video

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Attraction is a lot like gravity—we don't think about it constantly, but we feel it all the same. And like gravity, we can study it all the same. In this article, wikiHow sat down with multiple medical experts to find out what really makes one face more attractive than another. We’ll cover both the biological and psychological factors at play, and even include some tips for enhancing your own facial features.

What determines male or female face attractiveness?

The two biggest factors that influence face attractiveness are averageness (how common or typical a face looks) and symmetry (how balanced both sides of the face are). Skin health is another big factor. All of that said, facial attraction is complex and highly subjective.

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Section 1 of 4:

What makes a face attractive?

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   Generally speaking, symmetry and averageness make a face attractive. These are the two biggest factors at play. Facial symmetry implies there are no genetic abnormalities or defects, while “averageness” implies a healthy genetic diversity. Humans are hard-wired to be attracted to indicators of health in a partner, since a healthy person is more likely to bear healthy children and stick around long enough to raise them.

   • This is not to say that asymmetry or uniqueness can’t be beautiful. Timothée Chalamet, Adrian Brody, Anna Kendrick, Ryan Gosling, and Adam Driver all famously don’t have very symmetrical or average faces, for example.
   • All of that said, facial attractiveness can be very subjective. There's no universal set of rules or features that make or break facial attractiveness.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Asif Pirani, MD is a board-certified plastic surgeon who helps clients enhance their natural beauty and confidence.

   Dr. Mike Mew is an orthodontist who focuses on facial growth and health. He is also the founder of the mewing movement.
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Section 2 of 4:

Biological Factors Impacting Facial Attractiveness

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   Symmetry Imagine a perfectly straight imaginary line running vertically through the middle of your nose. Then, picture your face folding in half along that line. If the features overlap perfectly (or almost perfectly), you’ve got a symmetrical face. Humans likely developed a preference for facial symmetry because it's a sign of a healthy, well-formed body. People are attracted to signs of health because of the biological imperative to reproduce (a healthy body makes healthy babies).

   • Note: No one actually has a perfectly symmetrical face. Almost every human being on the planet has some facial asymmetry.
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   Averageness Next to symmetry, averageness (or “normalcy”) is the biggest factor in facial attraction. We’re naturally inclined to be attracted to people who look very similar to other people we’ve seen or know, since it’s a sign someone is a healthy member of our species. So, if someone’s face registers as similar to other faces we’ve seen, we're more likely to find them attractive.

   • Check out this composite photo. It’s generally attractive, right? It’s the combined features of the 57 women Seinfeld dated in the titular sitcom. There just seems to be something about “average” faces we’re attracted to.
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   Skin and hair health Orthodontist and mewing expert Dr. Mike Mew says that overall healthiness, including skin and hair, is a major factor when it comes to attraction for evolutionary reasons. So, if your skin and hair are healthy and well-maintained, people will find you naturally more attractive.

   • What does healthy hair look like? It’s thick, untangled, uniform, shiny, and strong. You shouldn’t see split ends, frizz, or patches missing.
   • What does healthy skin look like? Healthy skin is uniform in color, plump, smooth, and naturally reflective.
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   Jaw shape People generally prefer a jaw with a sharp, defined line that isn’t too angular. A lean jaw line and chin without excess fat is considered to be the most attractive, as opposed to rounder or soft jaw lines.

   • Dr. Mew says a strong jaw is likely attractive because it was important in early human history. Jaws need to be rugged because mouths were often used like tools; we needed to chew tough food, wear down materials, and make textiles back when we were still living in caves.
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   Face shape Board-certified plastic surgeon Asif Pirani, MD explains, "The triangle face is what we consider to be a sign of beauty. If you draw a line from both cheeks and then down to the chin, it forms an upside-down triangle. A balanced triangle is a sign of youth."
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   Proportionality If all of the facial features seem to be in harmony with one another, the size of the features themselves doesn’t matter. Interestingly, people with proportional facial features are also viewed as more trustworthy, in addition to more attractive.

   • Overall proportionality is another indicator that a person is healthy.
   • There's no ideal size for specific features. As long as everything is proportional, it can read as attractive.
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   Emotional expression This one makes a lot of intuitive sense: human beings are more attracted to people who seem friendly and open. In fact, studies have shown that people will often be more attracted to someone who is smiling and making eye contact than someone with perfect facial symmetry and averageness! Relaxed eyes, a soft smile, eye contact, and an overall open demeanor will do wonders for attractiveness.
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   Age It’s a little unfair, but biology is behind why we tend to find younger faces more attractive. The younger your face looks, the more likely you are to be healthy. Younger adults are also naturally more fertile than older people, so it makes sense that humans would prioritize youthfulness in a partner.

   • Interestingly, younger people tend to rank younger faces as more attractive, while older people tend to find both older and younger faces equally attractive.
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   Masculine or feminine features Common features of masculinity (facial hair, sharp jawline, heavier brow ridge, wider nose) and common features of femininity (no facial hair, softer jawline, softer brow ridge, thinner nose) are typically seen as attractive. This is because gendered features serve as healthy hormonal markers, which make a person appear healthy and fertile—characteristics we’re biologically designed to seek out in a mate.

   • That said, studies have shown that people aren’t generally attracted to extremely gendered features, and that both men and women have a slight preference for “average” feminine traits.
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Section 3 of 4:

Psychological Factors Impacting Facial Attractiveness

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   Personal preference Facial attractiveness is deeply subjective. You'd think every human would be evolutionarily wired to find the same types of faces attractive, and while there are definitely general trends, there’s no uniform set of traits or facial features that everyone prefers.

   • Some people big noses. Others find unibrows cute. Human beings are diverse, and there’s someone out there for everyone.
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   Familiarity The more exposure you have to someone’s face, the more likely you are to find that face attractive. This is fascinating because health and biology aren't at play here at all. We just naturally feel better around people that we recognize. In fact, attraction to a specific face can increase just by looking at it longer.
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   Culture Where you're born and raised can wildly impact what kind of traits people think are attractive. For example, in the United States, perfectly straight teeth are attractive, while in Japan, it’s desirable to have slightly crooked teeth. In many Western countries, taller men are seen as more desirable, while the reverse is true in Tanzania.

   • Beauty standards change a lot with time, too! Before the late 1800s, people generally found fuller-figured women more attractive because it was a sign of fertility and health. Today, thin women are celebrated as more attractive. Beauty standards tend to shift and change over time.
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Section 4 of 4:

Making Your Face More Attractive

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   Improve your skincare routine. Always wear sunscreen when you go outside, which will greatly reduce visible aging of your skin. Avoid smoking or drinking to excess, as these habits can prematurely age you. Beyond that, make sure you moisturize regularly (especially whenever your skin dries out) and avoid using strong soaps.
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   Choose a hairstyle and facial hair that suits your face shape. The best haircut (and best facial hair) for you will depend on your face shape. If you don’t know your face shape, start there first. Then, look up which styles are best for you. Here are some (very general) guidelines:

   • Oval: Shoulder-length styles and longer layers will help give your face more definition.
   • Square: Rounder styles will help balance your face out. Side-swept bangs are a great option.
   • Round: Bobs, crew cuts, undercuts, and side-swept bangs are all great. Anything that adds volume up top should also work.
   • Heart/Triangle: Shaggy cuts and more progressive styles will work well along with your sharper angles.
   • Diamond: High ponytails, mullets, wolf cuts, and messier styles are all great.
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   Stay hydrated and eat a healthy diet. We know that facial attraction is largely correlated with signs of healthiness, so the healthier you are, the more attractive you’ll appear to others! Drink plenty of water, eat a balanced, healthy diet, and get regular exercise.
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   Smile and make eye contact with people. The emotional vibe you put out matters a lot when it comes to how attractive people think you are. Make eye contact when you talk to people, smile when you greet them, and maintain a healthy, upright posture. Don’t fiddle or hide your hands. You’ll be surprised how much more positively people will respond to you!
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