The Science of Beauty

The science of beauty: proportionality, symmetry, youthfulness, familiarity, pleasing shape

At Mabrie Facial Institute, we’re all about artistry. It’s reflected in our downtown San Francisco office, our branding, and especially the beautiful results we create with fillers. But our approach is based on research and our rejuvenation and contouring treatments are executed with surgical precision. So today’s post focuses on an equally important part of what we do: the science.

The Beauty Is In the Details

Many people are surprised to learn that it’s often millimeters that make the difference between an ordinary face and an attractive face. Alone, these tiny details are almost imperceptible, but collectively, they make all the difference. That’s why we’re so meticulous about what we do here at MFI, and why we take our time to get it right.

There are volumes of research on the principles of attractiveness, and most experts have concluded that certain criteria can be applied to gauge attractiveness. These are not really rules, but they can be used as general guidelines in determining the right approach to enhancing your beauty. They reflect 5 characteristics that research shows contribute to our perception of attractiveness: proportionality, symmetry, youthfulness, familiarity, and a pleasing face shape.

Proportionality: A strong chin, high cheekbones, and a smooth nasal contour

Proportions in the face achieved by dermal fillers in San Francisco

Facial proportions and their relationship to beauty is a concept that has been studied for years, going all the way back to Ancient Greece. Many theories exist about ideal proportions, equations of beauty, “golden ratios” and the like. For example:

  • The chin should project about 2 or 3 millimeters less than the tip of the nose
  • The top lip should be approximately half the height of the bottom lip
  • The cheekbones are typically the widest part of an attractive face

There are defining points of the prototypical attractive face such as the nose, cheekbones, and chin. If these are over or under-prominent, the face loses its proportional quality. With fillers, we can define these points and significantly, although not obviously, improve the attractiveness of a face. As long as the area remains proportionate to the rest of the face, the changes are rarely recognized by others although the face is undeniably more attractive.

Examples of Achieving a Stronger-Looking Chin

Before & After contouring for strong face shape
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Before & After contouring for strong face shape
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Before & After contouring for strong face shape
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Before & After contouring for strong face shape
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Before & After contouring for strong face shape
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Our Favorite Results Showcasing High Cheekbones

Before & After contouring for high face shape
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Before & After contouring for high face shape
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Before & After contouring for high face shape
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Before & After contouring for high face shape
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Before & After contouring for high face shape
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Before & After contouring for high face shape
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Before & After contouring for high face shape
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Symmetry: Similarity between the left and right halves of the face

Symmetry in the face to achieve a beautiful result with dermal fillers in San Francisco

No one has a perfectly symmetrical face, but symmetry is a quality that is universally attractive. At MFI we evaluate the composition of your face and how each feature contributes to its symmetry. We’ve found that people typically have lower cheekbones on one side of their face. This will cause that side of the face to sag more than the other. Shadows under the eyes will be more prominent on this side. The corner of the mouth may droop slightly on this half of the face. All of this together contributes to the perception that this is your “bad side.”

We can sculpt certain areas, improving the definition, shape, and contour of one side more than the other. If there is asymmetry of the brows, we can often improve brow position using Dysport® or BOTOX®. Our goal with fillers isn’t necessarily to make the face perfectly symmetric, but to create improved balance between the two halves of the face.

Before and After Results Showcasing Improved Facial Symmetry

Before & After contouring for symmetry face shape
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Before & After contouring for symmetry face shape
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Before & After contouring for symmetry face shape
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Before & After contouring for symmetry face shape
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Before & After contouring for symmetry face shape
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Youthfulness: Full lips and cheeks, lack of shadows and wrinkles

Focus on full cheeks and lips to create youthfulness with dermal fillers in San Francisco

Research shows that, in general, we find youthful features more attractive. You can thank the laws of nature for that. On a primal level, youth equals health, strength, and fertility, so it’s only natural that we’d find youthful faces more attractive.

But you don’t need to look like your high school yearbook photo to be attractive. The key lies in knowing which improvements to make and to what degree. That’s where our training, experience, artistic vision and extensive research come into play. We use fillers to give you a more youthful look with:

  • Fewer lines and wrinkles
  • Fuller cheeks and lips
  • Softly arched brows for women and defined brows for men
  • An absence of circles or shadows beneath the eyes
  • Jawline definition with less jowling

Our Favorite Cases Highlighting Diminished Signs of Aging

Before & After contouring for youthfulness face shape
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Before & After contouring for youthfulness face shape
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Before & After contouring for youthfulness face shape
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Before & After contouring for youthfulness face shape
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Before & After contouring for youthfulness face shape
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With carefully selected and implemented treatments, we can take years off your appearance without raising suspicion. You won’t look “worked on,” you’ll look relaxed and refreshed, like you’re taking great care of yourself.

Familiarity: Nothing about the face is unexpected

Familiarity in facial features (demonstrated with eyes)

You might believe that exotic or striking features epitomize beauty, but research proves otherwise. Studies show that men and women find “familiar” faces more attractive. Humans find comfort in familiarity, and in the case of facial appearance, that means balanced proportions and a lack of irregularities.

At MFI, we address this component by using fillers to correct the certain irregularities that can cause a face to deviate from the standard of beauty. We can improve contours and smooth shadows and folds. We can enhance the symmetry and proportionality of the features, while allowing each individual to retain the unique character of their face.

Pleasing Shape: Round, heart, oval, square, or athletic—each has its own beauty ratios

Oval around a face to demonstrate beauty

In general, faces come in 4 shapes: round, heart, oval, and square. At MFI, we consider the male athletic face shape as well. You may not be conscious of it, but you’re making decisions based on your face shape all the time. Buying glasses? You pick the ones that look good on you because of the way they work with your face shape. Styling your hair? You probably know what lengths and cuts work for you and which ones aren’t flattering, and that has a lot to do with the angles and dimensions of your face shape.

Face shape isn’t something you can change, nor would you want to! But at MFI, we can use fillers to improve proportions, soften hard angles, add definition, and minimize aspects of your face shape that dominate or overwhelm other features. This is a key component of our Illumination 360° approach to rejuvenating and contouring with fillers.

Before and After Cases Showcasing Balanced Features

Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
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Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
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Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
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Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
Before
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Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
Before
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Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
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Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
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Before & After contouring for pleasing face shape
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After

We Can Help You Look Good, But the Beauty Is All Yours

At MFI, we see our role as helping you bring balance and harmony to your physical features, enhancing your greatest assets, and minimizing flaws. This may mean refining the contours of your cheeks or nose, smoothing wrinkles or indentations around your eyes, creating a more prominent chin, or any number of small improvements that can make a big difference in how you look and feel. Our understanding of the principles of the attractive face enables us to suggest the best approach to enhancing your looks.

By taking care of yourself and making the most of your physical features, you are increasing every factor of your beauty quotient. You will radiate physical health and an improved personal appearance, and the confidence you project will be beautiful.

To get more information, contact us online, or give us a call at (415) 445-9513. Our knowledgeable Concierge Team is available to answer any of your questions and schedule your appointment.

We hope to see you soon.

Until then, stay beautiful! 

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