by Luna Kay

Created on: January 13, 2008

How do you define beauty? For yourself, I mean. Do you hold certain ideals of beauty to be universal? How about ideals of beauty that aren't your own?

To be a bit cliche, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's true. Perception is everything. So, you know what you perceive as beautiful. What about how others define beauty? Do you feel there's some standard that makes a person beautiful?

I've heard all the arguements for a standard ideal - symmetry, proportion, grooming (to be distinguished from hygene, which is another subject entirely), etc. But on the whole, I don't think these things matter nearly as much as the media and pop culture would like us to believe. For example, I don't exactly fall for the societal norm. I don't like the 'rugged (or boyish) good looks' that are so popular in mainstream media (look at any soap opera, you'll see what I mean). I like teddy bears. Tall, soft, and hairy. Actually, to be honest, my husband is almost the antithesis of what I find attractive. Strike that - I do find him attractive, but he's not normally the type of guy I lay eyes on.

This article, though, isn't to focus on what women find attractive, it's to focus on what MEN find attractive. Mainstream media, from TV shows, book covers, magazines, video games, all the way down to commercials, all portray a certain type of woman. Usually tall, almost always slender, with perfect hair, impeccable makeup, gravity defying breasts and cleavage that will make even the most hardend minds drool with lust. But as we all know, what media and science defines as beautiful isn't necessarly what we personally believe.

Let's start with symmetry. Science says the more symmetrical a face is, the more beautiful it is. But have you ever seen a perfectly symmetrical face? How about one of those photoshopped faces, where one half has been copied to the other side? It looks pretty ridiculous, doesn't it. I certainly don't find that attractive. A lack of symmetry is what makes a face interesting and unique. Gives it character. One eyebrow set a little higher than the other, be it through use or nature. One side of the mouth has a little more quirk than the other. That is an expressive face. One people might (and do) find attractive.

Now let's discuss the all important grooming. Oh yes, with that perfect coiffure and impeccable makeup, how can you say no? Easy. Many more men go for the natural look than the model look. What, you think those models for the skin care ads aren't wearing makeup and

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