Science Says This Is Your Most Important Facial Feature

(Image credit: Archives)

published 24 August 15

What is the key feature that makes a face stand out? While the logical assumption might be your standard nose, eyes, mouth, it's the brows that hold the highest face value.

Beyond their function as a filter against dust, dirt, and sweat, brows have a strong social significance (opens in new tab) for "emotional expression as well as facial recognition," reports Yahoo Health (opens in new tab).

Given the general fascination with lush eyebrows (opens in new tab) lately, we can't say we're surprised. We all want Cara Delevingne's arches (opens in new tab), and if we weren't blessed with a set of bold beauties at birth, we're compensating with brow tints, growth-stimulating serums and even hair transplant (opens in new tab) procedures, which are becoming increasingly popular.

Now, our obsession with arches is finally validated with factual evidence. In a recent study (opens in new tab) conducted by the University of Lethbridge in Canada, researchers showed people 25 images of celebrities without eyebrows, followed by 25 images of celebrities without eyes. Participants were able to correctly identify 56 percent of the celebrities shown without eyes, but only 46 percent of the celebrities without eyebrows. The findings? Brows are more important than eyes if you want to make a lasting impression.

Thank you, science.

Sarah Lindig

I am an experienced editor, writer, and creative strategist, specializing in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content for digital media outlets, as well as video and social platforms. While I currently operate as a freelance contributor/consultant, with such clients as The Zoe Report, my 10+-year background in the industry was cultivated at the dot-coms of elite publications, including Harper’s BAZAAR, ELLE, and Marie Claire.