From left, Number 1 Miss Argentina, Number 2 Miss India, Number 3 Miss Japan
From left, Number 4 Miss Namibia, Number 5 Miss South Africa, Number 6 Miss Trinidad & Tobago
HALLE BERRY'S got it -- almost.
The Bond girl and African American mixed-race (white mother, black father) movie star is said to have facial features that come close to being symmetrically perfect.
While the arguments about beauty in Jamaica pit fair skin and shoulder length hair versus ebony hues and short, natural dos, the definition of beauty may be quite scientific, some believe. Perfect beauty lies in how the face lines up.
Cleve Bowen, an instructor at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston explains one theory which goes back to Leonardo DaVinci (this is the Eurocentric theory of beauty, he says). In the perfect face:
The edge of the lips fall in the middle of the eyes, and The tip of the ears fall within the range of the eyes
"It is a fact that the face is perfectly proportioned, so much so that when you have a rectangular surface, you divide it in half and step a little to the right and whatever falls to the right is said to be beautiful."
There is another theory, adds Bowen, which says that there is an imaginary line that lies between the eye and ear. For the perfect face:
The two eyes and the nose should be positioned in such a way so that a golden triangle can be drawn from them. "If this happens you are considered to be beautiful.
THE GOLDEN RATIO
The theory of the Golden Ratio originates as far back as the ancient Greeks and has also been discovered in patterns of nature and many other designs, paintings and objects regarded as visually pleasing.
This suggests that our perception of beauty is not simply subjective, or 'in the eye of the beholder', but may rely on how faithfully facial features echo the Golden Ratio in their proportions, says Dr. Marquardt of UCLA who has established the presence of the Golden Ratio in the proportions of facial features of attractive people (Marquardt 2002). http://www.cs.tcd.ie/people/Ann.McNamara/proj5.html
"The golden ratio is the number (1 + 5)/2. A golden rectangle is a rectangle with width w and length d such that w/d or d/w is equal to (1+ 5)/2. As pointed by Neil, Eric and Geoff (St Peters), the golden rectangle is an aesthetically pleasing shape and has been used by architects and artists to enhance the natural beauty of their work.
However, there are many more 'golden shapes' which enhance nature's beauty, for instance golden hexagons are being used by plastic surgeons to create the 'perfect face'."
http://www.maths.uq.edu.au/~infinity/Infinity_13/Polygons.html
Perfect symmetry or not, Bowen believes "beauty is not as physical as we think. There is a difference between beauty and pretty. Beauty is a philosophical term, which encompasses inner qualities," he notes.
Recently Flair did its own unscientific survey on beauty. Using the pictures of six contestants in the June 3 Miss Universe contest held in Panama, which was won by the Dominican Republic, our team asked several groups of people to look at the pictures, choose the prettiest and explain why. In the survey we only labelled the pictures numbers one through six. To minimise how respondents might influence each other, for the most part we spoke to each person separately. We approached four groups -- children, between 8 and 12; people on the streets of downtown Kingston; several uptowners; and a few residents of St. Thomas.
What's your vote? Tell u by fax at 922-6223 or 948-1804 or by email at lifestyle@gleanerjm.com.
ARTISTIC EYE VIEW
CLEVE BOWEN, an instructor at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, in Kingston, says "Beauty is not as physical as we think. There is a difference between beauty and pretty. Beauty is a philosophical term which encompasses inner qualities."
Phillip Thomas, a final-year art student at Edna Manley College believes that beauty is not just physical but has to do with the individual's qualities.
"There is a school of thought called high Renaissance. In this school, DaVinci did a test of measurements in order to place the distance where certain features fall from each other. From this test, he found out that there should be one eye distance in between both eyes," said Thomas.
The art student isn't buying that theory, however. "In order to tell if someone is beautiful you have to know them," he reckons. "You cannot look at the person's physical features enhanced by makeup and say yes she is beautiful. Beauty takes in everything."
Bowen's and Thomas' comments on the six Miss Universe contestants
Number one has a round face. She best fits Leonardo's theory or the Eurocentric philosophy of beauty.
Number six. Her cheeks are too geometric and she has too many masculine features.
Number four is cheating her beauty by trying to look like someone else.
Numbers one, two, four and five all have similar backgrounds because of their facial features and their lips.
The colour of their lipstick is red because red is associated with being sexy.
Overall, they are not beautiful. They are being pretty because beauty lies deep within.
A PLASTIC SURGEON SAYS
Dr. D. L. Guyan Arscott, a Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgeon, warns us to be cautious when talking about beauty. He says:
People of colour are said to be very beautiful but the stereotype says that dark persons are not. This may be so because there are more symmetrical (proportioned) features in white people.
There are also facial bones that are rejuvenated and augmented in order to enhance the patient's look and make them appear beautiful.
The eye brows, the nose, the lips, the forehead and the overall skin which overlies everything, even the facial expression is a part of the beauty spectrum.
Compiled by Nordia Henry
UP TOWN RESPONSES
"I choose girl number four because she's sultry and appeals to the senses. She has an exotic type of beauty. She glows, her eyes are provocative."
Male manager, 69
"Definitely girl number four. She looks like she can have a good time. She's got lovely features, seductive eyes, I like the way how your bows arch. She also has nice lips, teeth, dimples and her forehead is framed well."
Male editor, 35
"Girl number six gets my vote as she is more representative of the new order of the people of colour."
Female customer service
manager, 46
"I would say girl number five because she has a nice nose, lips and mouth. She also looks very confident. Her features just work well together."
Female doctoral student, 32
RESPONSES FROM
ST THOMAS
"Number one is pretty, her eyes and teeth look perfect. Her entire face is pleasant. Number six is second prettiest. Number two is average. Number four is third prettiest. The others are just not ready."
Diana, a teacher
"Number one's chin is too pointed and her face is too fat. Number two is pretty similar to number one. Number three is pretty and her make up enhances her. Number four is average. Number five, there is nothing to say about her, she is normal. Number six stands out as she is different from the rest. She is very beautiful."
Vanessa, university student
"Number one is beautiful, she has a pleasant smile and her facial appearance is cute. Number two: Her hair is too 'bangy', it does not complement her face. Number three is not pleasant -- not smiling, just a simple look. Number four has a fake smile but her facial appearance is OK. Number five looks stunning. Her eyes are nice, and they blend with her hair colour. Number six is the best of the lot. Very beautiful."
Shaneka, business student
RESPONSES FROM
DOWNTOWN KINGSTON
"I like number six because of her complexion, it is smooth and I like her dreamy eyes and cherry lips. I don't know if is the make up mek she look so good, but she well put together."
Jerry, 33
"I like number one, she's very cute. She's just prettier than the rest, her smile is nice, and she has nice eyes, and her face looks good overall."
Female respondent
"I like number six, her eyes are striking, I love her eyelashes and her face just looks good."
Female respondent
"I like number two, especially her eyes, that's her best feature."
Female respondent
"I like number one, she looks good, she has a nice smile, very natural, and I like #4, she looks real good for a black person."
Dahlia
"I like number four, she's black, I like her complexion, dark and clean. I like her."
Female respondent
"I like number six, her features are uniform, she has a sexy mouth, all her features combine well."
Female respondent
"I like number five because of her long hair. She is very pretty and her hair is light and long." Nicole, 8
Nicole's mother interjects: "She's just saying that because she's white."
THE KIDS SAY
"I like number two. I like her smile, her hair, how it's combed. It looks curly at the edges. I also like her bright smile."
Sebastien, 12
"I like number one. Her teeth are white and she has dark eyes."
Omokhare, 9 1/2
"(Number three) reminds me of my Aunty Sharon, my godmother who is nice and kind. I like how her (number three) hair looks. Her eyes are peaceful, like Aunty Sharon's sometimes."
Shara, almost 10
"Number two. I just think she's the prettiest."
Zachary, 8
"Her (number five) hair is tall and beautiful and light colour."
Liane, 9
"I like her red hair (number five)."
Salim, 12
"I don't like any of them. I think they're all ugly."
Matthew, 9
