A WOMAN is judged to be more attractive and feminine by men if she has high levels of the hormone oestrogen, according to research.

Women with low oestrogen, however, need not despair of their chances of attracting a partner, as the effect is easily defeated by applying a little make-up, leaving men and women alike confused about hormonal facial cues.

The findings, from a team at the universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh, suggest that the perceived attractiveness of the female face is directly linked to physiological indicators of fertility and good reproductive health.

Abundant oestrogen is a good predictor of a woman’s ability to conceive, and a predilection for female faces that suggest fecundity could have evolved as a way for men to choose a more fertile mate.

The results suggest that a feminine jawline, a warmer, less pallid complexion and bright, clear eyes are alluring.

Aspects of attractiveness have previously been linked to indicators of fertility and good health in men and women. A woman’s waist-to-hip ratio, for example, corrolates with her sex appeal across many cultures, and research shows that women tend to find men with higher testosterone levels and good quality sperm more physically appealing.

The new study, led by Miriam Law Smith of St Andrews and published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society, recruited 56 female students at St Andrews with an average age of 20. They were photographed with a neutral expression and their pictures were shown to 15 female and 14 male volunteers, who rated them for attractiveness.

The faces of women with higher oestrogen levels in their blood were judged as more feminine and attractive by men and women, and they were also felt to be in better overall health.

“The female face does seem to hold detectable cues to underlying health and fertility, as indexed by oestrogen levels,” Ms Law Smith said. “These cues are used in judgments relevant to mate choice decisions.”

Any clues to fertility provided by the female face, however, are so subtle that they can easily be masked. The research found that any link between oestrogen levels and female beauty disappeared when the women studied wore make-up. These women were rated as more feminine, attractive and healthy than other subjects.

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