Though women often fixate on wrinkles, a series of studies shows that evenness of skin color may be equally important for beauty.
Bernhard Fink of the University of Goettingen in Germany and collaborators have used subjective ratings as well as measurements of eye gaze to demonstrate that men find faces with homogeneous hues more attractive than splotchy faces.
The authors conclude that smooth skin suggests youth, while people use even skin tone as an indicator of good health. According to Fink, "This work will help the cosmetic industry identify what people's actual needs are." —Catherine Fata
See Spot Flee
Two ways to keep your skin looking healthy:
Aubrey Organics Green Tea & Ginkgo Moisturizer SPF 15, $13 (4 oz.)
"Too much sun exposure can cause your skin cells to produce melanin in an uneven way," Fink says.
Olay Definity Cream, $25 (1.7 oz.)
Contains the amino sugar glucosamine, which Fink says "combats skin discolorations such as dark spots."
