In this study, we systematically investigated the influence of eyelash length on perceived attractiveness. Our results showed that the most attractive eyelash length is approximately one-third to one-quarter of the eye's width. Aesthetically, long eyelashes have been a symbol of beauty for many centuries. Psychologists explain that long eyelashes create a contrast between the eye and the eyelid, making the eyes visibly larger and, therefore, more attractive.
Biologically, eyelashes protect our eyes from dirt, dust and other particles in the air and the environment. Eyelash length is influenced by genetics, but other factors can also affect it. There are many reasons why long eyelashes are considered more attractive than short ones. For starters, they make the eyes look bigger.
Similarly, according to Newsweek, “eyelashes can help emphasize a person's sclera (the whites of the eyes) and limbal rings (the dark ring that surrounds the iris) of a person. This, in turn, is considered a strong indicator of health and age because a dark limbal ring tends to be more prominent during youth. Every time you see someone with exceptionally long eyelashes, which aren't false, it could be the sign of a specific congenital condition they have, a medication they're taking for a serious medical condition, or because their parents also had long eyelashes. Trichomegaly is the name given to eyelashes that measure more than 8 mm in the peripheral section and 12 mm in the central section.
A previous study suggests that the main function of the eyelashes is related to the tear duct system, which “provides a thin layer composed of mucus, oil and water to lubricate the eyelid, moisturize the cornea and remove particles deposited in the eye. There are many ways to improve the length and shape of eyelashes with extensions, lift them up, dye them and curl them. The difference is in the shape of the eyelashes, since people of Asian origin and those of Spanish and Eastern European descent tend to have straight eyelashes, while others have curlier eyelashes. And finally, long eyelashes are correlated with the “baby face” and perceptions of kindness and warmth.
Sometimes, on those rare occasions, there are no additional symptoms and people in the same family have abnormally long eyelashes as a trait. As such, this is what is known as a recessive trait, since the body needs two copies of mutated genes to obtain long eyelashes. The findings do not support the view that increasing eyelash length will always increase the attractiveness of female faces. The authors state that “while eyelashes of an optimal proportion are generally considered more attractive, this preference is not only a biologically adaptive phenomenon, but is influenced by cultural norms.
It also helps men to be less likely to apply mascara or get eyelash extensions, since both are known to damage already thin eyelashes. Men with eyelashes longer than this were considered less attractive, and women with short or newly existing eyelashes were considered the least attractive. If both parents have long eyelashes, you have a high chance of inheriting them because of a mutation in the FGF5 gene.
