Summary
A larger positive Eye Canthal Tilt is considered a feminine feature, while a smaller Eye Canthal Tilt is a masculine one. Penčić et al. (2019) suggest that a “positive canthal tilt”, where the outer corner of the eye is higher than the inner, is perceived as a feminine feature. This is because it is common in women and gives the eye an almond-like, ‘cat eye’ shape. It is also seen as a trait of attractiveness, across various races and ethnic groups, which further contributes to its association with femininity.
Research
According to Penčić et al. (2019), a positive Eye Canthal Tilt is seen as a feminine feature because it’s a common trait in women’s eyes. When we say a “positive canthal tilt,” we mean that the outer corner of the eye is higher than the inner corner, giving the eye an almond-like shape, often described as a ‘cat eye’. This shape, combined with the fact that it’s often found in women, makes it look more feminine.
Moreover, it was also found that faces considered attractive across different races and ethnic groups often have a higher canthal tilt. This might be another reason why a positive canthal tilt is seen as a feminine feature, as it’s associated with attractiveness.
According to Zettlemoyer and Sherber (2021), a positive Eye Canthal Tilt is seen as a feminine feature mainly because it’s more commonly found in women than in men. This tilt is about how the corners of the eyes are positioned: in a positive tilt, the outer corner of the eye is slightly higher than the inner corner, giving the eyes a slightly uplifted look, sort of like an almond shape. This adds to other unique features women usually have around their eyes. For instance, the crease of the upper eyelid (the line you see when the eyes are open) is usually positioned higher in women, and there’s typically more visible skin area (known as ‘pretarsal show’) between the crease and the lash line. These features, coupled with the positive canthal tilt, can make the eyes look more youthful and soft, which are often associated with femininity.
Reference
Penčić, M., Čavić, M., Borovac, B., Lu, Z., & Rackov, M. (2019). Robotic eyes with 7 DOFs: structural design and motion simulation. In ROMANSY 22–Robot Design, Dynamics and Control: Proceedings of the 22nd CISM IFToMM Symposium, June 25-28, 2018, Rennes, France (pp. 52-60). Springer International Publishing.
https://sci-hub.wf/10.1007/978-3-319-78963-7_8
Zettlemoyer, E., & Sherber, N. S. (2021). The Cosmetic Consultation: Anatomy and Psychology–The Female Patient. Essential Psychiatry for the Aesthetic Practitioner, 64-78.