Why are wide-set eyes more attractive?

Wide-set eyes (or those with a longer external distance) are more attractive in females. Rhee et al (2012) in their paper concludes that “regardless of race, attractive faces have relatively wide-set eyes compared to average faces from the same race”. These scientists think that this may be related to the fact that narrow faces are typically more attractive than rounder, more average-looking, facial configurations. The Longer external eye (or outer canthal distance) helps create the impression of a narrow face.

Baudouin et al(2004) corroborate this fact.When they set out to study facial symmetry they discovered that some facial features like the eye’s external length or high cheekbones were more attractive as they increased(deviating away from the average length).

It may be important to note here that, if both the inner and outer canthal distances are increased together(moving the eyes further apart) or ‘Hypertelorism’ this tends to indicate unfavourable genetics(Kulkarni et al, 1992).When you increase the external eye distance to achieve greater attractiveness in females, it must still fit with her general face shape and the topography of her other features.