Researchers Revealed What People Subconsciously Think About You, Based On How Long Your Eyelashes Are
Your lashes are more telling than you realize.
Ground Picture | Shutterstock When it comes to first impressions, we often think that it's usually features like a smile, what outfit you're wearing, and how much you're able to maintain eye contact during conversation that people notice first. But research suggests that there's actually something far more subtle at play.
According to a study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers found that the way people perceive your eyelashes, specifically how long they are, actually plays a role in their first impression of you. Apparently, there's a sweet spot when it comes to the perfect length of your lashes and what is deemed attractive. If you're lashes are longer than that, it's a subconscious sign to others that you are more inclined towards casual romantic dalliances. It sounds quite scandalous!
Researchers say the length of your lashes can influence attraction.
In a time when fake lashes and even extensions seem to be the new beauty standard, the findings were telling. Researchers concluded that eyelashes that are as long as about one-third the width of the eye are the most attractive and healthiest. They represent youth and good health.
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Short and sparse lashes are subconsciously associated with illness or aging and don't evoke the same response. Here's where the findings get interesting, however.
Lashes that appear longer than that optimal one-third the width of the eye calculation were interpreted by study participants as a sign that the person is more progressive in their opinion on casual affairs. Basically, if you've got longer than average lashes, you're likely more open to one-night stands or friends with benefits situations.
For all that lashes do for us, including keeping dust and dirt from entering our eyes, the last thing many of us think is that they give off subtle signals about our preferred relationship status.
Previous research found that moderately long eyelashes were associated with being the most attractive.
As with all things in life, the extremes are the outliers. Lashes that appear short and overly long are less attractive than moderate-length lashes. For women, in particular, having lashes that fall somewhere in that perfect Goldilocks length of not too short and not too long is often associated with traits such as femininity and youthfulness.
For men, shorter but still noticeable eyelashes contribute to a balanced and healthy appearance. As always, men seem to be looked at with more leniency when it comes to beauty ideals, but that's a whole different topic. But the bigger question remains: If moderate-length lashes are the preferred length for attraction, why do women seem to be on a never-ending quest to lengthen their eyelashes?
It really is a conundrum, especially in light of how expensive extensions can be. The average cost of what many providers call a "classic" length is around $200, but if you prefer a more dramatic look, you might be looking at a first visit that costs around $300. What people often forget is that lashes grow. That means every two weeks, you need to get what is called a "refill." If you don't, just like with acrylic nails, they'll look worse than if you never had them.
It's a labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming beauty treatment. Side and stomach sleepers can also kiss goodbye their favorite positions unless they want to see all that money end up on their pillowcases instead of remaining attached to their lids.
Women might be leaning into their own beauty ideals instead of putting stock in what others find attractive.
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The author of the study, Farid Pazhoohi, noted that while people usually tend to prefer a moderate eyelash length for attractiveness, trends like eyelash extensions remain popular. Because of that, the perception of eyelash length could be changing, too. What was once considered "unnatural" or even "unconventional" has now transformed into a way for people to feel comfortable in how they express themselves.
As beauty writer Katheryn Erickson explained in a piece for Glamour, she was reluctant to even try the eyelash extension trend until about a month before her wedding. What happened? She went from skeptic to obsessed. As a minimalist who barely wore mascara, she wrote, "Here’s the thing I discovered about eyelash extensions: They make you feel more glamorous than you thought possible. It’s addicting. When I got home from my second appointment with my most dramatic set, I looked into the mirror and felt like Elizabeth Taylor in "Cleopatra."
See, that's the thing that isn't spoken about enough when it comes to any beauty treatment or act of self-care that's predominantly associated with women. More often than not, we're not plucking, extending, or primping for anyone other than ourselves. When we look in a mirror and feel like a movie star, it does not matter that some arbitrary study found that our lash length makes us look like we are more likely to enjoy one-night stands over long-term relationships.
If someone is going to judge you solely on the length of your lashes and not dig any deeper than that, they don't really matter anyway. Do what makes you feel beautiful.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
