Science has given us another reason to knock back a glass of wine.
Drinking wine officially makes us look more beautiful, thanks to dilate pupils, rosy cheeks and relaxed facial muscles.
The study from Bristol University asked 40 students to drink different amounts of alcohol while their sober companions judged them on appearance.
The students’ faces were then photographed three times – the first time when they were sober, a second time after their first drink and a third time following a second drink.
In the report by LiveScience, the sober group were asked to rate photos for the most attractive portrait. The sober judges were shown a photo of a sober person, next to the person after one drink or a different comparison shot of a sober person next to a photo of someone who had two drinks.
And it seems a drop of Dutch courage has the desired effect – with students finding the portrait of the person after one drink as the most attractive picture of the subjects.
Speaking about the results, Marcus Munafo told LiveScience:
“It suggests that, if it’s true, people are rated as more attractive once they’ve consumed a small amount of alcohol. But if they go on to consume more alcohol, they’re no longer rated as more attractive.
“What it means is that alcohol is sort of hijacking that mechanism, or promoting the aspects of facial features that we regard as attractive for other reasons.”
So ladies the next time you’re getting ready for a big date, have a sip or two of wine. Just not the bottle. That’s definitely not going to help the situation.
