If you think that the mestiza and artista-looking women get asked out more, think again. According to a recent study, men prefer to look at simple faces with the most symmetric facial features.

Researchers at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain surveyed a total of 266 female undergrads on their own perceived attractiveness, then asked 44 straight men to rate the attractiveness of each woman based on black-and-white, neutral images alone and both men and women agreed that people with a symmetric face, those who have features similar on each side of the face with an equal distance between them, were considered more desirable than the faces with asymmetric features.

“It might seem remarkable that Facial FA (fluctuating asymmetry) shows an equivalent effect on the two direct measurements of attractiveness, particularly considering that they are also influenced by different facial features. This observation confirms the importance of Facial FA in determining attractiveness,” wrote the researchers in their paper.

The FA also plays an important role when it comes to mating since the fluctuating asymmetry has been viewed as an indicator for developmental stability, averageness for heterozygosity, and both femininity and youthfulness for fertility and health.

Also, men who are looking for their lifetime partners are more likely to go for the one with the girl-next-door appeal. In an article from Cosmo.au, Psychotherapist Phillip Owens explains, “Men looking for long term relationships are looking for qualities that make them feel comfortable and empowered as they move forward. They are looking for the ability to trust their partner.”

He continues. "The problem with glamazons, there’s a fear of losing them. ‘What if I’m not good enough? How can I keep someone like that?’ Those who feel like that will select somebody who seems a more reasonable option, who doesn’t stretch them outside the comfort zone. It’s also an evolutionary thing.”

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons/Aurelio Asiain