Is beauty in 2022 still defined by a mathematical equation?

Harry Styles is the most handsome man in the world. This is not a survey of real people, but science. Or, at least, an algorithm called the Golden Ratio of Beauty Phi, according to which an individual's beauty is determined by the symmetry of his/her face. The parameters are the same as those used by Leonardo da Vinci to obtain the proportions of the perfect male body for the Vitruvian Man: the length of the ear must be equal to the length of the nose, the width of the eye must be proportional to the distance between the eyes. This rating system rewards the former One Direction with a handsome 98.15%. Thus, without even considering other factors that elevate his appeal, such as his dazzling smile, lean physique, talent or sense of style characterized by flowing outfits (many by Gucci) capable of embodying the esprit de corps, Harry tops the list of the most handsome men of 2022.  

Robert Pattinson, Bella Hadid, Zendaya, Jodie Comer, Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling have also joined the list of Adonis with near-perfect proportions in recent years. As with Harry, the measurements of the forehead, eyes, eyebrows, cheekbones, nose, lips, chin, jawline and how close their proportions are to the golden ratio, a universal constant defined by the ancient Greeks and also known as Phi or Fibonacci number, which numerically corresponds to 1.618, were decisive in deciding the beauty ratio. According to many, this mathematical equation was an attempt to measure beauty also used by Leonardo and Renaissance artists to map their masterpieces and identifies the most harmonious forms in nature that our brain associates with perfection and can be found in nature as well as in art and architecture. A few examples? The nautilus shell, the Parthenon, the sculptures of Phidias, the Gutenberg Bible, the Mona Lisa or the Taj Mahal.

After all the conversation about inclusiveness and the unique characteristics that define beauty, can a standard from ancient Greek culture really define what is beautiful today? Assuming that mathematics is not an opinion, in some areas neither is beauty. When it comes to public figures, despite open-mindedness and personal tastes, as well as the individual's sensibility and ability to construct the image of beauty in his or her own eyes, in the star system individuals will more easily respond to beauty standards that come from ideal proportions, the same ones respected and twisted for visual impact in art and photography, because they are more easily recognized as aesthetically appealing to the general public, already accustomed to certain characteristics. The beauty of the inclusive evolution that the entertainment industry has been seeing for the past 5 years is the heterogeneous participation of so many types of beauty, the construction of an increasingly representative scenario of the kaleidoscope of aesthetics and personalities present in the world, that is still not complete. Another aspect to be considered today for the definition of the word "beautiful" is surely the construction of the character beyond the mere beauty of the individual, as evidenced by the fundamental importance of celebrity stylists alongside the personalities who populate the red carpets. Thus, Harry Styles may be one of the most beautiful men in the world because of his golden proportions, but also because of the values he is building around his clean face and romantic songs through a brand building strategy. 

Mathematics and the golden section may be an attempt to find a guideline for defining what is beautiful, but not an absolute diktat that goes beyond the rainbow of facets to be considered in defining labelleity in 2022. Umberto Eco also argued this: different aesthetic ideals and sensibilities have always coexisted in every era, emerging from a mix of cultural norms, sexual and aesthetic preferences of individuals, among many other factors.