Effects of the Lightness in Each Part of the Face on the BIHAKU of the Whole Face

Abstract

Visual information, such as complexion and texture, is indispensable for smooth social communication, and using make-up—which can influence this information—is becoming increasingly important in modern society. Many studies have examined the psychophysical features of the face that contribute to human impression formation. Here, we investigate the effect of visual information related to the forehead, eyes, and cheek on BIHAKU – a term for beautiful skin in East Asian countries. Our psychophysical experiments showed that the BIHAKU of the whole face is determined not by the visual information of a dominant part of face, but by the combined information conveyed by these three parts. This result remained unchanged regardless of the facial tone area, participants' interest in make-up, and ‘noise’ on face, indicating that BIHAKU is a constant facial feature.