A certain type of mask got higher rating, too!
While the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese have been used to wearing face masks for a longer time than the rest of the world, the rest of the world have followed suit. It has been more than two years since then, prompting a group of researchers at Cardiff University to conduct a study if wearing face masks make you more attractive.
The survey included four choices: bare face, lower face covered with a notebook, wearing surgical face mask, and wearing fabric mask. While fabric mask gives a more stylish vibe and makes the wearer stand out, the study revealed that surgical masks got higher ratings.
Illustration by Ariana Maralit
“Our study suggests faces are considered most attractive when covered by medical face masks. This may be because we’re used to healthcare workers wearing blue masks and now we associate these with people in caring or medical professions. At a time when we feel vulnerable, we may find the wearing of medical masks reassuring and so feel more positive towards the wearer.”
Aside from the co-relation to medical professions, the study also proves that wearing masks doesn't give a negative connotation anymore. “The pandemic has changed our psychology in how we perceive the wearers of masks. When we see someone wearing a mask we no longer think ‘that person has a disease, I need to stay away’."
Another reason why face masks are more attractive is because the eyes have become the focal point. In the study, the brain is treating the face they're seeing as a puzzle, filling in the "blanks" and imagining how the person looks like without the coverage.
So, what will it be? Medical masks wins.