The Science of brows

Eyebrows – more than just keeping sweat, water and other nasties out of our eyes, they frame the face and can actually reveal just what mood we’re in.

Brows are the most expressive part of the face and the team at Benefit Cosmetics joined forces with those in the know to explain just how eyebrows can decode emotions. The study is called the role of eyebrows in face recognition.

“Eyebrows can communicate the full spectrum of emotions from aggression to fear to joy,” says facial expression expert Dr Javid Sadr, who teamed up with Benefit Cosmetics for the study. To work it all out, the experts separated the face into three section – lower, middle and upper – and found the top of the face that includes our brows, reveals a lot more than we thought. Now here’s where it gets really exciting. From this research and the findings, Benefit has developed the brow translator that can ‘read emotions’ by analysing your brows. According to the website – it “uses facial recognition analysis and machine learning to identify what your brows are expressing.”

All you need to do is visit the site, upload a photo and let science do the rest. Of course you can download the results and share them on social media.

I gave it a go with a selfie and another photo taken just before a birthday dinner. Check out the results.

Now if you’re interested in the science behind your emotions, here is what your brows say about your mood.

Confidence: They’re just calm and neutral. You own it!

Happiness: Brows are relaxed and neutral, with laugh lines out the side of each side.

Anger: Brows are pulled down and furrowed together in a crumple.

Sadness: Brows come together above the nose and are lowered at the sides, sending ripples up the forehead.

Seduction: Your brows are relaxed to start and after eye contact is made, they’re subtly raised. This can also be called the come hither look.

XO Debby Vilensky