One does not often think about the math and science that might go into cosmetic procedures. At the forefront, we are aware of the look that we want to create and understand that we require professionals to do so however we may not be as aware of the mathematical side of pleasing aesthetics.
Defining The Golden Ratio
The Golden Ratio refers to a mathematical ratio that appears predominantly in nature although is largely used in design to create aesthetically pleasing and natural-looking compositions. In permanent makeup this principal is applied to create symmetrical details.
Putting it as simply as we can, the Golden Ratio (also known as the Golden Section, Golden Mean, Divine Proportion or Greek letter Phi) exists when a line is divided into two parts and the longer part (a) divided by the smaller part (b) is equal to the sum of (a) + (b) divided by (a), which both equal 1.618.
In design, the Golden Ratio boils down to aesthetics— creating and appreciating a sense of beauty through harmony and proportion. When applied to design, the Golden Ratio provides a sense of artistry; an X-factor; a certain je ne sais quoi.
This harmony and proportion have been recognized for thousands of centuries, from the Pyramids in Giza to the Parthenon in Athens. From Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and even from the Pepsi logo.
In fact, our brains are seemingly hard-wired to prefer objects and images that use the Golden Ratio. It’s almost a subconscious attraction and even tiny tweaks that make an image truer to the Golden Ratio have a large impact on our brains.
Let's explain the math
The rectangle of harmonious proportions
Now, if you lay the square over the rectangle the two shapes will give you the Golden Ratio:
If you keep applying the Golden Ratio formula to the new rectangle on the far right of the image above, you will eventually get this diagram with progressively smaller squares:
If you take our Golden Ratio diagram above and draw an arch in each square, from one corner to the opposite corner, you will draw the first curve of the Golden Spiral (or Fibonacci Sequence) – a series in which the pattern of each number is the sum of the previous two numbers. Starting at zero, the sequence is: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144… and so on.
By adding the arch in each square, you’ll end up with the diagram of the Golden Spiral:
The Golden Ratio Spiral: You will find this beautiful creature throughout nature's forms—ferns, flowers, seashells, even hurricanes—which perhaps why we find it so visually appealing. Because it is, indeed, nature at its finest.
How does this work for permanent makeup?
Applied directly to the human face we can create aesthetic harmony. Believing that brows should be shaped according to an individual's bone structure, we at Studio 6 also use the Golden Ratio Ruler/Callipers to ensure brows are symmetrical and shaped according to the Golden Ratio. The proportion from start of brow to arch and then from arch to tail will be measured with this amazing tool to give our clients the most beautifully proportioned brows.
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