The pictures are the result of a two-month-long study led by the University of Kent's Dr Chris Solomon, a world expert in facial mapping, that asked people to put together a composite of the perfect face using the EFIT-V PhotoFit software used by UK police.

The software takes into account factors including the thickness of lips, nose length and width, and hairline.

Those results were then judged by another 100 people who rated them for attractiveness, allowing researchers to create composite pictures showing the archetypal faces of male and female beauty.

Commissioned by Samsung to mark the launch of its new Galaxy S6 phone, the study revealed "some interesting results about what Brits consider to be the epitome of beauty", Dr Solomon said on Sunday.

He said: "It's important to note these are the idealised faces according to those living in the UK, so a study in Asia or Africa for example would no doubt have different results."

The academic said the study also threw up some differences between men's and women's perceptions of ideal beauty.

He said: "For the male face of beauty, women drew a more feminine face than men - women rate a softer jaw-line, slimmer face, fuller lips and clean-shaven look as the most attractive, compared to the more masculine appearance that is considered the most attractive by men.

"Interestingly, for the female face of beauty women rated a sexier appearance as the most beautiful than their male counterparts - women perceived fuller lips, a slimmer face, larger eyes and higher cheekbones as the most beautiful, more so than the male population."

AAP

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