Our physical appearance is determined by a combination of genetic and developmental factors. Genes help account for many of the definite characteristics such as eye and skin colour, hair colour and type, and height. Genes also help determine propensities for many of the characteristics which are then shaped by functional development. From the time of conception, biological and chemical processes are going on in the womb, transferred directly from the mother's characteristics, her environment and events that take place in it. These help shape the future appearance of the baby before it is born. Post natal functional development then helps further influence physical looks:
Whether or not you are good looking or 'hot' depends as much on how you hold your face, what you eat and other environmental factors, as it does on the physical construction of chin, mouth, nose, cheeks and eyes.
'Holding the face' refers to the muscles and patterns of use developed over a life time. As in other parts of the body, the facial muscles develop levels of flexibility and interaction dependent on use. If movement is restricted, then facial expression is restricted and attractiveness potentially diminishes. The visual impression of constricted facial muscles is linked with a perception, possibly true, of a weakness in character. It is also associated with diminished vocal ability, communication and emotional expression, all characteristics that potentially diminish attractiveness. A lively face is more attractive than a zombie one. A deadpan face is associated with criminals in the dock and psychiatric patients on medication.
Among other things, attractiveness is associated with characteristics such as facial symmetry, expressiveness and strong chin position (how the jaw is held). These kinds of characteristics are dependent on muscular use and are therefore moulded by functional development rather than any predefined genetic blueprint.
The physical construction of the parts of the face as gifted to you through you genes, foetal environment and other factors can be made less or more attractive by the interplay of muscles on top of them through their use. In this manner a person deemed to have unattractive physical characteristics can make themselves more attractive. Or similarly, use of the facial muscles can negate supposed attractiveness of inherited characteristics completely.
The key to good posture is the development of connectivity within the muscles holding the ribs of the chest together, the inter-costals.
When these muscles are tensioned the chest lifts and moves outwards. If they are used regularly and have connectivity then they can act as an anchor for the shoulder and arm muscles. In men this means that the chest has a greater likelihood of developing physical strength and the kind of upper torso that is worth ten years’ of gym fees for. In women, this means that the breasts are likely to be perkier having more muscular support, making them more attractive to men and less likely to sag with age.
Another crucial element of attractiveness is the voice. The qualities of the voice reflect the qualities of the person. Actors who do voice overs for cartoon characters are usually movie or television actors and not radio announcers or DJs because their voice is required to deliver the full range of expression that comes with acting out events in full with the body. When actors do act, their voice probably delivers more than half of the message that they communicate. And, as psychologists have worked out, most of the effect of spoken communication comes from the sound of the voice and not the actual words or their symbolic meaning.
The sound of the voice is the great communicator and is a reflection of the character of the person.
A person whose voice sounds pleasing (in the ear of the beholder) is likely to be more attractive. Resonance, pitch, timbre are all qualities that contribute. A voice that is broken, shrill in pitch, or uneven in timbre is likely to be unattractive.