By Angela Vertucci

Cute. Pretty. Beautiful. Gorgeous. These adjectives represent an ascending spectrum of female attractiveness. But who decides where a woman falls? It may be true that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, but apparently a woman can rate quite differently by fellow females than males. We want to know why. What qualities do women admire in each other that go under the radar of male observance? And similarly, what is it precisely about a woman’s appearance that wins her the male stamp of approval?

Perhaps we can find the answer by examining who the masses turn to in their quest to define beauty. For a large percentage of America’s female population, the standards are set by Hollywood. Ah, the unparalleled power of a well-advertised trend. For this reason, women hail Sarah Jessica Parker for being a beauty and fashion icon. Ask a guy friend if he thinks Parker—who can claim a half-dozen Vogue cover spreads—is beautiful, however, and you’ll likely hear a sure-minded no (yes, we find this abhorrent too).

The fact is that women put more stock in the superficial add-ons we are sold to enhance our beauty, while guys (warning: shocking information ahead) place a higher value on the natural aspects of a woman’s appearance.

From the female perspective, the girl with the Gennifer-Goodwin-esque pixie cut, rocking bright-colored lipstick and an outfit that looks like it was stolen off the set of Mad Men portrays confidence. “Look how she pulls that off!” an average women would exclaim.

But guys are less likely to keep close tabs on what’s happening in the bipolar fashion world. If Smurf-colored eyeshadow didn’t attract him to you a week ago, the fact that SJP wore it on the red carpet yesterday won’t make him attracted to you today. Remember this mantra: when it comes to men, less is more.

According to an article published in this year’s February issue of Glamour, guys think that women who wear less makeup send a sign of higher self-confidence, which is one of the most attractive qualities a gal can have. That means skip the smoky eye and try wearing just mascara. Lose the seductress’s lipstick and wear a subtle gloss. Trade the cheetah print nail art for a classic French manicure.

The preference for natural over artificial applies to how men rate female bodies too. Men want women who are healthy and happy in their God-given skin. Yes, it is important to hit the gym and eat your fruits and veggies—but only because doing so allows you to live a healthy lifestyle. You do not have to be a size two to grab a man’s attention. Loving your womanly hips makes you just as beautiful. In fact, inner beauty is a powerful force of attraction that many women discount in their efforts to slenderize their thighs and flatten their stomachs. And ahem, guys like curves! Think Kim Kardashian, Scarlett Johansson, Beyoncé and J.Lo. Guys also reported to Real Beauty that a soft stomach and love handles appear feminine, and thus are favorable qualities in their female partners.

So why do we do it then? Why to women pay thousands of dollars each year on the latest…everything? Lash perfecting mascara, big sexy hair, tan in a bottle and even plastic surgery. We pile it on layer by layer, just trying to climb the ranks from cute to gorgeous. Sure, personal hygiene and overall appearance are at the top of our guys’ list, but are we unnecessarily taking beauty maintenance to the nth degree and losing sight of who we really are?

Feel free to weigh in and let us know what you think. Have you noticed significant differences between how girls and guys define beauty? Can ladies afford to take it down a notch? Comment below!

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