AIBU to think men prefer fake looking women?

[Bumpitybumper]

I can't help but feel suspicious everytime I read the results from a survey where it is suggested that men prefer the "natural" look. This just doesn't seem to reflect my experience in real life and also what I see on social media or on TV.

We have Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian who have both obviously had a LOT of work being viewed as the pinnacle of female attractiveness whilst Meghan from Love Island who has apparently been completely remodeled by surgeon seems to have attracted the most men in Love Island.

AIBU to suggest despite their protestations that men actually don't favour the natural look at all?

what Branleuse said.

...although I will admit that last time I was back in the UK I was quite wowed by all the highly groomed women.

Not that it made an iota of difference to them or me.

I don’t like the vast majority of famous actors, sportsmen etc that I am supposed to. Big steroid muscles, fake tan, big fake teeth and no body hair do nothing for me. Though I know plenty of women who love that look.

So maybe most men feel the same way I do?

I often hear people compliment people for being natural when they have obviously had plastic surgery though. So I think lots of people can’t tell.

Well, there is plastic surgery that makes one look unnatural, like Jocelyn Wildenstein or the Jessica Rabbit lady. And there is plastic surgery that, for example, increased breast size within the optimal standard.

If I saw the former I'd think "that's wierd". As for the latter, I doubt I would be able to tell the person had had plastic surgery.

TomPinch I was thinking of face work, bit I suppose you’re right about breasts, that’s why it’s useful to have a man in the discussion .

Like pps have said there is a degree of fakeness in everyone’s look washing, plucking etc. How far you go is personal taste. But most women and men do seem to prefer stopping when they still look like a person.

Great Amy Schumer song: 'Girl, You Don't Need Makeup':

There is nothing great about it. It features a group of young Men telling a young Women that she doesn't need the, very well done, not over the top, make-up that she applied that morning. They don't get to decide that.

""I think a fair few men like the fake look for a ons/fling, but when it comes to ltr/marriage, the natural look is what they’ll pick.""

It's a shame they they aren't picking people, rather than a look.

. ""The more obsessed someone is (man or woman) about their outward appearance the less depth they invariably have to their personality.""

As said, absolute bullshit.

""My fiancé says he likes a real woman with no implants etc. I said in ten years time I might like a few wrinkle fillers and he is against it.""

That's the issue. Not liking make-up on a Woman, or wanting to dictate how Women look, is the other side of the coin, control issue.

A lot of Women who have never been interested in make-up/skincare/aesthetics, are suddenly interested around the Menopause. They haven't suddenly lost their personality, or become obsessed.

The look the OP is talking about is very marketed. As desirable to Men and to Women, which is why it is taking off. The look is good for covering bad skin, features that you don't like and insecurity. In some ways it's better than not going out, using other ways to feel good about yourself.

To answer the question, though. I agree with Men liking naturally attractive, they would rather have fake, when it comes to just looks.

Why is putting on makeup "fake"?

How is it any more "fake" than, for example, wearing clothes that don't need mending, or washing onesself?

Tom it isn’t. It’s just some people get butthurt about it.

Or the men on love island know if they go about with megan that they will get the most air time cos of how shes acted in the villa. It's a show of showmances for ratings and maximum popularity in order to sell the most black fave mask/slimming shakes/tooth whitening kits on Instagram. More followers = More money. Mist of them pick a partner based on their ability to sell stuff

I seriously don’t think it matters.

Ultimately, attraction initially is around sexual attraction & a lot of men really aren’t fussy.

@bupitybumper
I know what you mean about fake breasts. If a woman is really slim with a thigh gap and then big breasts it would look out of proportion to me but I agree, men wouldn't think 'out of proportion' they'd think phwoar.

I'd forgotten about this song. V funny and astute.

My DH prefers curvy, smiley women. He likes women who grin instead of pout and women whose bodies reflect the life they've lived (like my mum tum because we have kids!!).

I think many men just think they should be attracted to this type of fake look. Same as some women try to conform to social expectations so do some men- pretending to like the stereotypical 'perfect' woman instead of accepting their own preferences.

Flame me if you like as well but I think intelligence also has something to do with it.

The thing about Kylie Jenner style complete new face surgery is that your kids won’t look anything like you. Plus how do you teach them to love themselves if they have the very features you’ve changed?

I think I would feel a little cheated if my husband was born with a very different face to the one he had now.

Men will almost always say they prefer 'natural women'.

Dig a bit deeper however, and you'll notice that:

a) Men consider any woman who doesn't have the full Kardashian style fakery to be 'natural'. That 'natural woman' they fancy at work is probably wearing at least some make up, has styled her hair, shyled and maybe coloured her legs, plucked her eyebrows etc.

b) Look at the women who turn men's heads when you're out and about. Also, look at the women in ladz magz. Look at trophy wives. How many of these women have hairy legs, scrubbed faces and are wearing dungarees and sandals?

Zero, that's how many.

They will almost all be wearing full make up, have coloured, styled hair, shaved and plucked to within in inch of their lives. Many will also have had cosmetic 'enhancements'.

So I take this 'men prefer natural women' thing with a pinch of salt. I think it's often men saying what they think they ought to say, rather than admit the reality - even to themselves.

Oh and btw while I find this thread interesting and have contributed, I do wonder if you'd ever find an 8 page discussion on a men's board asking what type of looks women prefer in men?

The problem is that when they get work done they may look more attractive so then they keep getting more stuff done until they end up looking strange.

i think men like to look and fantasize about these types but couldnt actually hack dating one.

It would be too much they like the safe natural type. I remember getting into a debate with my partner about it and he agreed ( he can fanstizie about what he wants ) but my point was its all very well too look. but push come to shove you would be insecure going out with someone so hgh attractive to all the men .

Im the same I wouldnt date a man who spends too much time in the gym, but i do find them attracitve.

I think what im trying to say is most men would shag these women but not marry SORRY IT HARSH.

I have lovely friends who dress and have the fake look and i try not be judgmental as she taught me how intelligent kids and lovely she was, but she was very insecure and men were actually intimidated by her beauty!

I wonder whether they realise that the ‘natural’ look they often see isn’t actually natural at all

How many of these women have hairy legs, scrubbed faces and are wearing dungarees and sandals?

How many women look like that in real life? Loads. How many men are lardy, red and hairy? How many are married? Most. Seriously, don't worry about it.

Oh I'm not worried in the slightest!

I'm just pointing out the gap between what men say they like and what they actually like. I couldn't give a toss either way - just making an observation.

@IcedPurple
This is exactly what I think hence me starting the thread. It seems very controversial though..

It would be too much they like the safe natural type. I remember getting into a debate with my partner about it and he agreed ( he can fanstizie about what he wants ) but my point was its all very well too look. but push come to shove you would be insecure going out with someone so hgh attractive to all the men

I think some of that is true for both sexes. An awful lotmpf people are not confident in their bodies or looks, and a beautiful partner could be intimidating, or a potential partner never approached because we lack the confidence.
But equally, if looks were an initial attractor, it's quite a shallow criterion, and soon after, personality traits start to play a bigger role in a successful partnership. Maybe many fail because the initial premise (good looks) wasn't a solid foundation for longer term?

What heterosexual men are generally attracted to biologically is fertile women who appear healthy and show signs of that healthiness, youth, fertility and femininity by having visible breast outlines, a waist, hips, and generally other physical characteristics making them appear to be quite different from a man. This hasn't changed much since the stone age. Anything else is just the fashion of the day.

Oh and btw while I find this thread interesting and have contributed, I do wonder if you'd ever find an 8 page discussion on a men's board asking what type of looks women prefer in men?

I visit a couple of football forums where they have side topics like this. It's usually a very eclectic mix.
It's all very subjective but the range is incredibly varied and opinions vastly different just like real life. There are always some crass comments about a big pair of breasts etc, but too much makeup / not very intelligent / too thin etc often crop up.
What advertising tells women vs the truth are very different things. Advertisers want to sell products, they make us believe we need to look a certain way, act a certain way, wear clothes a certain way to be attractive.
It happens to men too, thinking all women want Hugh Grant, the bloke from Poldark. The way men and women discuss celebs on a forum can make us believe those celebs are magnetic to the opposite sex. The real world is rather different and the truth much more mundane.