Natalie Portman and Miranda Kerr - Credit: Getty Images

A recent study from Stirling University in the United Kingdom found that the most attractive female facial features for men are the most protruding cheekbones and smaller jaws (such as that of actress Natalie Portman). However, the researchers revealed that these factors count even more when men are looking for an affective adventure.

According to research, men find these very feminine characteristics more attractive because they convey a signal of youth and fertility, and they are more likely to cheat on women who have these descriptions.

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According to the study, published in the Daily Mail, scientists say the narrower jaw and fuller cheekbones are closely linked to a woman's perception of attractiveness and are also taken as indicators of health and fidelity. In addition, these requirements are also associated with a higher level of female estrogen hormone, which suggests reproductive success.

The study found that men were more attracted to these feminine traits when they were looking for a short term relationship or an affair. Thus, the researchers investigated whether considering partners for long or short term relationships would affect a man's preference for different faces.

To reach the results, an online experiment was conducted with 393 heterosexual men, 207 of whom had a current relationship. They were shown two versions of ten faces of European and Japanese women. One version was digitally altered to have slightly more feminine features and another slightly more masculine.

After looking at two different versions of a digitally altered face, men were not likely to choose the face with a wider jaw or slightly more masculine features. Participants wanted the more feminine looking for a quick adventure, especially among those already in a stable relationship.