Attractive Skin Coloration: Harnessing Sexual Selection to Improve Diet and Health

@article{Whitehead2012AttractiveSC,
  title={Attractive Skin Coloration: Harnessing Sexual Selection to Improve Diet and Health},
  author={Ross David Whitehead and David Ian Perrett and Gozde Ozakinci},
  journal={Evolutionary Psychology},
  year={2012},
  volume={10}
}
In this paper we review the mechanisms through which carotenoid coloration could provide a sexually selected cue to condition in species with elaborate color vision. Skin carotenoid pigmentation induced by fruit and vegetable consumption may provide a similar cue to health in humans (particularly light-skinned Asians and Caucasians). Evidence demonstrates that carotenoid-based skin coloration enhances apparent health, and that dietary change can perceptibly impact skin color within weeks. We… 
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Fruit over sunbed: Carotenoid skin colouration is found more attractive than melanin colouration
TLDR
Results are interpreted as reflecting preferences for sex-typical skin colouration: men have darker skin than women and high melanization in male faces may further enhance this masculine trait, thus carotenoid colouration is not less desirable, but melanin Colouration is relatively more desirable in males compared to females.
Perceptions of carotenoid and melanin colouration in faces among young Australian adults
TLDR
Young Australian adults perceive facial skin colouration, associated with both carotenoid intake from fruit and vegetables and melanin due to sun exposure as conveying the appearance of health in young adults, however, carOTenoid colouration was more important to health perception.
Skin coloration is a culturally-specific cue for attractiveness, healthiness, and youthfulness in observers of Chinese and western European descent
TLDR
It is concluded that observers of both ethnicities make use of skin color and lightness to rate attractiveness, healthiness, and perceived age, but to a lesser degree than previously thought.
Diet quality and the attractiveness of male body odor
The color of skin: psychiatric ramifications.
Intake of specific types of fruit and vegetables is associated with higher levels of skin yellowness in young women: A cross-sectional study.
Fruit, Vegetable and Dietary Carotenoid Intakes Explain Variation in Skin-Color in Young Caucasian Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
TLDR
Combined fruit and vegetables plus dietary carotenoid intakes contribute to skin yellowness in young Caucasian women and evaluation of interventions using improvements in appearance as an incentive for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in young women is warranted.
Eating fruit and vegetables gives your skin a golden glow
TLDR
It is found that eating carotenoid-rich fruit and vegetables leads to an attractive looking skin colour, and that showing people these appearance benefits can encourage dietary improvement.
Skin Color Preferences in a Malaysian Chinese Population
TLDR
There may be a role for culture in skin color preferences, though methodological differences mean that further research is necessary to identify the cause of these differences in preferences.
Skin Carotenoids in Public Health and Nutricosmetics: The Emerging Roles and Applications of the UV Radiation-Absorbing Colourless Carotenoids Phytoene and Phytofluene
TLDR
Attention is focused on the colourless UV radiation-absorbing dietary carotenoids phytoene and phy tofluene, which are attracting increased interest in food science and technology, nutrition, health and cosmetics.
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