Beauty isn't just a matter of personal taste or societal norms. According to a recent study conducted by the University of Toronto, our brains have a clear preference for what is easy to analyze. In other words, what we deem beautiful is often what requires the least effort from our brains.
Why your brain loves simplicity
The researchers worked with an impressive database: nearly 5,000 real photos were analyzed by a computer program designed to mimic the workings of the human eye. These same images were then shown to more than 1,000 people while their brain activity was monitored using scanners. Each participant had to rate the images according to their aesthetic appreciation, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.
The result is surprisingly clear: the most beautiful images are those that require the least mental effort. They are legible, balanced, and harmonious. The brain understands them quickly, without having to exert much interpretive effort. The less work it does, the more pleasure it experiences. A form of natural reward for your mind, which thrives when everything flows smoothly.
When beauty flows naturally
An unobstructed landscape, a face with harmonious features, a body confident in its natural posture: all of this is captured in a fraction of a second. The brain doesn't need to search; it immediately recognizes what it sees. This is precisely what happens when faced with universally admired works like the Mona Lisa or the Taj Mahal. Their lines are clear, their forms balanced, their visual message crystal clear.
Conversely, a blurry, cluttered, or poorly lit image requires extra effort. The eyes hesitate, the brain becomes slightly irritated, and the immediate pleasure diminishes. It's not a question of value or depth, simply of first impression. As if your brain were whispering, "Thank you for the clarity, I feel good here."
First impressions aren't everything.
However, be careful not to reduce beauty to this purely instinctive reaction. The study primarily addresses the immediate impact, the raw feeling. Some complex, perplexing, or emotionally charged works may initially seem unappealing, before becoming fascinating over time. An abstract painting, a demanding film, or even a body that deviates from conventional norms can reveal a powerful beauty once you take the time to look at them differently.
This is where emotional, cultural, and personal beauty comes into play. The kind that is built, learned, and deeply felt. And this beauty is infinitely inclusive, because it makes room for all body types, all expressions, and all stories.
How this changes your daily life
This discovery is already influencing fields like advertising, design, and decoration. Simple shapes, airy spaces, and clear visuals attract attention more quickly. It can also encourage you to look at yourself with more kindness. Your body, in its coherence and authenticity, doesn't need to be complicated to be beautiful. It is already legible, alive, and legitimate.
Behind what you find beautiful lies a reassuring biological truth: your brain loves what is fluid, accessible, and natural. And this opens the door to a gentler, more body-positive vision of beauty, where simplicity, harmony, and self-acceptance have their rightful place.
