Whenever I get a whiff of my own mask-insulated morning breath, the last thing I feel is attractive. 

In news that’ll deal a major blow to the lower half of your face, a new study has concluded that face masks- especially those blue ones that’ve been crumpled in your pocket since 2020- actually make people appear more attractive. 

The research, which was conducted by Cardiff University, found that both men and women’s appearance was judged markedly more favourable when the bottom of their face was covered, with disposable and surgical masks topping the list as the most appealing facial coverings.   

The renewed sex-appeal of face masks opposes that of pre-COVID studies, which consistently concluded that masks reduced attractiveness given their association with disease or illness. Lead researcher and so-called ‘facial expert’ Dr Michael Lewis said that the changing opinions of mask wearing are rooted in psychology. “At a time when we feel vulnerable, we may find the wearing of medical masks reassuring and so feel more positive towards the wearer,” Lewis said, “the research shows the pandemic has changed our psychology.”

While it’s not particularly heartening to hear that we’re all much hotter with half of our face obscured (RIP, teeth whiteners), the news is particularly welcomed by those in the dating scene, who can now go from a solid five to an eight simply by accessorising their lower face. Although, it might make that first-date kiss a little tricky…