It is often difficult to identify if a person is a narcissist or not, especially if you are meeting that person for the first time. Let us help you. If you want to spot a narcissist from far far away, look for thick and well-groomed eyebrows. Weird fact? According to a recent study published in the Journal of Personality, thick eyebrows form a prominent facial feature of narcissistic people. On the other hand, thick, dense and well-groomed eyebrows is the latest trend that is taking the beauty and fashion industry by storm. Women are ever more conscious about the shape of their eyebrows as they form their strongest facial feature.

It turns out that maintaining distinctively thick and well-groomed eyebrows is a trait synonymous with those who rate highly on the scale of grandiose narcissism, flamboyance and dominant style. Researchers Miranda Giacomin and Nicholas Rule of the University of Toronto conducted the study by taking facial photographs of participants. They then cropped the photographs to focus only on the eyebrows and showed it to independent coders who then rated the eyebrows on a series of qualities including grooming, distinctiveness and feminity.

The results showed that it was distinctiveness that was key – narcissists tended to have darker, thicker eyebrows. As for why this might be, the authors concluded that it spurns from a desire to be aesthetically unique and recognisable, something that is easily-achieved via meticulous eyebrow grooming. “Eyebrows facilitate facial recognition,” Giacomin told The Independent. “Narcissists may maintain distinct, thick and dense brows to enhance recognition, which they are motivated to attain,” she explained.

Researchers also wrote they might seek to maintain their brows to facilitate others’ ability to notice, recognise and remember them, thereby increasing their likability and reinforcing their overly positive self-views. Other ways to judge if a person is narcissist or not is to observe how they act, what they say, what they wear and what their faces look like. So, if you cannot handle a narcissist, steer clear after you get the first hint from looking at their bushy brows. However, this may not be the case with everyone.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2018 11:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).