Beauty really is skin deep for almost half of Saudi men

For most Saudi women, personality is priority.

LONDON: Nearly half of all Saudi men believe that good looks are more important than personality in a romantic partner, according to a new poll conducted by YouGov.
Just 52 percent of male Saudi respondents said that having an agreeable personality is more important than physical attractiveness, whereas 65 percent of Saudi women reportedly ranked personality as their first or second priority in a romantic partner.  
The YouGov Omnibus study, which surveyed YouGov panelists across 20 different countries, asked respondents whether they ranked personality or good looks as more important when considering what they look for in a romantic partner. 
Of the 20 nationalities polled, Saudi men and women expressed the greatest difference of opinion on the subject of physical attractiveness, according to a YouGov press release. 
Egyptian men and women also revealed vastly different priorities in searching for a partner, with around 83 percent of women saying personality was more important than looks, but only 55 percent of Egyptian men agreeing. 
A pretty face, however, is apparently less important to men in the UAE. Just 37 percent of men in the Emirates said that beauty outweighed other considerations in their romantic calculus. 
Women in Saudi Arabia and France were of similar minds when ranking physical appearance and personality: About eight out of ten women in both countries would chose a good hearted mate over a strong jaw line, the press release revealed.
Women in the Kingdom are not searching for thick wallets, either, it seems. Some 59 percent of Saudi female respondents said that salary size was among the last things they look for in a partner. 
The YouGov poll comes at a time when Saudi women are demanding — and receiving — more rights and are entering the workforce in larger numbers. 
Among men, Vietnam was the only country where good looks were considered to outshine personality, with 46 percent of Vietnamese men ranking personality as more important.
Nordic women were the most likely to choose personality over good looks, globally.