This is a very interesting experiment that has been poorly executed. To test for regional variability, she needs to get more samples from every region so that the region signal overcomes the noise due to individual variability. This is more of a test of 40 individuals that happen to be from different regions. Well, according to her site, this is the result so far. Hopefully she gets far more samples (especially from the US, sheesh).
When I lived in Viet Nam I went to a little photo place to get a picture taken for some forms at work. I figured it didn't matter much as long as I was presentable. At the time, I had about two feet of hair that I had tied back and my skin was pretty dark from being outside all the time (a sign of low status in Viet Nam). When I got back, the kindly old codger smiled at me and said in English, "I make you beautiful" and handed me the envelope. He had cropped out my hair and given me a haircut, whitened my skin and erased my glasses. He had also superimposed a white dress-shirt and a tie I most certainly did not own. But you know what? My employer loved it and said I looked handsome in it. Anyway, this is a hell of an idea and I hope that this little experiment is the first step to a larger project. I'd love to see what comes out of it!
It's interesting what differences present themselves. Some opt for clothing, some change the eye color completely, some make her lighter skinned or darker. I'm not trying to play to the crowd here, but honestly she's the most attractive without photo-shop imo.
Yeah, but most of these really suck. Good lord.