What makes a woman beautiful?

The concept of “beauty” has always intrigued me - what is considered beautiful and what is not, and why we human beings have established those standards? We have all seen women that are not classic beauties, yet have an aura or a presence that somehow made us see them as beautiful. What is it that they have?
When I was little I was convinced that my mother was the most beautiful woman in the world. In my teens that I even questioned that assumption, but only because I was told that I looked just like her, and I certainly did not consider myself to be beautiful or even particularly pretty. Perhaps wholesome, maybe even cute but certainly not beautiful.
My mother, like so many other beautiful women, had certain characteristics that captured one’s attention and intrigued the imagination. She was strong, self-confident, and self-assured, she never backed down when she thought she was right. She radiated a sense of compassion and kindness from the top of her flaming red hair to the tip of her toes, and her green eyes glowed with genuine caring and love for everyone that she knew and loved. She carried herself with grace and dignity and she made everyone in her presence feel like the most important person in the world. She loved without question and gave of herself unreservedly every day of her life for as long as I can remember.article continued