Lots of cookbook astrology books like to say you can determine physical appearance by the ascendant. Personally, I've found this to not be be useful or accurate. 

For example, my father has a Scorpio ascendant, no planets in the first. Nobody thinks he has an intense gaze.

Justin Bieber has a Scorpio ascendant with Pluto conjunct the ascendant, which if anything should reinforce the appearance of having an intense gaze. It might explain the love-hate going on, but the appearance, not so much.

This guy has Venus in Libra in the first, with Libra rising. 

Gemini rising is described as slender. My Gemini rising Aquarian cousin is not slender and is quite solid.

What about you? Do you find the ascendant describes the physical appearance of people?

Yeh I've got the body and the face of an Aries rising. Aries is a pretty physical sign though so it makes sense.

I never knew that about Gemini but now that you mention it most gem risings or gem suns I know are very thin.

I'm not too sure about other rising signs, good question!

I think it depends where it falls degree wise. Mine is in late libra conjuncting scorpio uranus @3*. I also have scorpio moon in 1. So in my own perception of myself I don't have venusian features. I am slim and fairly tall with intense greenish eyes and sweet smile (when I smile- so not libra like....scorpio likes to keep it down a notch lol)
I don't look uranian either....I guess it makes me an odd combo

What does Uranian look like? or what do you think it might look like? 

Trendsetter? Just different but you know it's the next the big look? I don't know about natural looks though.

Double post....sorry
Uranus took off despite saturn sitting on top of him...

They say Uranian can be a bit out there appearance wise. I am far from it. I am not trendsetter fashion wise :(
And no electric aquarian/uranian aura for me either... i am scorpio intense though. So maybe it is sign in which the planet falls into that counts more?
Although I have been called exotic today :)
Personality wise I am uranian though....

Gemini rising is described as slender. My Gemini rising Aquarian cousin is not slender and is quite solid.

I have this and am pretty solid too, but with long slender-ish limbs. I think my face is animated like a Gemini though. I think moon sign can affect appearance a lot.

It is more in line with the physical and facial structure. I tend to find with EYES that it is more sun/moon since your eyes are a gateway to your soul/emotions. I have very watery (pisces) eyes but my eyebrows and the structure around is Leo.

When it comes down to body shape I can spot a Leo ascendant pretty easily. 

No Libra option of both?

ooo0o0o Exotic... i love that word lol

My dad is quite Uranian (He's and Aquarius sun) and actually and he does where alot of blues. Bright blue does suit him. It's interesting aswell because the colour red tends to suit me and that matches with the Aries.

My first house is empty too, and I have virgo rising - more virgo-ish perhaps :)?

Scorpio characteristics noticed are people who have the tip of their nose and lip shape like a eagle or bird or owl eyes- not all, but some, sort of a pointed or horny structure.  I think Paul Newman had Scorpio ascendant? 

Two Aries ascendants have distinct forehead shapes that reveal horns of a ram-- they're people who are quite thin, but the forehead/skull shape is quite distinctive.

Gemini rising facial features I find have very clipped features.

I'm a Scorpio with a Scorpio Ascendant...I know all too well about my gaze.  I've heard about it most of my life from others..."why are you looking at me like that?"  "Don't look at me like that."  I can out stare anyone!  My significant other knows when I'm upset with him because he tells me about the way I am looking at him....LOL!  I guess my eyes can burn a hole through some.

Sunrise, you have a very symmetrical shaped face, almost perfect and much sought after for being photogenic.

Traditional techniques ((one of my books)) says it is a "mask"..... as such it is 1st impression people notice about us. It also is our 1st impression of the world.

I'm Virgo rising. People see me as "nitpicking..... but I also go into extreame detail about munutia on certain things. Masks..... works both ways.

As far as your physical appearance..... each sign rules a different part of the body. So..... the Ascendant would show / emphasize that part of your body.

@psychoscorpio
I wear black a lot....my favorite :)

My Pluto is conjunct my late Leo ascendant, and so I look like a combination of the Sun and Pluto.  I am short but powerfully built (pluto) but my face and demeanor shows Leo.  I see the ascendant as the intersection of our inner and outer worlds.  My Pluto is involved in a Grand Trine with Venus in Aries and my Sag moon. 

Hmm hard to say, as I have Aqua ascendant, moon and mars so pretty heavy in the chart. I do think I have the aqua eyes, the martial facial scar from an injury, and in pics but oddly not the mirror I think my face looks round like the moon. And I sometimes dress weird lol

Scorpios, how/what do you feel, when somebody smiles at you, when you give them the stare :)?

Hi Shakti, I am still a beginner, but I think it does depend on so many factors. We have had posts here with someone posting their picture and asking if we could guess their sign. Many were succesful. Some by more how this person chose to engage us and the others by the facial features.

I just don't know. I have a friend with a Sag rising and he is lean and muscular, not bulky at all, long legs and intelligent, sparkling eyes. So there, I would say YES!

Then I had a friend with Cancer rising, Moon in the first house. He was tall, pale, with dark hair. He did walk with a lurch as they say Cancer men do and his eyes changed from dark blue to hazel green, like a mood ring. So again...Yes!

I have Scorpio ASC  (Sun in the 12th  but Saturn and Merc in the 1st). But if you ask me, I look more like a Pisces/Sag or even Virgo/Pis? (Moon in Virgo). I used to be thin but as I have gotten older, I am softer and have gained weight. I have fairly large blue eyes and most people think I have blue contacts in, but I don't. I have a ready smile on the outside and love to laugh. But inside I am much more serious and contemplative. That could be my Moon/Pluto conj. or my Cap. Venus. Not sure. So no for me here because I know myself,  would say it's not as obvious as it might be for someone else. But people do notice my eye a LOT!

I think I look like my Pisces moon, my Pisces Stellium cousin and I have the same gaze.

@sunrise: I don't stare unless someone is bothering me. If someone smiles at me, I usually smile back. If they are a jerk, like being fake, and I just stare at them because it doesn't feel genuine, I just feel like I don't want to exchange that kind of energy with them.

I have an Aries rising face, but not an Aries body.

Leo Rising, and it's all about the hair and being SEEN.  Hahahaha!  Even though my Scorpio side doesn't much care for the attention. 

@Dawn. Understable :) I was just curious about what goes on in your minds when you gratnsomeone with the infamous gaze :) One time a scorpio gave me the stare , and I decided to return it with a big smile, which, I think, caught him a little bit off guard hehe.

Good going, sunrise.  As a Scorpio, I look--but I don't stare, I don't want to give away that I'm even noticing someone in particular--but if they happened to look at me, catch my glance, and smile back, like you said you did, that would make my day feel much sweeter. 

@Nutsy. Internal battle :)? and most importantly who wins ?

@Nutsy. Glad to hear I did a good thing with the scorp :)

Everyone guesses that I'm a Scorpio.

But I definitely have an Aries face and a Sadge body.

Here's a list..... check and see if your Ascendant / Rising Sign describes it:

• Aries..... head
• Taurus..... throat , neck , **voice
• Gemini..... hands , arms , shoulders , lungs , *nervous syst.
• Cancer..... brests (chest?) , stomach
• Leo..... back , spine , heart , *brain , *chest (not breast)
• Virgo..... intestines , **nerves
• Libra..... kidneys , lower back , **buttocks
• Scorpio..... genitals , *bowels (anus)
• Sagittarius..... hips , thighs , **liver
• Capricorn..... bones ,  knees , **joints
• Aquarius..... blood vessels , ankles , **shins
• Pisces..... feet

Differences (if any) between systems=

• *... Traditional techniques
• **... Modern techniques

EDIT:

I'm puzzled about Traditional methods giving "brain" to Leo..... "hair" seems more apropriete. Same thing about "chest"..... unless it's the idea of "courage" , which lions and courage certainly fits well.

@Glenn

So basically, Scorpio risings are going to have to practically finger themselves to answer this question.

Ooookkkkk.....
What should I look for regarding my buttocks??????
@fluff
LaughingMyLibraRisingAssOff....

@Fluffy: That would be a Gemini Rising with a Scorpio Moon or Mars 

I've got two very distinct looks: My Cap/Virgo vibe which is neat and smart and understated, and my Taurus Moon vibe which is quite bohemian, with long flowing hair and long flowing clothes! - but not cheap or messy

In either mode, I like *quality* - having little money I buy very good stuff secondhand, inc shoes, rather than cheap new stuff. I think that love of quality is a characterisitic of all three signs

But I do appear quite 'nervy', as befits Virgo Rising, and sometimes I get skin rashes. I also blush and flush hot all over, and get adrenalin sweat rushes. I've got that Virgo oval face and pale skin, too (or I did)

I have pisces ascendant and like to blend in as much as possible wherever I am in the world.  I do have ethnic /indigenous features so this works wherever there is an indigenous population.   I have big feet and problems with ankles, etc, and I hate to wear anything too flashy on my feet, but I do have a penchant for blue shoes...   I am a Scorpio, so blue and black are my favorite colors although I do like to have a flash of silver or crystal in my earrings.   So I like to think I come in and out of people's vision like a fish skimming the surface of the water, but maybe I'm just deluding myself big time.......

I have Capricorn rising,I would agree with the way I carry myself.I seem really serious,I don't dress to bring attention to myself,so I do prefer dark colors.But most of my personal planets (with the exception of Mars)are in Gemini.So appearance wise I do agree with Cap rising description,but I'm definitely a Gemini.

I'm with you, Shakti. I have Scorpio rising and I do NOT have an intense stare. I look cute and sweet and innocent...like the Bieber, I suppose. Except with better hair.

@Fluffy..... which area? And if you say anus , well , I'm not shaking hands with you.

But to answer the question..... Yes , the ascendant does describe your body. Everyone tends to think it's the Face / Head , but it's much more.

Leo Risings are known for great hair..... but do they take care of their heart health? Do they make sure to maintain proper posture? Back sprains can really be embarrassing for their public image.

@Glenn

Lucky for you, I'm not a Scorp rising, so it's a moot point. :p

(I'm an Aries asc, which must mean I'm supposed to poke my eyeballs out.)

@Fluffy..... Aries Rising..... your head is more noticeable than anything else. No..... it's not size.

Aries Rising must be especially cautious regarding their head , since it's especially emphasized in their chart.

Health concerns to watch out for: headaches , eye sprains , ear infection , scalp (cuts). High blood pressure especially..... since it can (obviously) do damage from inside out.

Scissors..... yeah , you might not want to run around the house with them.