Origin
It is a late 16th-century proverb; handsome here originally referred to chivalrous or genteel behaviour, although it often popularly refer to good looks.
Explanation
How one acts is more important than how one looks. It is more important to treat people well than to be good-looking; just because you are good-looking does not mean you are a good person. A person’s good actions, rather than his outward appeal, define his handsomeness in the eyes of others. A person may be good-looking. He impresses others by his personality. Others might find him handsome. But once they get to know him, they may find many faults in his character and their first impression about him gets tarnished. They may even start to hate him because of the flaws in his character. His personality which impressed others at first cannot influence them any more. It turns into scorn and hatred in due course. On the other hand, we may consider the case of an ugly person. If his character happens to be attractive and good, others will like him. They will try to mingle with him more and more. This proves that a person’s attraction does not depend on his external appearance. Instead, it is based on his inner quality and ability.
Example
Jill : I’d like to get to know George better.
Jane: Why?
Jill : He’s so handsome.
Jane: Handsome is as handsome does. He’s a very unpleasant person.
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