Physical attraction isn't everything.
But it is something.
We all want to be thought of as attractive, even if we don't want to admit it. After all, your profile photo is one of the first things a woman sees when she spots your profile on Match.com...so it's only natural to want to make sure it's leaving an impression (the right impression).
There are a lot of strategies out there for boosting your sex appeal, and they cover everything from grooming habits, to style, to body language. You could spend days lost in a flood of well-meaning blog posts and magazine articles claiming to know the secret to sexiness, but wouldn't you rather skip the BS and get straight to the good stuff?
Here's what science has to say about boosting your sex appeal:
- Don't hide your scars. Scientists at the University of Liverpool found that men with facial scars are more attractive to women who are looking for short-term relationships because they symbolize health and bravery. Women are equally attracted to scarred and un-scarred faces when looking for long-term relationships.
- Know what your grooming habits say about you. Bald men are perceived as intelligent. Men with beards are considered sociable, but men with mustaches are thought of as introverted. Stubble manages to break boundaries, giving the impression that the wearer is both smart and social.
- Choose your photos wisely. Outdoor photos and photos that show skin make you seem outgoing and sociable. But don't go overboard - women are less likely to date men they consider too good looking. A woman may worry that a man with good looks and high social value is out of her league, and will leave the relationship in search of something better.
- Practice good posture. Taller men are typically more successful with women than shorter men. There is a connection between posture, power, and confidence (and few things are sexier than power and confidence). Tilt your chin slightly up in photos to appear more masculine and attractive.
- Emphasize your masculinity. Masculine faces are perceived as more attractive and more dangerous, which also triggers attraction. A study also found that more muscular men reported more lifetime sex partners and short-term flings. If that's not a compelling reason to hit the gym, I don't know what is.
Oh, and if you're going after the supermodels, be prepared to work hard for it in all ways but one. The more attractive the woman, the higher her standards for nearly everything - masculinity, fitness, attractiveness, attentiveness, age, income potential, parenting skills - except for one glaring omission: intelligence. Apparently beauty doesn't care much for brains.
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