20 Ways to Be a More Attractive Man, According to Science
Listen up.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Being a more attractive man is not as difficult as you might think. Even if you’re not blessed with the sexiest of genes, don’t fret. With just a few science-backed tips and tricks, you can be the best, hottest, most attractive version of yourself possible.
Thanks to some research from our friends at Men’s Health and IFLScience, we compiled this master list of 20 scientific ways to be more attractive to women.
1. Grow a beard
Growing a beard is the basically one of the best things you can do for yourself, because a 2013 study from the University of New South Wales found that, to women, the sexiest men are those who have heavy stubble. “Facial hair correlates not only with maturity and masculinity, but also with dominance and aggression,” the authors, Barnaby J. Dixson and Robert C. Brooks, wrote. “An intermediate level of beardedness is most attractive.”
Hear that? Put away your razors, gentlemen.
2. Wear sunglasses
Ever wondered why sunglasses suddenly make literally anyone ten times more attractive? Vanessa Brown, a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, has a few explanations.
First of all, sunglasses make you mysterious, which is always sexy. “The eyes are such a tremendous source of information—and vulnerability—for the human being,” she told The Cut.
Furthermore, sunglasses also cover up any facial asymmetry, which also makes you instantly hotter since facial symmetry is important when choosing a mate.
3. Hold your chin up, literally
According to a study titled “Facial Attractiveness: Evolutionary Based Research,” women find secondary sex characteristics, like a large jawbone and defined cheekbones, super sexy on men, because they suggest genetic strength, high testosterone levels, and consequently, masculinity. And we all know masculine men are sexy.
That said, tilting your face up a little bit and holding your chin high highlights your jaw and cheekbones, as well as psychologically makes you seem more dominant, both of which make you look hot, hot, hot.
4. Look important
In a 2010 study from the University of Wales Institute, it was found that men who were pictured with an expensive car, such as a Bentley Continental GT, were seen as significantly more attractive than those who were pictured with a Ford Fiesta ST. Similarly, common sense tells us that this also applies to wearing nice clothes and looking sharp as opposed to sloppy.
5. Have an entourage
Apparently, hanging out with a group of friends can bump you up a few attractiveness points, say researchers from the University of California at San Diego.
The reason? Something called the “Cheerleader Effect,” which is the psychological phenomenon where people appear more attractive when they’re in groups, simply because looking at a group of faces instead of just one basically evens out any ugliness you may or may not have, and forms an average hotness for the group.
6. Be an actual nice guy
You know the saying “Nice guys finish last”? Well, that’s wrong. Nice guys actually finish first. Surprised?
A study conducted at the University of Guelph and Nipissing University asked 800 people about their sexual history, as well as how likely they were to engage in selfless acts, such as charity work and donating blood, in order to understand if there was a correlation between altruism and the amount of sex people have.
The study found that people who were more selfless had more sex and dated more people than those who were selfish, which makes sense, because selfish people are annoying. So yeah, that’s one piece of evidence that shows nice guys finish first.
7. Make her laugh
Women love men who can make them laugh. Trust. Even science says so!
A 2006 study published in Evolution and Human Behavior asked participants how much they value their partner’s ability to make them laugh, and the results revealed that women really value their partner’s sense of humor and their ability to make them laugh.
8. Smile…slowly
In one specifically interesting study, researchers found that men who let a smile spread across their faces slowly were seen as more attractive and more trustworthy than men who get too smiley too fast. Fascinating!
A mighty fine example:
So, don’t be too quick to flash that grin. Do it slooooow (if you can).
9. Get toned, not beefy
According to research from UCLA, women find men who are “built” as sexier than skinny, non-muscular dudes, as well as “brawny” a.k.a. super jacked guys.
The researchers are comparing this to the Goldilocks principle: Some muscle is hot, but too much is definitely not. It needs to be juuust right.
10. Apparently, guitars are hot
Some musical instruments automatically make you hotter. A tambourine? Not so much. A kazoo? Definitely not. But guitars? Hell yeah.
A study published in the journal Psychology of Music revealed that women are more than three times more likely to give their number to a man holding a guitar than to one holding a sports bag. Sure, going to the gym and getting toned and sexy is attractive, but apparently not as much as playing a guitar. The more you know!
11. Don’t use horrible pickup lines
If you want to be an attractive man, do not use cheesy pickup lines. I repeat: do not use pickup lines. According to a study from SUNY-New Paltz, women are seriously more likely to be attracted to a man if he approaches her normally – sans corny pickup lines. For example, “Are you religious? Because you’re the answer to all my prayers,” will not do you any favors. However, “Hello, you look lovely this evening. What’s your name?” will definitely help your noble quest.
12. Get a dog
Listen, everyone knows dogs are insanely cute. But did you know that owning a dog makes you cuter, too?
I mean, look at this example of a precious dog in the arms of Tom Hardy…or should I say Tom Hottie.
Four separate studies looked into whether men who own dogs are more likely to score digits from the ladies, and each study came to the same conclusion: Dog owners were three times more likely to get a woman’s phone number than dudes who don’t have dogs.
See? Fido really is man’s best friend.
13. Have open body posture
Manspreading on a train is a big no-no. But despite that, a study from the U.K. found that men who have open, dominant body language and sit with open body posture—meaning legs spread and arms stretched out—are seen as more attractive than those who don’t. Just something to keep in mind.
14. Eat more garlic
In another interesting study, researchers at Charles University and the National Institute of Mental Health in the Czech Republic and the University of Stirling in the United Kingdom conducted a series of studies that revealed that men who eat garlic smell “pleasant” and “attractive,” whereas men who don’t eat garlic don’t. So, it can be assumed that the magical health benefits of everyone’s favorite stinky herb can do wonders for body odor!
However, it goes without saying that garlic breath and halitosis is a different story, and is, in fact, not attractive. Please, neutralize that shit with some gum or mouthwash.
15. Look proud
Guess what? A 2011 University of British Columbia study found that the most attractive facial and body expression was that of pride, and bafflingly, the least attractive was happiness. A truly interesting and frankly odd revelation, but OK.
With that said, look proud when you’re talking to women…or any other time, for that matter. It’ll do wonders for your life.
16. Don’t hide your scars
Think that scar on your forehead looks bad? Think again, my friend.
Researchers from the University of Liverpool and the University of Stirling found that men with scars are perceived as more sexually attractive than men without scars. However, this was only valid for short-term relationships, probably because scars, especially facial ones, tend to make you look like a badass.
17. Do volunteer work
Well, my friend, it finally might be time for you to sign up to do some volunteer work, because a study found that women find dudes who volunteer waaaay sexier and more desirable for long-term relationships than men who don’t do volunteer work for a hobby.
18. Walk confidently
Aside from looking proud, another physical thing you should perfect is your stance, because ladies love a man who looks confident, stands confident, and walks confidently. Self-confidence is, after all, one of the first things people notice about you.
According to R. Don Steele, author of Body Language Secrets: A Guide During Courtship & Dating, “Confident people are not in a hurry, but there’s a difference between meandering and walking slowly with purpose. Always walk as if you know what you’re doing and where you’re going.”
Sound advice from a pro!
19. Wear cologne
In a study in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, participants who were given a spray with antimicrobial ingredients and fragrance oil—in other, simpler words, cologne—self-reported higher self-confidence and said they felt more attractive while wearing the fragrance.
But here’s the kicker: When a group of females were shown a silent video of the men who were wearing the spray, the women rated them as sexier and more attractive than those who weren’t wearing it. This means that wearing cologne or otherwise using a scent not only makes you smell amazing, but also makes you feel sexier…and the ladies take notice.
20. Take care of your teeth
Lastly, let’s state the obvious: Having a nice set of chompers is crucial for attractiveness, as most women tend to get turned off when a potential romantic interest opens his mouth it looks like he has scurvy. No thanks.
A study from the University of Leeds and University of Central Lancashire found that teeth are “the human equivalent of a peacock’s tail,” meaning they’re super important when it comes to mate selection. So, brush, floss, whiten, do whatever you need to do to get your smile lookin’ absolutely dazzling.
H/T: Men’s Health / IFL Science