There’s only so much you can do to change how you look.
But what if we told you there are ways you can become more attractive to the opposite sex?
The truth is that not all women are born with jaw-dropping looks and irresistible charm.
But that doesn’t mean you’re destined to live alone, with only Netflix to keep you occupied.
Super-sizing your attractiveness is possible.
Here are some scientifically-backed tips to help you become more attractive to men, whether at work, on a dating app, in the club, at a restaurant, or in other settings.
16 Ways to Become More Attractive to Men
Unless you were born with Adriana Lima’s piercing eyes, Angelina Jolie’s lips, or Sandra Bullock’s wit, you’re pretty much stuck with what you have.
That being said, it’s not a bad thing! It’s actually a huge advantage.
Scientists and researchers worldwide have dedicated a lot of effort and time to find out what makes women attractive to men.
So if you want to elevate your allure, keep on reading.
1. Smile more
Did you know that attraction is rooted in biology?
Males think that women are attractive if they are good to reproduce with.
One of the easiest ways to tap into what males are looking for is to smile.
In a study by the University of British Columbia, smiling is more attractive than other expressions since many people associate this expression with femininity.1
When women smile, they look more sexually receptive and open to communication, which can cause men to perceive them as better potential partners.
Make sure your smile is approachable.
If you can do that, you’re one step ahead in being perceived as a more attractive woman.
2. Wear red
What do you think when you see the color red?
For many people, it’s passion, love, heat, roses, and sex – all romantic stuff.
Red is also a color that draws attention.
It’s bold. It’s vibrant. It’s daring.
When a female wears red, her attractiveness to males skyrockets.
The link between the color red and attractiveness can be partially explained by the perception of men on sexual receptivity.2
One study also proved how women tend to wear more pink or red when ovulating or when they are more biologically receptive to sex.3
So if you're heading out on a date, pick your best red dress.
Related: 87 Eye-Opening Online Dating Statistics
3. Wear red lipstick
If you don’t have a red dress, buy a red gloss or lipstick.
According to scientists, men spend half their time staring at your lips if you are wearing red lipstick.4
Red keeps a man mesmerized for 7.3 seconds, while pink lipsticks keep his attention for 6.7 seconds.
The hypothesis behind this result is that red lips mimic how blood vessels widen when sexually aroused.
However, be very picky about choosing the perfect red lipstick for you.
After all, red is a difficult lipstick color to pull off.
The secret lies in knowing your undertone.
For example:
If you have a warm skin undertone, avoid reds with a blue undertone (Think: Marilyn Monroe’s signature red).
Instead, go with orange reds or those with more yellow or peach tones to enhance your natural, radiant glow.
4. Stop playing hard to get
You may think you become more attractive when you keep men guessing how you feel, but this technique only works after men have chosen their partners.5
In other words, men love the chase only if you do it right.
In a study done in Germany, it was also proven that people rate others as attractive if they can understand the emotions they are displaying.6
The reason is simple:
Prospective partners must continuously update information on their partner’s current motivations and intentions.
And anticipate the other person’s behavior, so they can adapt accordingly.
So stop playing coy if you like someone.
Don't give them mixed signals that make them question how you feel.
Be clear about your signals to make it easy for them to respond.
5. Work on your sense of humor
Humor is an excellent quality that will let you turn something horrible into something positive.
And a woman's sense of humor will do wonders in making her seem more attractive to men.
You can use this quality in many aspects of your life, such as your family, work, and building friendships.
Men are attracted to humor because it hints at positive traits such as intelligence.7
More importantly, it makes you look more agreeable and sociable.
Unfortunately, humor doesn’t come naturally for many people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t unlock it.
If you need to work on your humor, watch stand-up comedies or listen to podcasts.
If you have funny friends, hang out with them more often.
After immersing yourself in humor, you can learn a few ways to take something ordinary and develop a joke around it.
If you’re finally confident enough to throw in some jokes in your day-to-day conversations, assess how people respond.
Don’t get discouraged if someone doesn’t laugh.
Everyone faces moments like these.
Finally, keep in mind that there’s a difference between being witty and silly.
When you constantly rely on silly humor, you’ll end up looking immature.
Related: 25 Ways to Make Your Partner Laugh
6. Avoid stress
When you show signs of stress, like bags under your eyes, it makes you less attractive to the opposite sex.
Stress doesn’t just show up physically but also weakens your immune system.
In a study from South Africa and Europe, people were able to detect who has the most robust immune response, and these people are deemed to be more attractive.8
Although stress can be unavoidable due to responsibilities in your professional and personal life, there are ways to curb it.
By taking care of yourself and learning relaxation techniques like meditation, you can decrease the impact of stress on your life.
7. Speak in a higher-pitched voice
One study proved that women with higher-pitched voices are more attractive to men.9
Meanwhile, ladies love men who have a power-pitched voice.
Previous studies suggest that when someone has a higher voice pitch, people perceive that it’s from someone physically smaller.
This trigger’s a man’s protective instinct.
8. Wear something that shows your curves
You may think that you need to be skinny to be more attractive, but research shows that a 7:10 waist-to-hip ratio is preferred by men.10
Males tend to look for women with “good childbearing hips,” and women with the said waist-to-hip ratio are shown to have great estrogen levels.
But what if you don’t have wide hips and a tiny waist?
That’s completely fine.
According to researchers from Texas A&M University, making a swinging motion while walking is attractive to men.11
Wearing high heels can also accentuate your figure.
9. Stop heavily relying on makeup
Many women believe that men are attracted to them if they wear a lot of makeup, but one study proved that the opposite is true.12
When women tailor their makeup to paint “fake” features, it can impact their expressions.
Studies suggest that those who wear more natural-looking makeup are perceived as more favorable.
And those who wear dramatic makeup are seen as someone less trustworthy.
I’m not saying you should throw away all your expensive makeup.
My point is to avoid using it to change how you look drastically.
Instead, use it as a tool to accentuate your favorite features.
Perhaps do a muted smokey eye or a drunk blush look.
10. Hang out with your friends
People appear to be more presentable and attractive when they are in a group.
This is called the “Cheerleader effect” and was popularized by Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother.
One research from the University of California made participants rate photos of people in a group and compared them to pictures of people alone.13
It was found that those who were in a group picture were seen as more attractive.
This makes sense because it evens your unappealing quirks when you’re in a group.
Moreover, even average facial features are seen as appealing to potential romantic partners when you’re in a group setting.
11. Look for someone in your league
Men and women are attracted to people with the same looks.
A 2011 study from the University of California examined the online dating site behavior of 60 males and 60 females.14
They found that although most participants were motivated to reach out to highly attractive people, they were more likely to get a response from someone as attractive as them.
For this study, attractiveness was judged by independent raters.
This makes sense because you're more confident when you communicate with someone in the same league as you.
There’s no second guessing whether or not you’re “enough” for that person.
This will help your personality shine.
12. Be more kind
In one study, over 100 participants looked at images of women's and men’s faces and rated them on their attractiveness.15
Each face was paired with a positive personality trait, such as honesty or kindness, or a negative one, like mean or evil.
The results showed that people who are described with a positive trait were rated to be more attractive.
So next time you see a man you like, show some positive features.
13. Get a good perfume
Smelling good can elevate your attractiveness in many ways.16
While your natural scent plays a significant role, perfumes and colognes can help you smell more intoxicating.
Some scents that make you more attractive include rose, musk, lily of the valley, vetiver, vanilla, and fruits.
Putting on your favorite perfume doesn’t only help to make you more attractive but also makes you feel good about yourself.
Fragrance is one of the best ways to alter your mood because it encourages the release of endorphins, known as the “feel-good hormone.”
14. Laugh at his jokes
Even researchers know that laughter is the best medicine.17
Especially when it comes to improving your attractiveness.
According to a study, men are more attracted to women who laugh at their jokes.
So if he gives you a corny pickup line or a dad joke, let out a giggle.
This will inflate his ego and make him want to impress you even more.
15. Use body language to your advantage
You can become more attractive without even saying a word through body language.18
Try not to close yourself off by holding something in front of you.
For example:
- holding your phone in front of your chest
- cradling a drink in front of your stomach
- or even hugging your purse close to your center
Making these gestures will make you seem like you’re not interested in any contact.
If you want to become more attractive, keep your chest, torso, and abdomen open.
16. Make him feel like a hero
One of the best tricks to make you more attractive to men is finding out what drives them.
Is it sports? Power? Money? Sex?
While these things are undoubtedly part of a man’s life, the truth is that it’s not the main thing that drives them.
The deepest motivation of men that affects their behavior is their hero instinct.
Once you understand this, you’ll be steps ahead of other women who are still unsure how to make men like them.
The Hero Instinct is a term coined by James Bauer in his book His Secret Obsession.
It refers to a man’s biological drive to provide for people he cares about, earn respect from those around him, and live a life filled with meaning.
Of course, men don’t need to channel their inner Superman to be a “hero.”
This is where you come into play.
Men cannot scratch their hero instinct themselves, and they need you to make them feel useful.
When you tap into this biological drive, you will become more attractive to their eyes.
So what are the best ways you can do it?
The simplest method is to ask for their help.
Whether you need to carry a heavy box, open a jar lid, or fix your TV, any man will love it if they feel like they’re helping you out.
Another tip you should exercise is to be his cheerleader.
He will feel more assured when you show him your appreciation, even for minor things like fixing your light bulb.
Complimenting him in front of his friends will also make his heart swell.
When doing these things, keep it low-key.
Don’t go asking for his help and complimenting him 24/7.
You can stretch it out over weeks or months and make your approach subtler.
Soon, he’ll find himself doing things just to make you happy.
When you reach this point, all you need to do is let him please you.
