Photo: Jacob Lund | Canva
It's not just about your physical attributes.
By Kylie M.
Last updated on Oct 11, 2023
What makes someone attractive? Their confidence? Humor? The way they light up any room they walk into? Well, yes, but those aren't the only things. According to science, your favorite pair of sunnies is making you quite the hottie.
It turns out, that the material things you'll bring with you on your date, like your sunglasses, what perfume you'll wear, and whether or not you're planning on shaving the day of actually make you more attractive.
But there's good news — we're not talking about anything like Botox, plastic surgery or 6-inch high heels. There's actually a good chance you're already wearing or using some of these accessories, beauty products, and colors.
These random things can make you more attractive, according to research:
1. Sunglasses
In her impending book, Vanessa Brown, senior lecturer of art and design at Nottingham Trent University, found that sporting shades will make you instantly more attractive to other people. Aside from the fact that it adds a little mystery to the mix and increases your libido, sunglasses make your face look more symmetrical — and according to previous studies, we're all more attracted to people with symmetrical faces than misshapen ones.
Plus, who hasn't seen that photo of Audrey Hepburn and thought, I want to be that girl? Just do us all a favor, though: keep the shades for outside use only, okay?
2. Perfume
Research from the Monell Chemical Sense Center found that women's faces are rated as more attractive when those judging her are in the presence of pleasant odors. So, for the sake of doing everything but carrying around a bottle of Lysol disinfectant spray, just consider upping the spray count of your morning routine.
The researchers were also quick to point out that wearing perfume won’t make you look any younger, only prettier, and that attractiveness is more of an emotional process while judging someone for their age stems from a rationally-based place.
3. Red lips
A study from Manchester University found that a woman's lips are the most attractive part of her body, especially when she's wearing red lipstick. According to the research, researchers noted that within 10 seconds of meeting a woman for the first time, guys are taking note of her lips — and spending more than half their time looking at them.
If a woman is wearing lipstick, men find it harder to look away. But before you pick the pink shade over the red, read this: Guys were more likely to keep staring for 7.3 seconds when girls used red lipstick, while pink lips only guaranteed 6.7 seconds of his undivided attention.
4. Heavy stubble
A University of New South Wales 2013 study found that women prefer men with heavy stubble to clean-shaven faces. So before reaching for the razor, guys should know that women are way more into full beards and scruffy stubble than they are the preppy, two-days-post-shave appearance. A face that looks like it's just spent months razor-less trekking through the Amazon also means that you'll be looked at as better dad material.
The researchers wrote, "Our findings confirm that beardedness affects judgments of male socio-sexual attributes and suggest that an intermediate level of beardedness is most attractive while full-bearded men may be perceived as better fathers who could protect and invest in offspring." Who knew heavy stubble is what makes you more attractive?
5. White teeth
Not that there ever was a time when yellowing, uncared-for teeth were having a moment, but a study from Leeds and Central Lancashire universities found that a set of white, evenly spaced teeth don't just make you more attractive — they up your chances of finding you a forever mate.
According to the research, teeth are the "human equivalent of a peacock's tail," which is a "sign of health and genetic quality designed to help choose a mate. They also found that men and women care about pearly whites for vastly different reasons: "Males are thinking about attraction and females are in competition with each other."
6. The color red
In a study released by the University of Rochester, guys were admittedly more into women wearing red than they were into women wearing blue. How come?
Red apparently is a sign of excitation, power, and status. So if you want to send a strong, confident first impression, you need to stock your closet full of red hues immediately.
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Kylie McConville is a freelance writer, editor-in-chief at Apartment Therapy, and founding editor of Romper. Her bylines have appeared in BDG, Yahoo, Bustle, Elite Daily, Romper, The Bump, and others. Kristine Soloman is a freelance editor and writer. She has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Insider Business, and more.