13 Simple Things Everyone Can Do To Appear More Attractive - According To Science

While we all tend to equate attractiveness with our physical appearance, there are a lot of other factors that come into play. Of course, the way we look is a huge factor, but as you’ll see below, there are tons of other variables we can change to make ourselves seems more desirable to others.

Everything from the number of people we’re standing near to the colors that we’re wearing. Take a look and see the small changes you can make to become a hotter property!

Be Funny

Not everyone is capable of being funny at the drop of a hat, but you don’t need to be a stand-up comedian to make a stranger or new acquaintance laugh. Relax, be yourself, and work to shake off any serious or intense vibes you might be giving off without even realizing it.

Surround Yourself With Friends

This would be good advice even if there wasn’t science behind it, if only because it’s often WAY easier to approach someone when you’re in a group. The pressure’s off a little bit, and if you happen to look better as a part of a group, that’s pretty great, too! People look better when they're in a group. That's possibly because our brains take the faces of a group of people in aggregate, making each face look more "average"- and attractive - as a result.

Skip The Small Talk

This is also welcome, and probably easy advice, to stick to. While some people find small talk pleasant, respondents in one study found it to be superficial and schmooze, opting for deeper, more probing questions. People who asked deeper questions felt more connected than people who talked about superficial topics.

Be a Leader

OK, so you can’t just “become” a leader, but you sure can act like one. Taking control of situations (without being bossy) shows that you have confidence, the ability to manage, plan, and execute. Who doesn’t admire those qualities?  One study found that people in a group thought their leader was more attractive than people who weren't in that group.

Smile More

Many women have been completely and totally creeped out by requests from strangers to “smile,” but there is something about a smile that endears a person to you. You seem warm and approachable with a smile. But above all, you seem happy, and such a display will make others want to bask in your happiness. And the bigger the smile, the more attractive you look! In fact, a happy facial expression may compensate for relative unattractiveness.

Own a Dog

Duh. We really didn’t need a study to tell us this, but it’s nice to know the science is behind us nonetheless. For men, owning a dog shows that they’re nurturing and more capable of being “family men.” It can also help you appear more relaxed, approachable, and happy.

Be Nice

Again, science is supporting something that most of us would have assumed anyway. Niceness is associated with positivity, and a Chinese study author concluded, “Personality characteristics may be linked to facial attractiveness, such that positive personality characteristics can promote facial attractiveness, whereas negative personality characteristics can reduce facial attractiveness.”

Live In a High - Status Place

Live in a really nice place. Beyond the superficial attraction to rich people, women are subconsciously drawn to men with a luxurious apartment or house. It may be traced back to a desire to pair up with a person who is capable of providing.

Play Good Music

The study in question actually asked women to rate the composers of complex and simple music, not the listeners, but the idea still holds up. The study doesn’t necessarily get into WHY people would pick complex tunes over simple ones, but maybe just go with it and opt for Arcade Fire or Radiohead over the Ramones or Katy Perry.

Date Someone Pleasant

If you’re in an existing relationship with someone nice and kind, it’s not hard to imagine why others would look at you as desirable. Essentially, you’ve been pre-screened by a good person. So I guess if you’re looking to date someone new and have an unpleasant significant other, hide them. Or, you know, do the honest thing and break up with them.

Cultivate Mindfulness

Again, it’s pretty intuitive, but when you’re interacting with someone, PAY ATTENTION to them to appear more attractive. Somewhat surprisingly, mindful people might seem more attractive to others because, according to a study, they are better at managing their anxiety. In a speed-dating experiment, women were more attracted to mindful men, possibly because the men were more attentive during the brief interactions.

Play Extreme Sports (Carefully)

Show you like to take risks. Order the weird entree. Sneak into a movie theater. Taking chances on things known as “hunter-gatherer” risks appeals to women. Deciding not to charge your cell phone is known as a “modern risk,” and those aren’t nearly as appealing to women. Probably because they’re lame.

Wear Red

This might be the easiest thing on the list to do. Of course, you can’t just go running around in a red bed sheet and expect the suitors to come callin’, but if you have a choice in a dress or outfit, opt for the red one. Red is more sexually suggestive, and as we all know, that kind of thing works.