Not all men are attracted to the same woman – but there are some attributes they are genetically programmed to appreciate, research shows.
One says he likes curves, another wants tall fashion models. Someone wants short hair and another blonde. Of course, guys (like girls) prefer different things when looking for a partner. But according to researchers, there are some things that are in men’s genes to be attracted to.
Here are six physical attributes that men unconsciously look for – according to research.
Slim waist, wide hips
It’s genetic for men to be attracted to women with hourglass-shaped bodies. According to anthropologist Dr Barnaby Dixson of the University of Queensland, it’s the 7-10 waist-to-hip ratio that’s most successful.
According to the researchers, this is the body shape that men’s brains perceive as “healthy and made for childbearing”, and therefore biologically attractive.
Bright voice
According to studies conducted at University College London, men are more likely to perceive women with a light voice as attractive.
A light voice can be associated with youth and childbearing age, which is subconsciously perceived as attractive by most men.
But we are hardly the only animals to let our voice determine how attractive we are. Birds and monkeys are two other examples of animals that have specific mating sounds.
Long hair
According to German research, not only hairstyle, but also hair quality can determine how attractive a woman is in a man’s eyes.
Long, full and healthy hair sends signals that the woman is healthy and young – and therefore again of childbearing age.
The smile
A smiling woman is perceived as more attractive than one with a neutral facial expression. And the whiter the teeth, the better, according to research from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
Remarkably, women think the opposite. A smiling man is perceived as less attractive – ideally he should show no emotion and be strong and attractive.
A little make-up
A well-made-up face is NOT perceived as more attractive, according to studies at Bangor University.
On average, men prefer women when they have 40% less make-up, according to studies that showed them pictures of the same woman in different amounts of make-up.
Red details
The colour red can drastically change how men perceive a woman. A red dress, red lips, red nails, a scarf – red makes her perceived as more attractive. And the same goes for many species in the animal world – from the baboon’s rump to the canon’s chest.