10 Ways Science Can Make Anyone Sexier

Ideas

October 13, 2014 12:13 AM EDT

Barker is the author of Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Good looks help, there’s no denying. We make up our mind about people in 100 milliseconds and decide whether they’re hot in 13 milliseconds.

Beautiful people are more successful. We’re more likely to forgive attractive people. Cute folks are less likely to be convicted of a crime and more likely to get a shorter sentence.

Have people’s opinions toward appearance changed over the years? Yes, we value attractiveness more than ever.

So what can you do to make sure you’re looking good during that critical first impression?

Beauty sleep? Yeah, it’s real. Get some.

Red clothes. Men, women, whatever. Wear red.

Glasses make you look smarter but less attractive.

Your left side is your best side. Here are tips for making yourself more attractive in photos.

Happiness is attractive in women but not in men. Pride is attractive in men but not in women. The fundamentals of what we find attractive do not change as we age.

A strong sense of meaning in life makes people more attractive. Here‘s how to work on that.

Eat right. More servings of fruits and vegetables made people more attractive.

Tattoos are interesting. One tattoo isn’t very telling. Multiple tattoos and highly visible tattoos are highly correlated with deviant behavior. Students like college professors with tattoos more than those without ink. People with tattoos and body piercings have sex at younger ages, have sex more often, have more oral sex, and are far less likely to be religious.

Eye contact can make people fall in love with you. You can tell which couples are in love by how long they stare into each others eyes.

Is none of this helping? Here’s a trick that doesn’t ask you to change anything about yourself: bring along a friend who has your basic physical characteristics (similar coloring, body type, facial features), but is slightly less attractive than you. It works.

This piece originally appeared on Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

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