For centuries, we have been attempting to dissect what makes us attractive to people we, in turn, are attracted to – women most of all since men tend to base attraction on looks the first time around. A lot of men have been noted saying that while looks first attract them if a woman doesn’t have a decent personality to back up her attractive outside, they wouldn’t stick around. However, that’s not what sells beauty products, so, again, we turn to science.

In this piece, we’ll go over 20 sure-fire ways to make yourself more attractive physically (and personality wise) in order to attract the object of your own attraction. While some might be easier to do than others, it’s good to have all the tools in your knowledge arsenal.

20Point That Chin Skyward

Anyone that takes a bunch of selfies on a weekly basis understands that this is rule number one when facing the camera: always point your chin upward. We understand that this can make your face appear sharper (especially that jawline). But don’t take our word for it, it’s based on science.

A study done a couple years back regarding the science of physical attraction showed that “more prominent cheekbones and thinner cheeks” tend to draw the eye faster.

That’s because they “advertise the quality of an individual in terms of heritable benefits; they indicate that the owners of such characteristics possess good genes.”

19He’ll Love It: Wear Sunglasses To Seem More Mysterious

Ever wonder why you suddenly feel attracted to the person in the elevator with you who still are wearing their sunglasses? There have been tons of studies that examine what makes a person suddenly more attractive when they’re wearing a good pair of Ray-Bans. Scientists believe that it’s because it creates an air of mystery around a person.

“The eyes are such a tremendous source of information-and vulnerability – for the human being,” one study says.

“Sunglasses improve facial symmetry by obscuring ay slight anomalies around your eyes.” This always explains why we can be attracted to a person while outside, but not inside? Well, could be.

18Amp Up Your Adrenaline

Anyone who drinks Redbull all the time will be able to tell you this right out of the gate: adrenaline works as a natural aphrodisiac. And when your adrenaline is up, it tends to calm your nerves (unless, of course, you drink too much caffeine and suddenly feel as if you can punch a distant planet in the gut). This is why first dates usually take place at your local coffee shop. If caffeine isn’t your jam, you can also take up an extreme sport to amp up the ol’ adrenaline and get your motor running. Caffeine will give you a nice glow, but remember – don’t over do it.

17Don’t Bathe In Perfume

Everyone knows someone like this, that person who thinks they need to bathe in perfume in order to attract someone they’re looking to date. But NO ONE likes to be bombarded by a particular smell, no matter how appealing the smell tends to be.

Perfume tends to mask odor, but it also masks our natural scent, which can be more appealing in the long run.

Just the right amount of perfume can mix well with our natural scent, which is why it’s always best to just spray (or spritz) a little into the air in front of you and walk through (c’mon – you see it all the time in movies or TV sitcoms).

16Positivity Goes A Long Way

Positivity is a wondrous thing to have in your arsenal, especially if it’s pure and genuine. Having a negative outlook on thing is never attractive, especially to men (unless, of course, you both hate all the same things, which, in that case, is a positive for the two of you.) In a study, some men were given pictures of different women who all had different body types. “The control group received no information about each woman’s personality, while the other groups did,” the writer points out. “The group that received positive personality information found a wider range of body sizes as physically attractive, while participants who were given negative personality information perceived a narrower range of body sizes as attractive.” Positivity is EVERYTHING, ladies.

15Bring On Those Smiles

Oddly enough, there was one study done a few years back that showed women were more attracted to men who SMILED RARELY because it brings on that air of mystery again. This is odd because it’s the exact opposite when it comes to women.

The study showed that men would tend to be more drawn toward a woman who smiled more so than the ones who didn’t.

Of course, we associate non-smiling women with having “RBF” face (c’mon, ladies, you know what that means), which is barely ever the case. Sometimes, we just don’t feel like smiling and that shouldn’t be held against us.

14The “Cheerleader Effect” Is A Real Thing

You see this on television comedy sitcoms (case and point, when the character Barney on How I Met Your Mother spoke about this at a bar with his buddies) when one character talks about the “cheerleader effect” when a group of people is perceived as attractive. “Humans tend to process faces in groups, so we form an average of all the face we see,” one article said. “A study from the University of California at San Diego asked participants to rate the attractiveness of people in solo pictures, versus pictures of the same person in a group of people. Participants gave higher ratings to both men and women when looking at groups of people.”

13Playing With Your Hair Is Actually A Thing

Being a girl who has a lot of hair and sheds like it’s no one’s business, I never put any slack into something like this until I actually tried it out myself and, by golly, it works.

Women who play with their hair when talking to a man signals to them that you’re interested in them.

It’s a nervous and flirty trick. The thing is, you don’t want to play with your hair too much because that would look obnoxious. Always make sure you’re maintaining eye contact with the guy when you play with your hair since eye contact goes a long way too.

12Mom Always Said “Stand Up Straight”

Growing up, we were always told not to slouch since it’s horrible for our posture in the long run. And yes, it can be. But it can also be a burden on your dating life when you get older and are a common sloucher. Slouching gives off a timid vibe that can make you appear more insecure to those who you are looking to attract. Sitting up or walking straight with your back arched gives off a confidence vibe, and that’s noted in magazines like Women’s Health and The American Journal of Men’s Health. It works for all genders overall. So listen to your mother and “stand up straight.”

11Puppy Love

There’s an old joke that men only get puppies in order to attract a swarm of women to them (TV sitcoms will use this tactic and the baby tactic in order to draw laughs), but studies do show that both men AND women tend to attract those they’re attracted to by being a dog owner. Four different independent studies proved this.

“Researchers believe this is the case because owning a dog shows that you are nurturing and capable of making long-term commitments. It also makes you seem approachable, loving, and happy.”

We agree with these studies because dogs really do make everything around better.

10Red Draws The Eye

In the animal kingdom, the color red is a trigger color. And, you can guess, that for humans it is a trigger color as well. “Red is hypothesized to serve as an aphrodisiac for men because it carries the meaning of romance in the context of heterosexual interaction,” one study done years ago states. “Empirical work has supported the idea that red has amorous meaning, as studies of color associations have indicated that people tend to connect red to carnal passion, lust, and romantic love.” There’s a reason why the color red is associated with romance (hello read hearts all over the place on Valentine’s Day).

9Listen, Listen, Listen

What usually attracts most women to men is the fact that he’s a good listener. We unusually tend to say that to our male friends (and then come the jokes about being cast away to the “friend zone” most men supposedly hate) but the thing is, being able to listen in a relationship is huge.

If you’re trying to gain the attention of someone you’re attracted to and looking to be in a relationship with, listening is a major key to anyone’s heart.

Everyone knows that listening makes for a strong and stable communication aspect in a relationship, but it CANNOT just be a one-way street.

8Kindness Is Always The Trick

Kindness always, and we repeat, ALWAYS goes a long way, especially when you want to attract a certain someone. David M. Buss from the University of Texas at Austin did a study that resulted in “kindness being of the most desired traits in a mate” in both men and women. “Kindness is linked with a cooperative disposition, interest in long-term relationships, ability to form social alliances, and empathy in rearing children,” Dr. Buss wrote. There are tons of small things one can do in order to be kind to someone you’re attracted to: listen, treat him with respect, and appreciate the little things about him.

7Self-Worth Is Key

Self-worth can mean a lot in the long run of life, and it means just as much when you’re out there in the dating world. You need to know who is good enough for you, and who you need to leave behind in the dust. While sometimes it can be easy to tell the men from the boys in that department, sometimes it’s difficult. But having a firm grasp on yourself and your own needs helps to go a long way when screening for a good man. And yes, it is a two-way street that a man has a firm grasp on who he is and his own self-worth as well. You can’t be relied on to keep picking him up off the floor.

6Honesty Is Beautiful

Trust us, no one likes a liar. They’re the worst to be in relationships with because you’re constantly waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under your life when one of their lies drops.

It should be no surprise that research studies show that honest people come off as more attractive in almost every aspect.

There are tons of books written about it so you know there’s something to in the dating world. If you’re honest, you know that the RIGHT sort of guy will fall in love with you rather than some image you’re trying to project (one that will fade over time), so it’s always wise to be honest and up front.

5Your Vibe Says It All

Whenever I personally go out, I like to surround myself with people who have great vibes – those people you randomly meet and suddenly click with because of their vibe. They’re pretty rare but when it happens, it’s amazing. Body language plays a big role in your overall vibe, which a lot of people can read right off the bat. It’s the energy you project that others can feel around you. Someone you’re interested in can naturally feel your positive vibes the second you’re in their presence and will be able to two within a few seconds if they want to continue hanging out with you or not based on your vibe. So, OWN THE ROOM.

4Smarts Go A Long Way

Sure, looks can go a little way, but you want to hit a home run? Time to show off your brains.

In the past, men would complain about women being smarter than them and feeling intimated, but it’s not that way anymore.

This isn’t the 1950s. As back then, women have brains and we love flaunting them. The men who are usually intimated by women with intelligence are insecure humans who can’t handle a strong and brilliant woman. These are men you need to walk away from – nay – RUN away from. You want someone who will challenge you and so does a real man. Never ever be afraid of your smarts.

3Asking Questions And Showing Genuine Interest

Growing up, I always found myself more attractive to the men who would be genuinely interested in my personality and what I did and what my interests were. Even if I wasn’t physically attracted to them, when they would start asking questions and show genuine interest in me, I would become attracted to them. Same goes for men. If women actively listen and ask questions while maintaining eye contact, the man will easily become so smitten, he won’t know what hit him. It’s a very disarming quality that women can have, especially when she has feelings for someone so use it wisely.

2Do Men Prefer A Certain Type?

Men love all different body types, not just one, so it should be no mystery that men are attracted to women with curves and various figures. A study done a couple of years ago discovered that men instinctively respond to women with curves to her frame positively.

An eye-tracking study found that “men start to evaluate a woman’s […] shape within the first 200 milliseconds of seeing them,”

Which means that, yes, [a certain shape] usually attracts men’s attention first. But, alas, we all knew that going in. But, as we said before, if you don’t have the kindness and the personality to back it up, you’ve got nada.

1Sigh… Youthfulness Does A Lot

Don’t get us wrong – when we say “youthfulness” we don’t mean woman over a certain age should just toss this list out the window. Youthfulness is actually the appearance characteristics of young people. It’s all in the attitude (as they say, age is nothing but a number). Men who only chase after younger women are NOT worth the time of a mature woman who knows exactly what she wants and has the confidence and poise to prove it. Women who radiate confidence are a billion times more beautiful than someone who is young and insecure. This is a given that every woman needs to know.