The Science of Sexy: 5 Scientifically Proven Features Men Find Irresistible

Let’s face it — when it comes to dating, love, relationships, and life in general, physical attraction matters. Sex appeal is the spark that allows you to attract the right guy, and it’s also the flame that keeps him around. People who are perceived as being more attractive get better jobs and promotions, receive better treatment from authorities and the legal system, and have more options in romantic partners. [1][2]

Here’s the thing: human beings (and especially men) are very visually perceptive. They make a lot of judgments based on how people look (we’ll be looking at the science of this throughout this article). Whether that’s right or wrong is beside the point. The reality is, that’s how we’re all wired.

In fact, research clearly shows that whether or not people say they value physical attractiveness doesn’t matter—they still base their actions on it. Heck, even the people who truly believe that they don’t care about physical appearances still care about it just as much as everyone else when it comes down to who they actually date. This is based on hard research.[3][4]

The sooner we come to terms with this, the better. This doesn’t mean you’re vain, and it certainly doesn’t indicate that you’re insecure — it means you’re human. It means you’re a mentally healthy person. And it means that you’re in tune with your biological nature and instincts.

So what can we do about it? How can we increase our attractiveness to its full potential?

This topic can go very deep and there’s a lot of science showing what makes a woman attractive. Confidence, intelligence, personality, and other internal qualities all contribute to the amount of appeal a person has. However, physical appearance is the base. It’s the foundation, and no house can be built on anything but a solid foundation.

There’s good news, though.

You can take charge of your unique appearances and take actions to increase your God-given potential. There’s a whole science showing how to accomplish this, and that’s what we’ll be looking at here.

Want even better news?

The mainstream media ideals when it comes to female attractiveness are often dead wrong. Not wrong in the moralistic sense of the word wrong—that’s a whole other debate—I mean factually wrong. They’re incorrect and they are not backed by actual science.

So…what makes women attractive?

First things first: what is attraction? Seems like a dumb question, right? But it’s an important one. Once we understand the components of attraction, we can essentially reverse engineer it to our own benefit. The result? Attraction maximized, social benefits gained.

From Wikipedia: “physical attractiveness is the degree to which a person’s physical traits are considered aesthetically pleasing or beautiful.” The old phrase “she’s easy to look at” encompasses this perfectly.

But let’s look deeper. Evolutionary psychologists accurately sum up the reality of what’s behind physical attractiveness: a person’s physical characteristics are ultimately signals of fertility and health. The more a person is fertile and healthy, the more likely they are to have healthy offspring that will survive.

In other words, like so many things in life, physical attractiveness boils down to survival and replication. In essence, the more beautiful someone appears to be, the more signaling our brains are receiving through visual stimulus that this person is good to create offspring with.

This isn’t anything new. We all intuitively get it. What happens when you see a women walk by with flowing hair, beautiful glowing skin, nice bust, and a strong and healthy looking body? You look. You admire. You know that person is attractive and healthy. Really healthy.

So with that backdrop, let’s take a look at what science says. No more misconceptions, no more lies.

We want to show you exactly what you can do to increase your physical attractiveness from the inside out—which not-so-coincidentally means becoming the most healthy version of yourself.

Keep in mind while reading this article that each of us has been 100% uniquely created, and all of us have attractive qualities that we can work with and enhance. In other words, we’re all beautiful in our own way and going down a path of insecurity and unnecessary self-scrutiny is not allowed!

So let’s get started, shall we?

1. The Ideal Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Don’t worry, you won’t need to break out a tape measure and a protractor. It’s not that complicated.

A woman’s body shape is based on estrogen levels, and the feminine ideal is that of an hourglass—an ample chest, slim waist, shapely hips and bottom. Healthy women simply store little fat in their stomach, and what fat you do have goes to your hips, butt, and breasts.

Researchers found that women with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7—meaning the distance around their waists is only 70% that of their hips—to be the most healthy, possessing ideal estrogen levels and having much lower rates of disease.[5]

Now, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to your waist-to-hip ratio. You can be overweight and have a perfect ratio, or incredibly fit and have an above- or below-average ratio. Bone structure plays a big part in your exact number, and there’s nothing you can do to make your bones bigger or smaller!

But it’s not hopeless.

If you’re very thin, working out at the gym using upper and lower body exercises like push-ups, bench press, dead lifts, and squats. Don’t worry, you won’t get massive, manly muscles!

But if you’re overweight, the key is to focus on cardiovascular exercises until your waistline begins to trim down.

Now, if you’ve got a low ratio, and your hips are a lot bigger than your waist, it may be because you simply store fat differently than some women, or you already have a muscular booty and a really slim waist.

2. The Ideal Body Fat Percentage

Women need a higher percent of body fat than men to stay healthy, and studies indicate that most women think men want them to be very thin — but that’s just not the case. [6]

Hormonally, and in regard to your overall health, there is an ideal range of body fat. Rather than being chiseled and lean like a man, body fat percentage for women can best be summed up like so:

• >31%, obese;
• 25-31%, average;
• 19-24%, most healthy;
• 14-18%, athletes;
• <13%, critically low.

That “most healthy” (and therefore most attractive) range is within reach!

If you’re already there, then congrats! If not, don’t think of it as an unclimbable mountain. With the right nutrition and some dedication, you too can soon have that perfect, healthy, irresistible body you crave.

The important thing is that you’re happy. If that means you feel attractive and confident at 30% body fat or 14%, more power to you.

3. The Ideal Amount of Muscle

You love muscular men with broad shoulders and a toned stomach, so shouldn’t men lust after female bodybuilders with the same passion?

Nope.

Guys (and other girls) are intimidated by women with huge muscles—nobody wants their wife or girlfriend to beat them at arm wrestling. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have some muscle tone, though.

Ideally, you will want to build firm, toned, muscles in your butt, legs, and abs. Having a strong core and lower body sends a message to the world that says “hey, I’m healthy!”

Plus, building up a bit of muscle decreases your body’s insulin sensitivity—meaning it becomes harder for you to gain fat, and easier to lose it! [7][8]

Without sounding like a broken record, the BEST way to build a healthy level of muscle mass and lose fat is to lift heavy weights and engage in intense cardiovascular activity, like sprint intervals. By doing so, you avoid burning off muscle (like you do when running or walking for long durations) and you induce your muscles to grow faster (unlike with light, repetitive lifts—which actually work to create SMALLER muscles).

Weird, huh?

4. The Ideal Butt

Or booty, bottom, rear end…you get it. Has the butt finally become THE symbol of femininity? Does anyone care about your breasts anymore?

Well, of course science has the answer. A recent study shows that, well…men like both. Roughly half preferred an attractive chest to a big booty, but they generally liked both. [8]

Men like big butts (and science cannot lie) because women with large rumps tend to have a lower center of gravity which, again, indicates health and fertility, which as we’ve discussed over and over is the basis of attraction. [16]

Unlike men, women store fat in their butt, thighs, and hips before it goes anywhere else. But if your butt wasn’t blessed with perfect genetics, heavy compound exercises like squats and dead lifts are the perfect way to give your booty a helping hand.

5. The Ideal breasts

According to several studies, an ideal breast is large, firm, perky and symmetrical. [11][12][13]

The last part (symmetry) is particularly interesting. You see, breast development is highly variable during development, meaning your chest is the area of your body that’s most likely to be uneven.

The science claims breast size and symmetry are associated with higher levels of the fertility-promoting hormones estradiol and progesterone. [14][15]

So what can you do about it?

Unfortunately there’s no pill that will double your bust overnight, and no exercise that will give you a perfect chest.

But let’s remember what makes a great chest—large, firm, perky, symmetrical. It’s important to reiterate that when we say large, we simply mean relative the rest of your body. You might look better with a B cup or a D cup; everyone is different!

Firm and perky are self-explanatory. Mother nature takes a toll on us all, and the sad fact is…breasts sag as you age!

Proper weightlifting (such as pectoral and back exercises) and nutrition can correct posture and reduce some imperfections in your breasts.

However, these measures often aren’t enough. Your breasts are actually the least likely area to respond to diet and exercise. Luckily, breast augmentation actually works similarly to exercising your pecs, but without the years of effort. The end result is creating symmetry and adding lift that can’t be done in the gym or the kitchen.

Health Is The Name Of The Game

We’ve seen how, at its core, feminine beauty is based on your health. Even the most beautiful models, actresses, and athletes suffer from reduced attractiveness when they stop being healthy.

Think about it—how do you feel when you’re sick? Do you feel attractive with a runny nose or a sore throat? Now, take that feeling and imagine you felt like that all the time. That’s what happens when you aren’t at your best, when you haven’t reached your body’s full potential.

Of course, your health influences your waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, muscle tone, and butt/chest size. But looking and feeling great is so much more—your skin, hair, nails, posture—these all add up.

But most of the time, simply feeling great about yourself is the first step towards achieving optimal attractiveness, and the best way to do that is by getting a rockin’ body that makes men’s jaws drop when you walk in the door.