Different people have different definitions of what they consider to be attractive. Men have different opinions of what they deem attractive in a woman, and women have different opinions of what they deem attractive in themselves.
Some people really focus on the face, others focus on the curves, some think the hair is the most important, while others may have a foot fetish. Personality will also matter a great deal, but in this attractive women survey, we will only focus on the physical attributes of women.
Here are five key factors that affect physical attractiveness in women.
Also check out our Attractive Men Survey!
Attractive Women Feature 1 – Face
Eyes – The eyes are windows into our soul.
Eyes come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes.
Larger, rounder, eyes tend to give women a more vulnerable, submissive look.
Sharper eyes or cat-eyes, give the appearance of a more powerful, assertive woman.
Eye color also matters. Blue or green colored eyes are traditionally more popular because they are more rare compared to black and brown eyes.
Lips – Lips can be full or thin.
Currently, there is a greater preference for fuller lips in our society. Fuller lips may appear more attractive in women because they are more sensual and indicate greater passion in bed.
Many of our female media symbols of today, including Angelina Jolie,Jessica Simpson, and Jessica Alba, sport fuller lips – either natural or acquired through plastic surgery.
Face shape
Finally, the shape of a woman’s face is also a key feature in determining attractiveness. The heart-shaped face is usually considered to be most attractive. Audrey Hepburn is a good example of a very attractive woman sporting a seemingly perfect heart-shaped face.
Women with squarer faces are generally deemed less attractive because a squarer facial structure is associated with a more masculine face. Oval-shaped female faces lie somewhere in-between the two.
Attractive Women Feature 2 – Breasts
A woman’s breasts are definitely one of the key features of attractiveness.
Breasts are a good indication of fertility, therefore evolutionary wise, larger breasts are preferred .over smaller ones.
Even for men who may not prefer larger breasts, larger breasts will still naturally catch their attention. Women’s breasts occupy a prominent position in their bodies, and men are hard-wired by their DNA to notice a woman’s breasts.
Given advances in plastic surgery, it is now possible for women to get whatever sized breasts they desire. This practice results in the unrealistic feminine ideal of today which is larger sized breasts combined with a narrow waist and a very slim build.
Attractive Women Feature 3 – Hair
Some people find long hair to be very attractive. Longer hair requires more upkeep, but it is also very flexible when it comes to styling.
Women with long hair can create a variety of different looks just by styling their hair differently. Wearing long hair down will better frame the face and also hide imperfections in facial symmetry.
The shorter the hair, the less flexibility a woman has to create a different look for herself. However, shorter hair is easier to maintain, and some people prefer the younger, more pixie look afforded by shorter hair.
Shorter hair will not hide facial-shape imperfections though, so it should only be attempted by those who have a more symmetrical face.
Hair can also be straight or curly. Curly hair will have more body, but is difficult to style. Curly hair can often appear unkempt if not properly handled. Straight hair is easier to style and keep neat, however, it can also look flat and limp. Clever blow-drying and use of hair products will help to provide straight hair with more body.
Attractive Women Feature 4 – Build
A woman’s build also affects her attractiveness.
Smaller, petite women are usually in high demand because societal norms dictate for a man to be larger or taller than his mate. Petite women, therefore, have a greater number of possible men to choose from, including shorter and taller men. However, petite women have a much harder time keeping a slim look because of their lesser height.
Taller women may have fewer men to choose from but they have a greater advantage in achieving a slim, willowy, and more refined elven look.
Our current society places great importance on slim or even thin women. Larger women are considered less attractive due of many years of negative media depictions.
Attractive Women Feature 5 – Dress
Finally, how a woman dresses and wears her make-up can also have a significant effect on her attractiveness.
Some women prefer to go for the understated, less is more look. Very light make-up with cooler clothing colors (greens, blues, grays).
Other women prefer to stand out, and will go for the more striking look with heavier/darker makeup, hotter clothing colors (reds, yellows), and more flamboyant clothing styles.
Accessories can also significantly alter a woman’s look. Larger earrings, for example. will catch someone’s attention and draw his eyes to her face. Belts can be used to break up the torso, and create a more segmented, shorter appearance. High heels can provide petite women with greater height and so on.
Accessorize carefully to complement your weaknesses, and enhance your strengths.
great hub i can see there a lot of male attention on here lol
Here here
What makes someone attractive, it is so difficult to summarise, I have been with a lot of men who may look plain to others, but to me, they were ultra attractive, I have been with drop dead gorgeous men, who have been ugly on the inside, therefore lost out on my attentions. It is in the eye of the beholder for sure, but confidence not narcissm, a cheeky tongue, creative mind, lovely smile, incredible wit, romantic, and imaginative in the bedroom, that all can make someone truly attractive
Hi BP, I really like what you said.
I think you are absolutely right that different people will have different views on which attributes are most attractive, *and* also have different tolerances as to what is the right level of ‘confidence’ , ‘cheekiness’ , and ‘romance’.
One person’s confidence may be someone else’s arrogance, and the same goes for the other qualities as well.
And all that may also change with time.
It is truly amazing when people fall in love and truly stay in love for the long haul.
Sixtyorso –
That is true although I think soul-mate is very rare judging from the divorce rates. Also, I think that some people may just decide to settle for something that kindda fits because they are tired of being alone.
krjeffrey – Thanks!
notorious_HAI – Actually, BC prefers red-heads. But we can certainly dye our hair 😉
I really like that!
bspilner –
That is true. Confidence is very important although beauty does give someone a big advantage in the confidence area as well 🙂
Beautiful physical features can all be great in their own way, but I believe that nothing is more attractive than a girl that carries herself with confidence. Physical beauty will only last for so long…confidence is something that can last a lifetime!
Well constructed hub. Nice. Thumbs up.
Beauty ultimately is in the eye of the beholder. That is why there is always a peg to fit every hole. Most people in life end up with a mate or preferably a soul mate.
I liked this hub. I didn’t feel it had the judgements that many hubbers do. It was very unbiased and fact driven. Kudos to you.
–“I was also thinking about how based on our societal values, when men age they just look more distinguished, but with women … there is no similar positive thing. There are many older men still playing attractive roles in movies, but less so for women. Hopefully, this is something that will change :)”— I fear that with all of the visual changes female actresses/ and women in general make to ‘stay young’ men don’t get the chance to appreciate the characteristics ‘older women’ can bring.
I began going grey when I was a teen, 15 or 16. It was a slow process, but now early 30s I’m quite salt and pepper (definitely a blend). It was interesting the comments I would get from both genders. Guy friends of mine would simply make jokes..in a good humour sense. I think some were a lil jealous knowing I would still have my hair later on. Offers to buy Grecian formula etc for christmas and birthday gifts. That kind of thing.
As for females, well, it was interesting because younger (my age) females would talk to me about getting my hair done. I, for a lark, decided one time to do it. It was so fake. No one knew the difference, and I felt… well like a fraud. I didn’t like the color and haven’t done it again since. Now ladies who were a little older to a lot older really appreciated the salt and pepper look. Looking back now I was told by a high school class mate “You’re the type of guy girls marry, not date” I wonder if the greying hair had that affect? LOL.
I like women to be natural, and confident is nice but being true to yourself is better. Confidence is a byproduct of being ok with you. I like that.
That is interesting. Although I think that this is mostly due to the standards that Hollywood places on her actresses. Older actresses just do not get the parts unlike older men. This results in the ‘stay young’ phenomenon that you speak of and all this seeps into our culture.
I think many women love the salt and pepper look. Post some pictures – would love to see 😉
A very interesting hub Aya. I can always recognise your hubs with your trademark pictures 🙂
What I would have found really telling, is if the poll had been separated for men and women and to see if there was a difference between the answers. Men tend to be more visual…so most probably they would initially be attracted to a woman with flamboyant looks.Later on, of course the relationship would have to provide more, for it to be sustained.
Hi Diana,
“Men tend to be more visual … ”
This is very interesting because I read recently that this is not necessarily true. In studies on eye-witness accounts, they found that women actually provide more detailed descriptions of the people.
Perhaps it is just that more men prioritize physical attractiveness in women over their other attributes. That would be interesting to discover – however that is something that is difficult to get at because people may not answer consistently to the way that they act 🙂
I think it is clear that if you joined an online dating site with a really attractive profile picture and created a separate account with a not as attractive profile picture the former would get a lot more hits. What would be really interesting is to discover if attractive people also have more success in the long-term.
It would also be interesting to see if attractive people have different dating practices, are more successful in life, etc. 🙂
As long as we’re talking about the physical… What about body structure, Aya? Pear-shaped, apple-shaped, proportioned top and bottom? :O I know some men who prefer the top-heavy apple-shaped women because of the bigger breasts, and I also know some men who prefer the bottom-heavy pear-shaped women because of the wider hips and bigger butt! 😛
Hi Susan,
You bring up a very good point. MaD brought it up as well – the butt factor.
I partially tried to capture it with the build question – thin, slim, curvy, and large but probably not well enough. I would add another question to the survey, except I think that there are already too many questions – a little too much like work for most people 🙂
While looks are not the deciding factor in most serious relationships, they are a deciding factor. If I found a guy repulsive to look at, then there was no way I would date him — no matter how many times he asked, or how many of the other qualities I was looking for in a man that he had.
As to looks fading, I disagree. They change, but to someone who loves that person, they are still beautiful. I would not have found my husband, as he currently looks, attractive ten years ago, but guys who look like he did ten years ago are not that attractive to me now. I see this in others too. A lady that I scrap book with had just celebrated her 25th anniversary. Every picture from the party that had her husband in it stopped her in her tracks, to ooh and aah at how cute he was, even though he looked little like the man in their wedding pictures. 🙂
Hi Christa,
I agree with you. I actually like the look of older men 🙂
What I meant in my comment is that some people are obsessed with youth – and to them – the only type of beauty is the youthful kind (tight butt, no wrinkles, etc). Botox is very popular – so there are a fair number of people who are willing to pay for that type youthful beauty.
I was also thinking about how based on our societal values, when men age they just look more distinguished, but with women … there is no similar positive thing. There are many older men still playing attractive roles in movies, but less so for women. Hopefully, this is something that will change.
I find modesty and class attractive….weird huh? Cool hub! 🙂
Hah Tom – where were you when I first came to the United States? 🙂 Modesty is a very valued Asian attribute – in both men and women. It is probably one of the more difficult things I had to adjust when I first came to the States.
What makes women most attractive: her brain. Honestly I caught myself looking at a really cute guy yesterday, but he was the nerdy type according to most, which is what I think is hot. I just thought he was really cute because him and his friends were studying, and what could be more attractive than that? When it comes to men I am usually attracted to them by how they behave towards me, and the type of activities they enjoy.
Of course that group of cute Aussie surfers in Honolulu were true eye candy, but at the end of the day I cannot talk to an image. Just like men may admire a woman for her looks intially, in the long term they are not going to marry someone just because they look a certain way.
In all honesty looks are such a superficial and fleeting thing, and the most attractive element is weather someone is kind and respectful. A guy or gal studying in a library is so much more attractive than some woman who can take her top off on spring break videos. Intially guys and even gals might be turned on by that, but who would they take home to mom? Nothing is more attractive than a person who is kind and who has goals.
Also, ladies do not be fixated on what men find attractive because you have to be attracted to yourself first, and the rest is secondary. If you do not love yourself inside and out, then how can a man do so? You could be the most beautiful woman on the beach, but if you are insecure and always talking about your weight most guys would not find that attractive. Be your authentic self, and the guys who are truly attracted will notice.
Hello Sweetie Pie,
Thank you very much for your comment. I do agree with you that there are many other factors that go into choosing a partner. As mentioned by KCC both confidence and personality are also very important.
However, I think that looks does play a significant role. Whether we like it or not, our society values beauty, and even more so in women. Look at all the movie stars and pop stars – there are very few women who make it in the entertainment business if they do not have beauty on their side.
Since the value of beauty is in all of the culture surrounding us – it is difficult not to be affected by it, at least somewhat. Some people will prioritize other attributes over beauty, but there are also many others who will prioritize beauty over other attributes.
All other things being equal – beauty will certainly give you an edge; and sometimes a rather significant one.
No everyone is charmed by Hollywood beauty, and there are some actually normal looking women in the bunch. Make-up can be used to enhance many of their looks, but when you see them without makeup they look like everyone else.
From a young age I learned to be a divergent thinker, and I am attracted to like minded souls. I can assure you that some men think Hollywood types are not the most beautiful, with the exception of some of the women that have true authentic beauty.
However, beauty is very fleeting to us that do not judge a book by its cover, and with this group is really does not give much of an edge. Looking beyond the surface is my motto always. Being as authentic as I can be and going for things others do not see.
Hi SweetiePie,
It is certainly true that physical attractiveness is just one of many attributes that determine how one chooses a partner. To say that physical attractiveness is the *only feature* we care about is probably not true for most people. Similarly, to say that physical attractiveness is a feature we care *nothing about*, is also probably not true for most people.
What will be interesting to discover is whether the majority of people prioritize physical attractiveness over other features.
It is always a lot more popular to say that beauty is only skin deep etc etc, but the fact remains that the majority of us *are* affected by how others look. Indeed, when we do not know someone, that is the only thing we have to go by. Physical attractiveness probably has the most importance initially, then as the relationship progresses, it will matter less so.
There is this backlash now (just like the intellectual backlash) where suddenly appreciating physical beauty is considered shallow and ‘wrong’. There is nothing wrong with appreciating beauty. I appreciate much of the beauty that I see in Hollywood – both male and female. I am not sure what you mean by ‘authentic beauty’ – who is to say whether one type of beauty is more authentic than another?
Personally, I prioritize other things above physical attractiveness, but it is certainly something that affects me and my choice of partners. And I also do not think that there is anything wrong with people who prioritize beauty over other things. As you say though, youthful physical attractiveness does fade over time, so if one is obsessed with youthful beauty, then one will have issues later on in life.
I never say beauty is only skin deep to be popular, I say it because for me it is true. When I mean authentic beauty I am talking about actresses that are beauitful without cosmetic procedures or having to be what we label traditional beauty. For instance, I think Whoopie Goldberg has a beautiful smile, but she is not usually considered a beauty queen in the Hollywood circles. Even when it comes to traditional beauty I have seen women outside of Hollywood that far outrank the starlets I see on the screen, but that is just my opinion.
You have the right to appreciate outer beauty, and I respect that. However, you must also understand not everyone is motivated by this. Often I have dated people that my friends thought were down right ugly, but interestingly I never felt that way about them.
Hi SweetiePie,
I understand that, but it seemed that you were saying that your way of looking at beauty is more authentic than other ways and I was disagreeing with that.
Different people will have different opinions as to which women are attractive, and one opinion is not better or nobler than the others. Some people may prefer more studious looking women/men, others prefer more glamorous ones, and still others prefer the more natural look. They are just different – not better.
The other point I was trying to make is that however much we try, we will be affected somewhat by physical attractiveness. It is not something we can escape because it is so pervasive in our culture and also in our evolutionary makeup.
Someones idea of what constitutes an attractive woman or man may be different but a preference for the studious look, or the natural look is also making a judgement based on physical appearance. And that is not bad or unauthentic – it is just human.
Great hub. I love the use of pictures rather than actual photos. The poll was interesting. Only 7 have voted (including me) and I find it interesting that for height it was a tie with petite and tall and average was lagging behind. I found that fascinating. I know this hub’s focus was on PHYSICAL characteristics, but I just want to throw in that I think both men and women are attracted to confidence and a positive outgoing personality more than anything else.
I thought of something else I wanted to add…..
I remember my daughter playing around with some site where you load in your photo and it scans all these same types of features and then shows you what movie star you most resemble. I came back resembling Rachel Welch! In my dreams!!! I was extremely flattered. LOL
Hi KCC – Rachel Welch? Hubba! 🙂 That sounds like a very interesting and fun application. Please share the link with us if you still have it.
That is very true. People always say that men are more visual than women but it is unclear how true that it. I read that in eye-witness testimonies, they have found that women actually give more detailed descriptions than the men. Perhaps in the area of dating, more men prioritize looks over other attributes.
I do agree that confidence matters a lot. When I was growing up I had very little confidence when it came to boys, but as I slowly gained confidence my success ratio also increased significantly It is kind of a catch-22 situation because it is difficult to gain confidence when you don’t have as many suitors, and it is difficult to gain suitors without confidence. 🙂
LOL Aya-chan, almost comprehensive. 😛
Just a couple of things I wanted to add to your list. First, how woman moves. Lack of gracility is a definite deal breaker for me. Second, how she talks. 🙂
Misha – ‘how she’ or ‘whether she’?? 😀
Great hub Aya – love what you’ve done with the pics – OK – it’s more for the guys but I love the way you’ve done it.
Liz Taylor? That’s why perhaps she could have any man she wanted! Guess Audrey Hepburn is more what a woman wants to be!
Misha – Haha – I never think of myself as being very graceful so I must definitely practice for when I meet up with you.As for talking – really? I always figured you for the less talking, more kissing kindda guy 😉
lol Shalini! Poor Misha – always getting teased. But it is because we love him 😀
That is really interesting – I wonder if that study of attributes that nazishnasim mentioned collected more of their data from men or from women.
Also thanks for the compliment on the pictures. It is strange but I actually like creating pictures of the women models a lot more. Women just have more interesting clothing, accessories, and poses. I always preferred Barbie to Ken 🙂
No Aya-chan, I am not poor – because you gals love me 🙂
To tell you the truth I love you gals, too 🙂
As for kissing, I have another truth for you – I hate wet kissing, unless you meant lower lips, which is unlikely 🙂
Talking – I had several cases when girls were pretty, and moved right, and all that stuff – but when they opened their mouth, all the drive for date evaporated. It’s not the amount of talk, it’s what and how has been said 🙂
And I bet you are graceful, gracility (or lack of it) is a manifestation of the inner world, and yours seems to be beautiful 🙂
Hahaha Misha – I am taking notes. No wet kissing, no moving around like a hippo, and no talking like a sailor. Although hippos move really well in the water 🙂
“And I bet you are graceful, gracility (or lack of it) is a manifestation of the inner world, and yours seems to be beautiful :)”
You certainly know how to flatter a gal – I certainly love what you say and how you say it 😉
Hippos in the water…. umm… that sounds interesting – why don’t we give it a try, Aya-Chan? 😉
And I admit I was awful at flattering a girl in my late teens and early twenties. But somehow with age it comes more or less naturally – probably I don’t try anymore to flatter those that I don’t adore 😉
lol Misha – I adore you right back!
How is the move going? Are you mostly unpacked now?
You seem to be quite good at flattering too Aya-Chan 🙂
Thank you, the move is done, it’s two and a half weeks already, and the upper floor is all unpacked and small imperfections mostly fixed, but last night we got a flood in the lower floor, the one with my office, and it is quite a job to remedy the consequences…
Sorry to hear that Misha. Water damage is always unpleasant. I had water leak through the roof once and had to crawl up there with a fan – lol.
Hope to see more of you on HubPages again 😉
Thank you all for dropping by!
Captain – Red hair? I am disappointed. My hair is black.
sixtyorso – lol – Thanks for the compliments. I only make sense about 20% of the time though. The other times I fill it up with hot pictures. 😉
men are dorks – Good point!! I must add it in – I surely must!
Thanks nazishnasim! Yeah I probably spend a lot more time generating the pictures than I do the text. The whole picture thing is very addictive. Still it wouldn’t be quite so much fun if I couldn’t put them into articles.
Hmmm as for the ideal image … my vote would be for Audrey Hepburn! C’mon give us the answer. If you still have the link to the article, please post it as well. Thanks!
Thanks LM! That sounds like a very interesting series. I will definitely check it out.
Gotta pulse though haven’t ya ; )
BC you’re so easy to please…if only I could find a man whose only criteria for a woman is black hair and a pulse. He needs to also like to wake up wrapped in hair….I have very long hair. Any referrals will be much appreciated.
Very entertaining hub 🙂 attractiveness is so subjective. I think everyone is attractive to someone.
I really like the illustrations you made, Aya! It’s going to be interesting to see how the poll turns out.
I watched that Ashton Kutcher series “True Beauty” (excellent show, BTW) and all the contestants were sent to a scientist who actually measures and assigns a beauty score based on several things, including most of those you mentioned.
@ Laughing Mom, I just remembered thanks to you! 😀
… sometime back a few scientists fed thousands of descriptions and definitions of beauty in a super-computer … then they asked the machine to assemble the info, put it together and generate and image…. Guess what the image looked like? Anyone …?
I have no idea, but I’m dying to find out, nazishnasim!
Do I sense the punchline to a joke coming on?
No joke *sighs … I wish it was* … the image had a striking resemblance with young Elizabeth Taylor!
lol – I just missed your comment. As soon as I clicked “Post” then I saw it 🙂
Heh – Liz Taylor is a good choice too. I suppose she is more curvy than Audrey Hepburn. My favorite is still Hepburn tho.
Elizabeth Taylor? Really? I’m sunk then.
But she had black hair like yours, Aya!!
Aya, that’s what in marketing terms we call ‘competitive advantage’. Enjoy yer edge while its still unique! X
LM, LOL … I am a brunette , I still stand a chance .. in the clouds perhaps! *sighs*
lol LM – the hair color is probably the only thing I have going then. 😉
Jeez, am I the only lady here!?! … but they all are my great friends so never mind!
Aya, that was a very comprehensive hub. I esp. loved how relavant and unique the pictures were against each heading! 😀
What about the butt, some men and I know of a hubber that goes bezirk over the ass.
Great hub Very insightful. But i can be attracted to someone who writes well is articulate and makes sense like you!LOL
Red hair and a pulse, anything else is a bonus ; )