By Dr. Diana Kirschner
Men are visual creatures, there’s no getting around it. In fact, match.com in the USA found that men are 14 times more likely to look at a profile that has a photo. But don’t get mad, they can’t help it—this visual scanning behaviour is based in their biology. When men look at the faces of beautiful women, the part of the brain associated with dopamine (the powerful falling-in-love biochemical) actually increases in activity.
You can make this work in your favour by following a few simple suggestions to ‘optimising your beauty’ excerpted from my book, Love in 90 Days. It’s important to say that this isn’t about making yourself look different; it’s simply about looking your best.
The first step is creating a great photo for your online dating profile. Once you do you will meet more guys and better guys online.
Any woman (and I mean anyone!) can create an irresistible photo by following these steps.
Creating Your Look
1. Great hair will help you look and feel your best
If you have grey showing then invest in getting your hair coloured a shade which flatters your skin tone. If it’s been a while since you visited the salon, then book in for a trim and a blow dry.
2. Get your makeup done for free at a high-end department store
They are experts and will show you how to apply your makeup in the most flattering way. If you can afford to buy the products, then great, but if not you can always duplicate the colours with lower cost brands. Research shows that men believe women who are wearing a moderate amount of makeup are more beautiful.
3. Wear red
It has been found that men find women who wear red more attractive, so investing in a red top can help get their attention. There are plenty of different shades of red, so you should be able to find one which suits your skin tone, making you beautiful with just a hint of sexuality.
Taking the Photo
1. Get a friend to take your photo
Have a friend who is a good photographer take 100+ headshots of you to find one that is so good it surprises you. Make sure you take at least 100 – although it sounds like a lot, the whole process will get you over the hump of holding back or being shy on camera. You can also have your photo done by a professional photographer who knows how to interact playfully and help his/her subject be real. If you take this route, make sure your photo looks casual.
2. Smile and make eye contact
During the photo shoot, smile and make eye contact with the camera. Research shows the men rate women who do this as more beautiful!
It sounds simple but it really works. Joanne, a shy plain woman followed just this recipe and found a great lasting love. Here’s what she wrote:
“I’m writing to share my great news with you! Mike and I got engaged last Tuesday. He wanted me to make sure I told you that it was one of the photos I wore red (remember you told me this was a good colour to wear) that made him contact me!”
So you don’t have to look like Angelina Jolie to create an irresistible photo. Just follow these simple suggestions, select your top shots and try them out as main photos for your profile. You will find that you are getting a lot more attention online and offline, and you just might meet ‘the One’.
Diana Kirschner, Ph.D. is a frequent guest psychologist on The Today Show in the USA & author of the highly acclaimed relationship advice book, Sealing the Deal: The Love Mentor’s Guide to Lasting Love as well as the best-selling dating advice book, Love in 90 Days.