Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but researchers have spent decades searching for the physical traits that consistently turn heads.
While everyone has their own preferences, studies have suggested certain features tend to appeal to large numbers of men.
New data from dating app Badoo has now identified six physical traits that appear to garner the most attention online.
The findings range from height and hair color to eye color and even nail grooming habits.
Women with these characteristics were more likely to receive messages and responses from men on the dating platform.
Experts cautioned that the results should not be viewed as a blueprint for attractiveness because personal chemistry remains impossible to predict.
However, the data offers an intriguing snapshot of what catches people’s attention at first glance. And it suggests that some traits may have a bigger impact on first impressions than others.
New data from dating app Badoo has now identified six physical traits that appear to garner the most attention online. The findings range from height and hair color to eye color and even nail grooming habits
Not too tall, not too short
According to Badoo, nearly half of men, exactly 46 percent, preferred women whose height falls between five feet three inches and five feet six inches.
Of course, that doesn’t mean women outside that range are any less attractive.
Dating experts noted that preferences vary widely, and plenty of men prefer women who are taller or shorter. But on dating apps, this middle ground appears to receive the most attention.
Brown eyes come out on top
Blue eyes are often romanticized in movies and songs, but Badoo’s data suggested that brown-eyed women receive the most messages from men.
Around 60 percent of men surveyed favored brown eyes over other colors, YourTango reported.
Some experts believe eye contact itself may be more important than eye color.
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Do you think studies like this reflect real life, or is attraction far more personal?
Around 60 percent of men surveyed favored brown eyes over other colors
The eyes are often described as the ‘windows to the soul,’ and a warm, engaging look can leave a lasting impression regardless of color.
Brunettes over blondes
In a finding that may surprise some people, brunettes outperformed blondes on dating apps.
According to Badoo, women with brown hair received 40 percent of messages, compared to just 15 percent for blondes.
Other research has also found that hair plays a major role in first impressions.
A poll by hair care products company Pantene discovered that 74 percent of men notice a woman’s hair, while 44 percent said it is the very first thing they see.
The appeal of an ‘average’ body type
Badoo found that women whose figures were described as ‘average’ received more attention than those with athletic builds (pictured)
One of the more surprising findings involved body shape.
Badoo found that women whose figures were described as ‘average’ received more attention than those with athletic builds.
The term is somewhat vague and open to interpretation, but researchers said it highlighted an important point that beauty standards are often far more diverse than social media may suggest.
Research suggests men’s attraction to curvier figures may be rooted in human evolution.
A 2015 study from the University of Texas at Austin found that men tend to prefer women with a specific lower-back curve, about 45.5 degrees from the back to the buttocks.
According to the researchers, this curvature may have given ancestral women an advantage during pregnancy by helping them better support additional weight and carry multiple pregnancies, potentially shaping modern standards of attractiveness.
Clean, well-groomed nails matter
The data suggested that women with clean, well-groomed nails tend to receive more attention from men online
Nails may seem like a minor detail, but they appear to play a bigger role than many people realize.
The data suggested that women with clean, well-groomed nails tend to receive more attention from men online.
Relationship experts said grooming habits can send subtle signals about self-care and confidence. Interestingly, the recent trend toward natural, polish-free nails may also be working in some women’s favor.
A bright, genuine smile
Perhaps the least surprising result was the importance of a warm, genuine smile.
Research by Match Group previously found that teeth are one of the most important features people notice on a first date, with 60 percent of men and 71 percent of women saying they pay close attention to a potential partner’s smile.
Experts said smiling can make a person appear more approachable, positive and friendly, all traits that can be especially important when trying to stand out in a sea of dating profiles.
Dating apps may make attraction feel like a numbers game, but experts stressed that there is no secret formula for finding love.
The traits identified by Badoo may help explain which profiles tend to attract more messages, but they are far from a universal rulebook for romance.
