Gain an Advantage When Attracting the Opposite Sex

If you want to become an expert at attracting the opposite sex, consider the following findings on sexual attraction and the senses:

The color of sex appeal. A new study from the University of Rochester has found that women are strongly attracted to the color red. Researchers showed pictures of men in varying shirt colors to almost 300 women, and time and time again, women believed the men in red to be the most powerful, attractive, and sexually desirable.

Seducing with sound. If you want to let your man know that you are attracted to him, ditch the Paris Hilton baby voice. A recent study from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, found that when women are sexually attracted to someone, they almost instinctively lower their voices, which might come as a surprise to people who associate hyper-femininity and high-pitched voices with sexual attraction. Instead, try using a husky, breathy voice (reminiscent of Lauren Bacall, Kirstie Alley, or Demi Moore) to let your date know that you might be into a nightcap at his place. (Just don’t overdo it... or he might think you have a sore throat!)

The nose knows. You might think that an old standby like Chanel No. 5 or other pricey fragrances are the sexiest scents, but Dr. Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago discovered quite interesting evidence to the contrary. Dr. Hirsch and his team had a group of participants sniff numerous different scents and then tracked sexual arousal post-sniff. Surprisingly, scents of cucumber and licorice had the biggest impact on sexual arousal for both men and women. So, the next time you want to win over your date, try lighting a licorice-scented candle or using cucumber body wash. Every little bit helps!

Using taste to tempt. We have all heard of common aphrodisiacs such as oysters and chocolate. These tempting foods purport to increase our sexual desire and make date night out of this world. Personally, I believe that almost any food can be sensual, especially if you prepare it as a couple and take the time to smell and taste the food as you go along.

Though food is inherently sensual, some fare is more tempting than others: Any food that resembles a sexual organ is often quite racy (think cucumbers or bananas). Spicy foods such as jalapeño peppers get your heart rate going and can even flush your face, mimicking the reaction your body has during sex. Other foods such as creamy avocados, luscious strawberries, and fun finger foods like fondue can also be very sexy to eat and share.

And, last but not least, chocolate truly is the key to making magic in the kitchen! An Italian study found that women who consumed chocolate on a regular basis enjoyed a better sex life than women who did not, including increased levels of desire, arousal, and satisfaction.

Let your fingers do the talking. The final sense (and perhaps the most powerful) is touch. While touching in the bedroom is clearly sensual, touching outside the bedroom is just as important, if not more so! Little touches and caresses throughout the day keep you connected with your partner, increase your sexual attraction, and strengthen your bond. So scratch his back, play with each other’s hair, hold hands in the grocery store… and, of course, kiss!