Five ways to increase your sex appeal

It's that certain ethereal, elusive something that makes someone (aka 'you') irresistable to someone else (aka 'her'). But sexual magnetism isn't the exclusive preserve of the Clooneys of this world. Understand how to manipulate the multi-sensory science of attraction and you can ramp up your personal sex factor with effortless sleights of sensation

Hearing

What’s in a name? Quite a lot, actually. Sex appeal begins when you introduce yourself, according to Amy Prefors, a linguist at the Massacheusetts Insitute of Technology. Her research found women prefer men’s names pronounced with a 'front vowel' – a linguistic term meaning the way 'a' is pronounced in Matt. 'Back vowel' sounds, such as the "aw" in Paul, were considered less sexy.

Use this to your advantage, without any awkward post-coital confessions, by acquiring yourself a 'front vowel' nickname. Then think about the pitch of your voice. Nottingham University’s behavioural ecology research group discovered that women tend to perceive men with deeper voices as more attractive, with the Russell Crowe timbre triggering optimum appeal.

Now you’re rumbling, start taking the Mickey. "Self-deprecating humour is a very reliable indicator to her of general intelligence, verbal creativity and moral virtues such as humility," says University of New Mexico anthropologist Gil Greengross, who conducted a two-year study into the role of humour in seduction. Sound like Crowe, talk like Grant.

Sight

If the genetic lottery didn’t give you the same pay-out as Mr Pitt, a few optical illusions will help. University of Rochester researchers found wearing a red polo shirt significantly increases women’s attraction to you. “It may be a primal thing, or a man who wears red may feel more dominant, influencing his confidence,” says study author Andrew Elliot. Either way Wayne should probably change out of his kit before heading out to avoid immersing himself in more hot water.

Next, flash a bit of cheek. A glimpse is enough, according to University of Newcastle research. “Just by looking at men’s cheeks, women make the necessary genetic discriminations to find the right mate,” says study author Professor Morris Gosling. And men with the healthiest complexions scored highest. Stay hydrated by applying StriVectin-SD (£107 for 5fl oz, salonskincare.co.uk).

But beauty is more than skin deep. “Studies confirm women have strong preferences for taut bodies and broad shoulders,” says Martie Haselton, psychology professor at the University of Texas. Suddenly feel like going to the gym? We’ll see you there.

Taste

Started with a kiss? Doing so releases mood-lifting endorphins, whilst your saliva plays a key role in attraction, according to Vaughn Bryant, professor of anthropology at Texas A&M University. “The first kiss lets her check out the chemical messengers that signal sexual attraction,” he explains. To give your genetic code the best chance to work its magic, “keep your kisses soft, sensual, firm and not too wet,” says Dr Laura Berman, assistant clinical professor of gynecology and psychiatry at the Northwestern University, Chicago.

Then there’s the more abstract take on taste – her subconscious reliance on other women’s taste in men. A study from the University of Louisville showed women preferred men who were with or around other women. And you can max this pre-approval effect by ensuring you’re very nice to them – psychologists at Aberdeen University found women are more likely to think a man is good-looking if they see other women smiling at him. Keep them happy now, and you’ll be grinning later.

Smell

The shortcut to a woman’s heart is through her nose. Research at the Monell Chemical Sense Centre found a woman’s ability to detect and distinguish between scents is 1,000 times better than yours. Plus, her processing hardware for smell and emotions are located in the same neural network of her brain. That means the right scents are sex-appeal superchargers. Research at Chicago’s Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found the most effective evoke childhood memories or favourite foods, specifically cucumber, baby powder and lavender which all cause an increase in vaginal blood flow.

There’s something deeper at work, too. University of Newcastle researchers discovered women are attracted to the smell of men with different ‘histocompatibility’ complexes – a collection of genes related to the immune system. As a rule of thumb, the further apart your backgrounds, the more compatible your ‘histo’ and you can capitalise by reaching to advertise the fact. Tests carried out at the University of Northumbria showed women found men more attractive when exposed to the chemicals in their armpits – nice.

And if after all that, your pheromones don’t gel? University of Toronto scientists found they were able to genetically tweak fruit flies to cancel out a particular pheromone, making them irresistible. Look out for Lynx Double Helix...

Touch

A delicate, precise touch can take your appeal to the next level, but don’t go early. Filling her personal space too soon is a major turn-off, warns anthropologist Kate Fox from Oxford’s Social Issues Research Centre.

If you’re talking for the first time and you’re close enough to whisper, you’re too close. “That’s her intimate zone, less than 18 inches from her, which is reserved for lovers, family and close friends,” says Fox. “This doesn’t mean ‘don’t touch’, but avoid touches which may seem threatening. Experiments have shown a light, brief brush on the arm during an initial encounter has immediate, lasting positive effects.”

Keeping your touch light is key. Swedish researchers at the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology at Sahlgrenska University discovered a complex second nerve network beneath the skin – known as CT Fibres – which are different in structure from her main touch receptors and stimulated by soft sensations. Because of this, their MRI scans of women’s brains showed soft touch activates the part of the brain associated with emotional response. “Stimulation of CT fibres is probably linked to the release of pleasure hormones, like oxytocin,” explains study author Hakan Olausson. Women really do love a softie.