No.1 Facial attractiveness

When pursuing a long-term mating strategy (that is, a serious, committed relationship), men zero in on a woman's face. In one recent study by researchers at the University of Austin at Texas, 75% of men told to favor a long-term mating strategy indicated that a woman’s face was a more important consideration to them than her body. While this news is perhaps not shocking, another study from the Kinsey Institute has revealed that during sex, compared to their female partners, men are more likely to initially look at their lover's face. Together, these studies may offer some insight into why women spend significantly more time primping their faces by applying makeup and doing their hair than they do adorning their bodies.

No.2 She appreciates you

One of the major complaints men have in a long-term relationship is that they often feel criticized, as if nothing they do can please their partner. In other words, they feel unappreciated, which (unsurprisingly) has consequences for their relationship and the couple's sex life. Conversely, research by marriage expert John Gottman has shown that partners who regularly show appreciation for each other report higher levels of overall satisfaction with their relationships.

 

No.3 Self-sacrificing

A study published by Vladas Griskevicius of Arizona State University and his colleagues in 2007 demonstrated that women in a romantic state of mind are more likely than men to endorse volunteering or engaging in charitable deeds. The catch, however, is that women indicated a preference for engaging in this self-sacrificing behavior in public places, suggesting perhaps an unconscious sexual motivation on their parts and the notion that men may find this trait appealing in a woman.

No.4 She's ovulating

A large body of research has examined the notion that humans are capable of unconsciously detecting a wide range of bodily chemicals (not just pheromones) that signal a potential mate's reproductive status. A study published in 2009 by Saul Miller and Jon Maner had men sniff the dirty T-shirts of women at different phases of their menstrual cycle. The scientists found that men smelling the shirts of women who were ovulating had higher testosterone levels than men who sniffed the shirts of non-ovulating women, suggesting that men are more drawn toward a woman when she is ovulating. A further study by the same group, however, suggests that men in a relationship are more likely to rate an ovulating stranger as less attractive compared to single guys, emphasizing that other variables, such as the motivation to preserve your present relationship, can exert an influence over your desires and behavior.

No.5 Agreeableness and ability to empathize

A study by Daniel Nettle at the University of Newcastle in the UK found that on a questionnaire of personality differences, women rated significantly higher than men on scales measuring empathy. Furthermore, this study suggests that empathy may be considered a form of agreeableness. When theorizing on the origins of this sex difference, the researcher hypothesizes that for our ancestors, the ability to create and maintain social alliances may have been relatively more important for women than for men in order to help ensure the survival of their offspring. In the modern world, that means men may find women who are extroverted, agreeable and highly empathic more appealing than women who exhibit these traits to a lesser degree.

No.6 Bodily attractiveness

A 2010 study by Jaime Confer, Carin Perilloux and David Buss claims that when guys are told to look at photos of a woman and think about her as a short-term dating prospect, men indicate that a woman's body is more of a priority to them than her face. The idea here is that when cavemen were pursuing a short-term mating strategy, body cues, such as whether a potential sexual partner appeared fertile or was already pregnant, would have alerted a man as to whether getting busy would be worthwhile (genetically speaking). The translation is that for modern men seeking a one-night stand, a hot body counts.

No.7 Large eyes and a balanced mouth

Substantial research points toward the notion that men find large eyes appealing on women. The reason is that while such a feature may serve as an indicator of femininity, it has also been linked to long-term health and reproductive potential. Furthermore, Michael Cunningham’s studies on physical attractiveness have found that men perceive an ideal female mouth as one that, at mouth level, is 50% the width of the face.

No.8 Waist-to-hip ratio

There is a magic number when it comes to the ratio between a woman's waist and hips that men find most exciting. In the Western world, that number is 0.7, which means that the circumference of a woman's waist is 70% the circumference of her hips. In other cultures, slightly lower or slightly higher ratios have been found to be attractive to men from those cultures. From an evolutionary perspective, a ratio under 0.6 may signal hips that are not well suited to childbirth, and a ratio in excess of 0.8 could suggest fertility difficulties related to being overweight.

No.9 She wears red

We all know that red is the color traditionally associated with love, sex and romance, but a study by Andrew Elliot and Daniela Niesta proposes that our interest in this color may actually have a biological basis. The idea is less wacky than it seems, as plenty other species use this color as a marker for mating.

No.10 Moderate neuroticism

Women suffer more from anxiety disorders than men do, and studies show that excessively anxious (or highly neurotic) women report less satisfaction with their relationships than women who score lower on this trait. At the same time, some scientists have hypothesized that moderate levels of neuroticism may actually be attractive, as they imply that a woman will be a good mother, concerned for the welfare of her children. As for what to do if you’re already in a relationship with a neurotic partner, research suggests that having more sex can help salvage your relationship.