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How to be more attractive as a man Good looking man smiling in grey shirt on blank background

11 Simple Things All Men Can Do to Be More Attractive

David has been covering men's style and grooming topics for The Adult Man as a writer and photographer since 2020. We asked David to sum himself up in four sentences, and here it is. Serial learner. Aspiring wordsmith. Bourbon enthusiast. Jack of some trades. Read full bio.


Last Updated: Feb 19, 2024
16 min read
Key Takeaways

First, start a daily skincare routine (get 70% off a Geologie 1-Month Personalized Skincare Sample Set with code TAM70) to keep your skin healthy and prevent signs of premature aging. Next, you should get regular haircuts, wear clean, well-fitting clothes, and educate yourself on fashion. Lastly, you should practice mindfulness, as this will help you to be kind to yourself and to others.

There comes a time in the life of every man when he looks in the mirror and reality smacks him in the face.

This “reality” can take many shapes and colors, but the recurring truth is that you haven’t been taking care of yourself mentally and physically, and there’s a lot more you could do to be more attractive.

I’ve been there.

I got the reality smack during a time of my life when I never worked out, never washed my face, wore the same sweatshirt to school every day, and had no romantic prospects to speak of. 

When you open your eyes to the lack of effort you put into yourself, it can be overwhelming and hard to know where to start improving first. 

I certainly felt like that, so I started to observe the habits of guys who seemed to have their life together and exuded that confidence that can’t fully be described but is immediately recognizable to men and women alike. 

I’ve come up with a list of 11 simple things that all men can do to be more attractive, which can serve as your guide if your head is still ringing from the mirror sucker-punching you with reality.

How to Be More Attractive as a Man: Do These 11 Things

1. Start A Skincare Routine

Black man using Geologie Repairing Night Cream

Skincare routines are chronically overlooked and undervalued by men. If you happen to wash your face every morning and evening, you’re probably doing better than 90% of other dudes out there already.

Lots of guys think that it’s the size of their biceps and the sharpness of their jawline that determine their attractiveness, and while those certainly help, if your skin is dull and your complexion looks gaunt, it won’t matter how conventionally attractive you are.

Starting a quality skincare routine will make your skin more bright, even textured, and youthful, and will also help you avoid signs of premature aging, like wrinkles, dark eye circles, and the loss of skin elasticity.

Model Wearing Geologie Micro Exfoliator and 3 Minute Clay Mask

If you want to know how George Clooney and Brad Pitt seem to only get more attractive as the years go by, think about their skin. They’ve both maintained youthful complexions and avoided wrinkles and other signs of premature aging.

The best part is, you don’t have to be famous or own a beach-front Malibu mansion to start a skincare routine that will boost your skin and overall attractiveness. 

My favorite skincare brand is Geologie, which is a 22-time award-winning men’s skincare brand recognized by GQ, Hypebeast, Men’s Health, and others.

Geologie Skincare set with update packaging from front
Get 70% off your first sample set purchase at Geologie with code TAM70

Geologie makes jumping into the world of skincare with no prior knowledge easy. They create simple and effective skincare routines that are customized to you based on your responses to their quick skincare quiz.

This 30-second diagnostic quiz takes into account your age, your problem areas and goals, where you live, and your ethnic background to whip up products that will effectively nourish your personal skin environment. 

The packaging on each product even includes a number that tells you which step of the skincare routine it is so you can get better skin on autopilot.

Geologie everyday face wash and moisturizing morning cream on white background

I love the fact that Geologie uses natural, proven ingredients in all of their products, like retinol and salicylic acid. I’ve had great results with their Vitamin C+E Ferulic Serum, which smells great and leaves my skin bright, poreless, and full.

If you want to start a skincare routine but don’t know where to start, Geologie is the brand I always recommend to my friends.

Geologie Complete 1-Month Personalized Skincare Sample Set
(Get 70% OFF first sample set purchase with code TAM70)

If you want to treat your skin well and not think too hard about how to do it, Geologie is a great place to start. Their well-known Complete Skincare Trial set checks the major boxes of healthy skin maintenance in an easy-to-use system.

Check Price Read Our Review

2. Improve Your Body

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An attractive body doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone, which is why I’m not saying, “Get a 12 pack” or “Get pecs the size of dinner plates.” 

Some guys don’t want that, and some women don’t even want that. The ‘dad bod’ is a thing for a reason.

This one comes down to whatever state of your body makes you feel confident. If entering ketosis, shedding fat, and blasting your abs four times a day until you have abs in places that people shouldn’t is what makes you feel good, do that. 

If, instead, you just want to tone up and lose some weight in specific areas to feel more confident, that works too. 

And not everyone wants to lose weight, either. If you’re at all like me and were blessed (cursed?) with a body resembling a bean pole, you’re probably hitting the gym to put on some muscle and fill out those t-shirts to feel more confident. 

Like I said, it’s all individual preference. 

Regardless, these improvements to your body have two benefits. First, you’ll be more aesthetically attractive. Second, you’ll be more comfortable and mentally secure with how you look, which will make you more confident and therefore, as long as you’re not cocky, more attractive.

3. Present Yourself Well

man wearing brown suit

How you present yourself in public speaks volumes about how you live your life and what you prioritize. 

If you leave the house in a ripped Mountain Dew hoodie, cargo shorts, and flip-flops in the middle of Winter, you’re not exactly giving the impression that you care to look good or have your life in order. 

On the other hand, guys who get regular haircuts, have educated themselves on fashion, and wear neat, stylish clothing will always have a better chance at attracting and keeping a partner. 

model wearing back jacket and green pants

So, get educated on fashion. Learn to dress in a way that makes you feel confident and puts your best foot forward for first impressions. 

Ditch the late 2000’s skater boy haircut and adopt a new hairstyle that flatters your face shape. Clean out that mobile dumpster you call your car. Vacuum and dust your apartment or house. 

Present yourself well in all areas of life, and you’re guaranteed to be more attractive.

4. Practice Good Posture

mens home office

This point goes hand-in-hand with presenting yourself well. 

If you’ve started a skincare routine, improved your body, and are actively presenting yourself well but slouch around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, you might as well quit all the positive improvements you’ve made.

Take it from lobsters.

A study found that how lobsters hold their bodies (a.k.a, their posture) has a predictive outcome on their dominance and hierarchical standing in lobster society. In other words, lobsters with better posture have better access to food, mating opportunities, shelter, and anything else a sea-dwelling crustacean could desire. If you’ve read Jordan B. Peterson’s fantastic 12 Rules for Life, you’ll know what I’m getting at. 

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
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Now, I know you’re not a sea-dwelling crustacean (I hope), but the principle still applies. Standing up straight, feet firmly planted on the ground, shoulders back, and your head held high only communicates inner confidence and strength. 

Don’t believe me? Try out this quick exercise and see how you feel afterwards.

As Tony Robbins often says, “Emotion is created by motion.” How you hold your body affects how you feel, and how you feel determines how you present yourself to the world. 

If you feel confident, strong, and positive, your body will reflect that and you’ll be more attractive, inside and out.

5. Consider Growing a Beard

This might seem ridiculous, but a number of studies found that men with beards are perceived as more masculine, mature, and fit for relationships. 

In other words, more attractive.

It doesn’t have to be a full lumberjack beard, either. Some people are into those, others find them too scratchy, hard to keep clean, and too likely to trap food particles. 

A short beard or light, trimmed scruff will also give the same benefit as a conventional, full beard, and will be less hot and easier to maintain.

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I’ve also noticed that a beard can highlight your jawline and accentuate the shadows that make it stand out. 

The jury is split when it comes to mustaches and other facial hair styles, but the main takeaway is that if you’re going to grow facial hair, make sure you present yourself well by trimming it, cleaning it, and keeping it neat.

6. Become More Confident

Brooks Brothers checked suit

You’ve probably gotten the message by now that many of these points are aimed at making you more confident, and therefore more attractive, but confidence doesn’t just stem from how perfect your posture is or whether or not you can make your pecs tap dance.

Confidence largely stems from your internal beliefs about yourself. 

While this topic can quickly get heady and complicated, there are some general principles you can start with to get you on the right track.

First, stop comparing yourself to others. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy” and I wholeheartedly agree. 

When most of us look in the mirror we quickly identify the things we’re unhappy with and wish we could change, which usually leads us to think about people who have the attributes we desire and compare ourselves to them. 

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This is a quick way to make sure you’ll never be confident. Constantly wishing you were someone else or looked like someone else will never make you believe in your own abilities.

Second, now that you’ve stopped comparing yourselves to others, be kind to yourself. Instead of looking in the mirror and focusing on things you’re unhappy with, focus on what you’re happy with instead. 

Identify the skills and attributes that make you unique from others and let those inform your opinion of yourself, and therefore your self-confidence. 

That said, confidence can quickly become cocky. Even if you think you’re hiding it, friends, family, and potential partners can spot arrogance and pride a mile away and it’s the opposite of attractive. 

Be confident, not cocky.

7. Wear Deodorant and Cologne

How to Apply Cologne Graphic

If these points were in order of importance, this point would be at or near the top. 

You can’t get away from it, you have to wear deodorant. 

As men, we’re naturally skilled in a wide variety of areas, but one of those areas happens to be producing foul bodily smells. Especially from the ‘pits. 

So, do yourself a favor and pick up a high-quality stick of natural deodorant, if you don’t already have one. I recommend natural deodorant because it’s not made with harsh chemicals, aluminum, or anything that could potentially be bad for your body. 

As it turns out, Geologie is also a great place to pick up natural deodorant. 

image
The fantastic smelling Geologie Natural Deodorant

They’ve got three amazing scents that won’t leave white residue on your shirts, and each is made without aluminum, baking soda, parabens, or artificial fragrances, which means these are also great for guys with sensitive skin. 

My favorite scent of theirs is Moab, which has strong notes of bergamot and juniper for a super fresh, clean smell that lasts all day. 

Also, get yourself a high-quality cologne, like one of our favorite picks from Creed.

A man who dresses well, has great skin, presents himself well, and smells great brings a lot to the table on the attractiveness scale, and a cologne can become your signature scent that fully completes an outfit. 

And I’m not talking Axe body spray or those cheap sampler packs you can find at Marshall’s. Take a trip to Nordstrom, Sephora, or anywhere else that sells men’s cologne, and make use of their testers to find a scent that you like and reacts well when applied to your skin.

Geologie Natural Deodorant
(Get 20% off with code TAM20)

Since Geologie's Natural Deodorants aren’t made with baking soda or talc, which typically thicken the formulation, they’re lighter, easier to apply, and don’t leave any white residue. I enjoy knowing that every time I apply this, I’m blocking the foul smells my body is so apt at producing, without the use of heavy metals like aluminum, or other harmful chemicals.

Check Price Read Our Review

8. Be Kind

We already talked about being kind to yourself—now it’s time to be kind to others. 

At one point or another I’m sure you’ve come across a self-confident person who’s also deeply kind and couldn’t help but be drawn to them. 

Kind people make others feel safe, recognized, and appreciated, which is a hard thing to come by in today’s comparison and cancel-happy culture. 

The easiest way to be more kind to others is to recognize that you don’t ever have all the facts about an individual’s situation. 

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That coworker who drives you up the wall at work? They might be going through financial difficulties, a painful breakup, or any number of difficult situations that makes them hard to tolerate. 

The point is, you never know what someone’s dealing with behind the scenes, so it’s best to give them the benefit of the doubt and extend kindness first, since this is how you’d like others to treat you. 

People are drawn to kindness, so being kind is an easy way to make yourself more attractive.

9. Get Better at Listening

There are few things worse than trying to have a conversation with someone who’s not listening to you, constantly talking over you, or both. 

If you’re the type of guy who talks a mile a minute and leaves a “conversation” without remembering anything the other person said, I’ve got bad news—that’s not an attractive trait. 

Tupac Shakur left us some timeless wisdom when he said, “Listen twice, speak once.”

Deep down, everyone wants to be known, acknowledged, and accepted. It’s hard to feel that way if you don’t feel like anyone really listens to you and gives you the time of day. 

But, when you come across someone who really cares about what you have to say and listens intently, you can’t help but be drawn to that person and how they made you feel. 

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Guys who spit a big game and try to pick up girls by only talking about their accomplishments miss out majorly with the majority of women. 

Next time you try to meet someone, whether that be a romantic interest, coworker, or new friend, remember to listen twice and talk once. Ask questions, be engaged in what they’re saying, and respond to what they’ve said, rather than waiting for them to be done so you can talk about what’s on your mind.

Listening is an underrated skill that can help you in all areas of life, and it will certainly boost your attractiveness.

10. Practice Mindfulness

model wearing vuori workout shorts performing yoga move

“Mindfulness” is a hard concept to concretely pin down, but the general idea is to take time to connect with yourself in a way that makes you feel at peace and that gives you better knowledge of yourself. 

Lots of guys do this through yoga, journaling, meditating, and/or breathing exercises, but most guys don’t practice mindfulness at all. And who can blame them, in a culture that values productivity, performance, and experience over rest and self-awareness. 

Why is this attractive?

Simply put, mindful people tend to be more calm, centered, and genuine. These are people that are well aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and aren’t afraid to be vulnerable and honest about their lives. 

Just like kind people, I’m sure you’ve come across a mindful individual and been drawn to their calm, measured aura. It’s an attractive, safe space to be in, and you can create this for others by practicing mindfulness and connecting with yourself. 

French philosopher Blaise Pascal is known for saying, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

If sitting alone in an empty room with no phone or TV sounds like torture, you’re not alone. But all of the distractions in our daily lives keep us from having the time to really get to know ourselves and be at peace. 

Carve out 10 or 15 minutes in your day to start a mindfulness practice, and I can guarantee you’ll begin to feel more internally grounded, confident, and calm, which will make you more attractive from the outside. 

11. Wear Red

Fresh Clean Tees Cali Pullover in red

Oddly enough, one of the simplest ways to be more attractive is to wear red.

An international study in 2010 found that women are significantly more attracted to men who wear red, which seems ridiculous but the facts don’t lie.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should show up to your next date wearing an all-red Adidas tracksuit or red chinos and a red button-down. Instead, sprinkle the color into your existing outfits and you might have more luck in the romance department.

Time to Level Up

With these 11 simple steps, every guy can become more attractive and self-confident. 

My top recommendation is to start a comprehensive skincare routine, since this will keep you looking young and your skin glowing. Geologie makes it super easy to get a customized skincare routine for your individual needs, and their products use simple, proven ingredients that are sure to improve your skin quickly.

Geologie Complete 1-Month Personalized Skincare Sample Set
(Get 70% OFF first sample set purchase with code TAM70)

If you want to treat your skin well and not think too hard about how to do it, Geologie is a great place to start. Their well-known Complete Skincare Trial set checks the major boxes of healthy skin maintenance in an easy-to-use system.

Check Price Read Our Review

These 11 steps are meant to boost your self-confidence through external and internal changes, and as long as you’re not cocky, that extra confidence will make you more attractive.

If you know someone who has untapped attractiveness and needs a hand getting their life in shape, share this article with them! They’ll thank you when their low confidence is a thing of the past.

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