10 Tips To Have The Sexiest Profile Pic

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The Bridget Jones’ of this world (going forward referred to as ‘us’), all have one thing in common, and it’s not just a search for the perfect Mr. Darcy figure. No, it’s our love-hate relationship with dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Coffee Meets Bagel – this isn’t our fav breakfast spot. We love them because they provide thrill, excitement and give us that much-needed confidence boost when it’s a Sunday night, and we’re on the couch in our PJs, doing our best impression of Bridget and stuffing our faces with Ben & Jerry’s. We hate dating apps because when it doesn’t work out, or our date turns out to be a weirdo, we blame these apps for not protecting us from the disappointment. The reality is – love it or hate it – if you really want to give this your best shot and get your ‘Happy Ever After,’ you first need to make sure you’ve upped your chances of getting the ten out of tens swiping right on your pics. So, here are our top tips for nailing the online dating game (or just your IG profile photo), in all its shallow glory!

1. Make sure you’re not just a stock image

One picture is not enough, and in a world where we need proof to believe anything, putting up at least two or three photos will give your prospective love-interest some confidence that you do, in fact, exist.

2. Lighting is everything!

Good lighting is the key to a great profile pic – of course, you already knew that! You can edit most things, but if you have bad lighting, no amount of FaceTune is going to fix that. We love outdoor lighting if you’re standing in the shade, or bathroom lighting can also be really sexy (not the shocking, fluorescent kind, the warm, dim kind).

3. Strike a pose (and find your angle)

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From T-Rex hands to Bambi bends and over-the-shoulder looks, there are hundreds of different celebrity-certified poses and angles to glean inspiration from. Knowing your best angle and your most flauntable assets will make your pictures POP!

4. Get into their subconscious

Sounds creepy, we know, but why not use a little psychology to your advantage? According to researchers at the Department of Psychology at the University of York, there’s three core features people inherently look out for when sculpting first impressions from a picture: approachability, dominance, and attractiveness. As for judging attractiveness, after examining 1000’s of photos, surveys revealed that people are only really studying two things about a person’s face: eyes and mouth. People with broad, happy grins are seen to be approachable, and consequently, more relatable, and eyes were everyone’s go-to. And if you want to seem like a strong individual, good brow game will help with that!

5. The DO NOT’S!

Ditch the indoor sunglasses (no, just no) and, we’re all for Snapchat filters – but keep it to one image with a flower crown. Boys, tweeze away that unibrow, and please, for the love of God – don’t leave us guessing who you are in a group shot of eight guys. This one may sound pretty obvious, but only post pictures that are in focus: You have one or two seconds to get a right swipe, so why waste time on blurry shots?

6. Smize baby, smize

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We’re about to change your life with Tyra Bank’s top model advice: when in doubt, smize! In simple terms, smile through your eyes (yes, this does really work). Smizing will continue to draw attention to your eyes without giving you the deer caught in a headlight look.

7. Clothes maketh the man (and woman)

When it comes to make or break fashion statements, we’re set on one thing, be you! But, of course, it’s always helpful to see what trends in the dating world, and the app Photofeeler, a tool that allows you to get feedback on your profile photo, found that when it came to clothing, although the results were torn, the most poignant fragments of feedback were:
• Dark colors and formal attire always received more positive feedback.
• Don’t cover or block your eyes. Sunglasses and hats are a big no-no for both genders because it makes you seem unapproachable. Tinder reported 12% less right swipes for sunglasses, and 15% less for hats.
• The psychological effects of the color red for both men and women have been well researched. So, if you’re looking to make a grand first impression, make sure your tinder picture has some eye-catching crimson or burgundy to ignite their subconscious interest.
• Ensure your clothes fit well!

Our top tips for getting the most bomb Tinder pic:

First of all, make sure your main pic is the best, and follows all the rules – let’s be honest, people only ever keep looking through your photos if they’re not sure (or you’re really hot!). According to data at Tinder, here are our final tips for what you need to do to up your chances of getting a swipe in the right direction:

• Smile: 14% more likely to get a right swipe
• Face the camera directly: 20% more likely to get a right swipe
• Avoid selfies: particularly for men, you’re lessening your chances of a swipe. Girls, put away the duck face pout.
• Make sure the pic clearly shows your face!

One of the most important tools to arm yourself with when taking your next Tinder profile picture is confidence and originality. Whether online or offline, a great personality and positive appearance will win you more swipe rights than any photo filter ever could.