Yes, guys like pretty faces and hot bodies. But sometimes your less obvious traits can be even more alluring.

By Richard Rys

Blondes? We love them. Brunettes, redheads, and anything in between are hot, too. Statuesque women are irresistible but then there are petite cuties. And for every alluring model-thin babe, there's a voluptuous vixen to capture our lusty hearts.

Does it help to have a sculpted bod and a face that makes Helen of Troy look like Amanda Vanstone? Sure, but less mythological traits can stop men cold. You probably have some in your arsenal without realising it - though you can bet your boyfriend, hubby, or the cute guy you run into at the gym has noticed. So use these to your advantage.



Laugh it up
Women say one of the biggest turn-ons is a sense of humour. We've heard you. That's why we quote Seinfeld episodes, commit elaborate jokes to memory and humiliate ourselves to make you laugh.

And when we make you happy in the form of breathless hysterics, you make us happy. (Please note that hearing you laugh when we get naked is not a turn-on.)



Walk on the wild side
"Nobody wants to be with someone boring," says Ron Louis, co-author of How to Succeed with Women ($34.95, Pearson Professional Education). But there's a fine line between hot-crazy and scary-crazy, la Britney - head-shaving and public flashing aren't good. Instead, maintain mystique.

Be unpredictable and keep us guessing. One bachelor describes a date with a woman he thought was wholesome, until she returned from the bathroom during a movie and tucked something in his pocket - her underwear.




Love thyself
Men want is a woman who's comfortable with herself. Obsessing over your imperfections interferes with our enjoyment of you. What's truly sexy is a woman whose self-esteem makes her act as though she's flawless, and in turn makes us feel as though our girl next door is a secretly sexy supernova when she's with us.



Toughen up
It he's double-checking your neck for signs of an Adam's apple, chances are you're a little too tough. Otherwise, men like a woman who probably comforts sick puppies and bakes cakes for her book club, but who has a mean streak when she needs it.

It's comforting to know we can occasionally take a break from playing the alpha male and let you take over - especially behind closed doors. "Men go through life having to be the dominators, so it's appealing to be able to relinquish that role," Kerner says.


Wear your glasses
Your old horn-rims may evoke memories of year eight acne for you. But for him, when you slip on specs, you accentuate your wit and tap into our "naughty librarian" fantasy.

"These days, everyone's wearing contacts or getting laser eye surgery," says Ian Kerner, author of She Comes First: The Thinking Man's Guide to Pleasuring a Woman ($22.95, HarperCollins). "Sometimes guys are attracted to intellectual types. The librarian seems to be a smart, contained woman, yet beneath it, there's a smouldering sexuality."

What little things do you do to turn your lover on? Share your sexy secrets by leaving a comment below...