Women are more sexually satisfied if they like their eyes, lips and ears over their stomach, thighs and weight, new research reveals.
Although having a larger BMI does reduce women’s sexual self-esteem, being svelte does not boost their confidence in the bedroom as much as having attractive facial features, a study found.
Nonetheless, women who perceive their bodies to be ‘pure’, ‘soft’ and ‘expressive’ report greater sexual self-worth, the research adds.
Body image aside, masturbation also boosts women’s confidence when getting intimate with their partner, the study found.
Yet, their age, happiness in their relationship and their partner’s sexual satisfaction does not affect women’s enjoyment when getting physical, the research adds.
Women are more sexually satisfied if they like their eyes, lips and ears (stock image)
How the research was carried out
Researchers from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium analysed 596 women aged between 18 and 80.
Of the participants, 65 percent had a healthy BMI, 20 percent were overweight and five percent underweight, with the remainder being obese.
The participants completed a questionnaire that required they rate 19 of their physical features on a five-point scale of attractiveness.
They were also questioned on their desire, arousal, frequency of intercourse, and sexual pleasure and satisfaction.
In a second study, the researchers analysed 542 women aged between 18 and 79, who also completed online questionnaires.
Their sexual satisfaction was investigated in the same way as the first part of the study, however, their body self-esteem assessment related more to different parts of their anatomy.
Facial features boost sexual satisfaction
Results reveal women are more sexually satisfied when they like their eyes, lips and ears over their stomach, thighs and weight.
Nonetheless, believing they have a ‘pure and clean’, ‘soft and warm’ or ‘expressive’ body boosts women’s sexual self-worth, whereas having a particularly ‘masculine or feminine’ physique lowers it.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the more a woman’s BMI increases, the lower her confidence between the sheets.
The findings also revealed masturbating is significantly associated with greater sexual self-esteem in women.
Yet, a woman’s age, height, happiness in her relationship and partner’s sexual satisfaction does not impact their confidence when getting intimate.
The findings were published in the journal Sexologies.