How to Read Women's Body Language for Flirting

Even the ancients claimed that you have to pay attention to a woman’s gestures to uncover whether she is interested. Unlike men, who display no more than 10 or 15 signs that they're interested, women have over 50 gestures that they use to flirt with.^[1] This article will teach you the most important ones.

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Part1

EditFirst Impressions

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   Pay attention to her gaze. A woman who is interested will not only check you out, but she'll let you catch her doing it! Repeated direct eye contact from across the room is a sure sign she wants you to come say hi, especially if it's accompanied by a smile.
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   Watch her face. Women's faces tend to be more animated when they're interested in you. Pay attention to her eyebrows, lips, and eyes to see how she reacts to the things you have to say. Here a few things to keep your eyes peeled for:
   

   • Raised eyebrows. This can be used in a number of situations, but most of the time, it's a good thing. When paired with a smile and a nod, raised eyebrows means that she agrees with what you're saying—even if it's just because you're the one who's saying it. Women will also raise their eyebrows after making eye contact to show that they like what they see.
   • Fidgety lips. If she chews on her lips when she's thinking or listening, she's drawing attention to her lips, and thus probably interested. Likewise, look for her to be licking her lips. Not only is this a subconscious way to draw attention to her lips, but women's mouths get drier when they're excited and/or aroused, ^[2].
   • Dilated pupils. Both males and females' pupils dilate when they are interested in the person they're talking to. This will be especially apparent if you're in a light setting, as darker settings will naturally produce more dilated pupils.
   • Overactive eyelids. If she's batting her eyelashes, she's definitely flirting. While this move is very cliched, the stereotype comes from somewhere. If a woman is interested in you, she'll blink slightly faster than she would normally.
   • Flared nostrils. When women are interested or aroused, their nostrils flare. It's an involuntary response to excitement, so, like dilated pupils, you can be pretty sure she's genuinely interested if her nostrils are flared.
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   Take note of where she is in relation to you. Interested women will lean in close. If you're sitting at a table, she may rest her head on one or both of her hands to get closer to you.
   

   • Beware of crossed arms. If she's sitting back in her chair with her arms crossed, chances are she's bored or uninterested. Try regaining her interest by sparking conversation about her and her life. If nothing works, you may need to find another girl.
   • On the other hand, if she touches your hand or arm and immediately brings it back towards her chest area, she is displaying interest.
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   Pay attention to the way she touches her hair. Gentle movements, such as mindlessly twirling a strand around her finger or running her fingers through it slowly are signs that she's very interested. Quick, jerky movements indicate that she's embarrassed or impatient, especially when paired with wandering eyes.
   

   • Quick, jerky movements don't mean that the situation is hopeless. If you're coming on super strong, back off a little bit. Be sure that you're not dominating the conversation or complimenting her too much. If you're not sure, check out How to Flirt for some tips on turning the conversation around.
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   Be mindful of her fingers. Women who are interested will use their fingers to caress erogenous zones on their body, fiddle with jewelry, or play with their glass.
   

   • Caressing erogenous zones. When a woman often caresses her lips, neck, or collarbones, she's sending you a signal that she wants you. This is commonly a subconscious way of drawing your attention to these areas, reminding you that she's sexy.
   • Fiddling with jewelry. When a woman is around someone that she's interested in, her heart beats faster. This makes her feel nervous excitement. As a sort of outlet for that tension, she'll twist her rings, play with her earring, or tug at her necklace. She may also bounce her foot or leg to get rid of the extra energy.
   • Digging her nose. The nose is connected to nerves in erogenous zones. A girl digging her nose will usually try to conceal it but you should tell her it's beautiful. This bridges the psychological barrier and brings the couple to a higher level of intimacy.
   • Playing with objects. When a woman strokes the stem of a wine glass or runs her fingers along the rim of her water cup, she's trying to get your attention. If the movements are slow and controlled, she's likely interested. If, however, she's tapping the glass and pursing her lips, she probably can't wait to get out of there.
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   Look at her legs. Often times, an interested woman will cross her legs. This is an especially good sign if her top leg is pointed towards you. She may also stroke her lower thigh or smooth her pants as or before she does this to further draw attention to her legs.

Part2

EditDating

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   Note physical contact. Everyone has a personal "bubble" of about 18 inches (45.7 cm). If she gets into your personal space, or even finds excuses to touch you, you can bet she's interested. Be ready for any "tests" she might make for herself—stepping into your personal space to let someone walk past, touching your arm as a condolence when you're sad, or putting her hand on your knee to emphasize that she finds you funny are all quick breakdowns of the physical barriers to see how you react.
   

   • If you're interested in her, respond by doing a few little "tests" of your own. She'll know you're interested, and it'll open up the doors for longer, more prolonged touching.
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   Be aware of eye contact. A woman will let you know she thinks you're the most interesting person in the room by staring into your eyes. If you're just getting to know each other, she will only hold it a couple seconds longer than normal. However, if you know each other well, she may feel comfortable enough to stare deep into your eyes for long periods of time.
   

   • It takes two. She can't make prolonged eye contact with you if you shift your gaze. If you're uncomfortable by her advances, feel free to look away quickly. However, if you're interested in her, let the eye contact last for a couple seconds before you let yourself (or her!) look away.
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   Gauge her giggle factor. Take notice of how often she smiles or laughs around you comparatively to other people. Often times, a woman who's interested in you will find it hard to stop laughing in your presence. This may be during a conversation with you, during which she'll make lots of eye contact, smile, and giggle or laugh at even the most pitiful jokes, or it may be simply when she's in the same room with you. Look also for overly loud, boisterous behavior when she's engaged in a different conversation in the same room; it's a sure sign she wants you to notice her.
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   Be mindful of "cute" gestures. There are a few gestures that women will make to encourage your desire to take her into your arms. The most important of these is the shoulder shrug. Open, upturned palms are also important signs that she's interested.
   

   • If she leans forward on the seat and turns slightly towards you, she is displaying her shape and wants you to check her out.
   • If she lets her hand move down your back and just barely slide off the top of your butt, she is very interested in you.
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   Check out her heartbeat. If you are comfortable enough with each other to cuddle, put your head on her chest. If her heart is racing, she's really interested. If you're not comfortable enough to get close to her heart, check out her wrist pulse. Lightly grab her hand and rest a finger on her wrist. This is difficult to master, but if you can pin down a racing heart, you have a pretty good sign that she's very into you.
   

   • You can also gauge her heartbeat by observing her breathing patterns. This is just as difficult, if not more so, than feeling for a pulse, but doesn't require prolonged touch. When you're sitting next to each other during a movie, lightly brush up against her. If she's breathing very quickly, it's probable that she's interested. If she's holding her breath, she might be trying to hide the fact that she's breathing hard.
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   Look for mirrored movements. Often, a woman who is interested will subconsciously mirror your movements. This shows that the two of you are on the same wavelength and can thus increase intimacy in the relationship. That's why dancing is considered intimate or sexy—it forces you to mirror each other's movements! ^[3]