Sexual Attraction: 36 Lusty Signs & Spicy Ways to Create Tension

Ever felt aroused while talking to a sexy someone? Here are signs of sexual attraction that could get you feeling all hot and horny in no time!

13 Lusty Signs Of Sexual Attraction To Keep An Eye On

Sexual attraction and chemistry can’t be planned. It just happens. One moment you’re sitting with someone you find rather attractive. And half an hour later, both of you have hands all over each other, purring and panting like wild animals on heat.

So what gives?

What really creates this sexual chemistry out of nowhere? And why is it such a passionate and uncontrollable force that leaves us feeling weak-willed and wildly courageous at the same time? [Read: https://www.lovepanky.com/flirting-flings/get-flirty/physical-attraction-tips]

What is Sexual Attraction?

Sexual attraction is the innate, often subconscious, pull toward another person that ignites a desire for sexual intimacy. In simple terms, it’s the magnetic force that makes you think, “Wow, I’d like to get closer to this person… in more ways than one.”

The reasons behind this attraction? They can be as varied as fingerprints. For some, it’s all about physical attributes—an alluring smile, a captivating physique, or the way someone moves on the dance floor. For others, it might stem from subtler cues, like a person’s natural scent or their ability to connect through meaningful conversation.

Sexual attraction is heavily influenced by biology, particularly the release of hormones like dopamine, testosterone, and oxytocin. Dopamine, often referred to as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, spikes when we encounter someone we find sexually appealing, lighting up the brain’s reward centers. Testosterone, on the other hand, fuels sexual desire, while oxytocin, the “bonding hormone,” adds emotional depth.

Even natural body odor, influenced by pheromones, plays a sneaky but powerful role. A famous study by Wedekind et al. *1995,* known as the “sweaty T-shirt experiment,” revealed that women were more attracted to the scent of men with genetically dissimilar immune systems. This biological instinct, according to scientists, could enhance offspring survival by promoting genetic diversity.

Factors That Influence Sexual Attraction

Sexual attraction looks different for everyone, and that’s because a mix of unique factors influences who we’re drawn to.

From physical traits to social influences, the reasons behind attraction can vary widely from one person to the next. Let’s break it down so you can better understand what shapes sexual attraction.

1. Physical Characteristics

Physical traits often play a huge role in sparking sexual attraction. Things like facial symmetry, body type, and even posture can influence how attractive someone appears. [Read: https://www.lovepanky.com/my-life/reflections/conventionally-attractive]

Evolutionary biology suggests we’re naturally drawn to features that signal health and fertility, like clear skin, good muscle tone, or a confident gait. Personal preferences also come into play—some people are more attracted to specific hair colors, heights, or even unique quirks like dimples or tattoos.

Physical appearance isn’t everything, but it often creates the first spark that gets the ball rolling in terms of sexual attraction.

2. Cultural and Social Norms

Cultural and societal standards have a big impact on what we find attractive. What’s considered desirable in one culture might not be in another. For instance, beauty standards around body shape or skin tone vary widely across the world. [Read: Cross culture romance: 40 secrets to have a happy intercultural relationship]

Media also plays a huge role in shaping these ideals, whether it’s through movies, social media, or advertisements. On a personal level, the way you were raised and the community around you can influence your preferences, making sexual attraction a complex blend of individual taste and cultural programming.

3. Psychological Factors

Attraction isn’t all about looks—your mind plays a huge part too. Psychological factors like attachment styles, personality traits, and even past experiences can shape who you’re drawn to.

For example, if you have a secure attachment style, you might feel more sexually attracted to people who exude stability and warmth. Traits like confidence, humor, or intelligence can also heighten attraction by stimulating emotional and intellectual connections.

Even subconscious factors, like childhood experiences or the mere exposure effect *where familiarity breeds attraction,* can influence your preferences without you even realizing it. [Read: Mere exposure effect: Why something familiar isn’t always better]

How Do You Create Sexual Attraction?

Sexual attraction can’t be faked, but it can definitely be sparked and nurtured with the right approach. If you’re looking to turn up the heat, here are ten subtle and sexy ways to build sexual attraction with someone. Let’s dive right in:

1. Confidence Is Sexy

Confidence is one of the most attractive traits when it comes to creating sexual attraction. Stand tall, make eye contact, and own your space.

People are naturally drawn to those who seem sure of themselves because it signals stability and self-worth. This doesn’t mean arrogance—just be comfortable in your own skin. When you exude confidence, it sets the tone for attraction to grow effortlessly.

2. Flirty Eye Contact

A lingering gaze can say more than words ever could. Making and holding eye contact builds intimacy and signals interest. But keep it natural—don’t stare or overdo it.

Throw in a sly smile now and then to keep the vibe playful. Eye contact is one of the simplest ways to communicate sexual attraction without being too obvious. [Read: Step-by-step eye contact flirting moves to catch someone’s eye ASAP!]

3. Subtle Physical Touch

Physical touch, when done right, can ignite sexual chemistry. Start with light, casual touches—a hand on the shoulder, a brief graze on their arm, or a playful tap.

These small moments build familiarity and increase comfort, which can pave the way for deeper attraction. However, keep it respectful and read their body language to ensure they’re comfortable with the contact. The key here is “subtle” and not aggressive, disrespectful contact.

4. Use Your Voice

The way you talk can be a game-changer in creating sexual attraction. Speak with a slightly lower, slower tone when you’re leaning into a flirtatious moment. This subconsciously signals warmth and intimacy.

Add a sprinkle of humor to your conversations to make things feel light and engaging. A confident voice paired with meaningful conversation can create a strong connection.

5. Dress to Impress

Let’s be real: how you present yourself matters. Your appearance isn’t just about impressing others—it’s about how you feel about yourself. [Read: Why is inner beauty more important than outer beauty?]

When you wear clothes that highlight your best features and reflect your personality, you naturally feel more confident. This doesn’t mean you have to go all out with designer outfits or anything flashy. Stick to what makes you feel attractive and comfortable—whether that’s a killer pair of jeans or a well-fitted shirt that makes you feel like a million bucks.

Grooming also plays a huge role here; a neat appearance and a fresh, inviting scent can create a lasting impression. When you’re confident about how you look, it shows in your posture, your smile, and even the way you walk. That kind of vibe doesn’t just catch someone’s eye—it draws them in.

6. Build Emotional Tension

Sexual attraction isn’t just physical but emotional, too. Share something personal or meaningful during your conversation to create a deeper bond.

Showing vulnerability can build trust and heighten intimacy. The closer someone feels to you emotionally, the more likely sexual attraction can develop naturally.

7. Playful Teasing

A little playful teasing adds a spark to your conversations by challenging their opinions or joking about something they said—but in a way that’s light and fun, never mean or disrespectful. This kind of banter creates an exciting energy, where you’re not just talking, you’re flirting. [Read: 30 sexy ways to tease your man & make him want to f you right there]

The magic of teasing lies in showing off your cheeky, playful side. Think about the little things you can do to amp it up—like raising an eyebrow, tilting your head, or even putting your hand on your hip as you deliver that perfect comeback. A confident smirk or a playful laugh can make the teasing feel like a personal, flirty connection.

When done right, playful teasing turns the conversation into a dynamic, flirtatious dance that can easily shift into sexual chemistry. Just keep it balanced—tease a little, but also let them know when they’ve got you intrigued.

8. Create a Sense of Mystery

Don’t lay all your cards on the table at once. Leave a little room for curiosity by not oversharing right away. People are naturally drawn to intrigue, and a sense of mystery can heighten sexual attraction. Share just enough to keep them interested but hold back on a few details to keep them wanting more.

9. Be Passionate About Something

Passion is magnetic. When you talk about something you’re genuinely excited about, it’s contagious and makes you more attractive. [Read: How to be more interesting: 21 tricks to go from boring to lovable!]

Whether it’s a hobby, a career goal, or an upcoming adventure, letting someone see your enthusiasm creates a dynamic energy. Passion signals vitality, which is a key driver of sexual attraction.

10. Mirror Their Body Language

Subtly mirroring someone’s movements creates a subconscious bond. For instance, if they lean in, you lean in; if they sit back, you do the same.

This technique builds a sense of comfort and connection. Studies have shown that mirroring body language can increase feelings of trust and attraction, setting the stage for sexual chemistry to grow. Although you won’t want to overdo this, as that’s going to be disastrous.

The 17 Lusty Signs of Sexual Attraction

If you’re having a conversation with someone attractive, and the conversation leaves you feeling all hot and flustered, chances are, the sexual chemistry and attraction between the two of you is already sizzling and burning.

You can use these 17 signs of sexual attraction to find out if you or a hottie you’re chatting up actually want to get into the other person’s pants.

And even if you’re trying hard to create sexual attraction with someone, you can use these cues to build the horny attraction yourself. [Read: How to get a girl horny and wet just by sitting next to her]

1. Close Contact

When you’re sexually attracted to someone you’re talking to, you’ll find it very hard to stay away from them. You’d find any excuse to get closer to them, be it while walking together or while squeezing into a crowded elevator.

If you’re talking to an attractive someone, and they constantly try to sit closer to you or move in awkwardly close for no valid reason at all, it’s probably because they’re sexually attracted to you already.

2. Outrageous Flirting

Do you find yourself helplessly flirting with this person all the time? Sexual flirting is one of the big signs of sexual attraction.

If you’re sexually attracted to someone, you can’t help yourself from talking dirty or behaving like a naughty tease around them. [Read: 30 subtle, obvious and dirty flirting tips for girls]

3. Strategic Locations

Here’s another one: You can’t stop staring at strategic sensual locations on this person’s body, be it their crotch, their butt, their breasts, or even their lips. You can try to stop yourself, but with every sneaky opportunity you get, your eyes would just drift down south to get an eyeful of all that sexiness.

4. Your Heart Starts Racing

If you’re sitting in a cozy corner with this person, you can’t help but feel turned on and sexually aroused. With each minute that passes by, your excitement would make your hands wander and you’d start breathing deeper and harder too! [Read: 6 sexy ways to make a guy want to kiss you by turning him on]

There’s actually a science behind this reaction. When you’re sexually attracted to someone, adrenaline and norepinephrine kick in, increasing your heart rate and making you hyper-aware of every touch and glance. This flood of chemicals creates the physical sensations of excitement and arousal.

Your body is also gearing up for intimacy by redirecting blood flow, which is why you might feel warmer or notice certain… heightened physical reactions.

5. You’re All Hot and Bothered

If you’re turned on by someone’s touch or close proximity, you’ll start to feel flustered and sweaty, especially if you feel awkward or uncomfortable with the wild emotions whirling in your mind.

And let’s be honest—this can sometimes be hilariously awkward because your body seems to have missed the memo about staying cool.

Suddenly, you’re stumbling over your words, laughing a little too loud, or accidentally spilling your drink because you can’t focus. Maybe you start fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, or saying something completely random just to fill the silence. These unintentional reactions can be embarrassing at the moment but also kind of endearing—they show just how much this person gets under your skin *in the best way.*

6. You Find Them Irresistible

Sexual attraction can drive us crazy, especially when we’re around the object of our attraction. You’d have a very hard time keeping your hands away from them, and you may not even realize it.

Do either of you end up clasping each other’s fingers, running hands against the other person’s cheek or hair? [Read: How to get a girl to kiss you & make the first move to make out with you]

7. Your Own Appearance

When you’re around someone who sexually excites you, you can’t help but feel very conscious about your own body and appearance. You may find yourself looking at your own body now and then, and you may even try to stick out parts of your body that you think flatter your assets the most.

8. You Touch Yourself

When you’re being seduced by someone’s presence in the room, you subconsciously start to touch yourself, to show off, and to cover your own sexual awkwardness.

You may find yourself unbuttoning your collar, running your hands through your hair, or even getting more comfortable by spreading your legs wider! [Read: Friendly vs flirty: 34 subtle flirting signs to tell if someone is flirting with you]

9. Drawing Conversations

A sexual conversation is never high-pitched or giggly. As both of you start to talk sexy, the tone of both your voices would start to get softer and deeper, and mute down to almost a slow whisper.

Your faces may be really close to each other too, and in all probability, both of you are only moments away from a stolen kiss.

10. Burning Stares

Burning sexual desires bring out the raw animal in us. When you’re deeply sexually attracted to someone, you can’t help but stare hard at them constantly.

You may not always stare, but when they’re looking away from you, that’s all the excuse you need to strip them bare with your eyes. You know you want them right that moment. [Read: 33 sexy secrets to seduce a man who’s not yet yours & hook him hard]

11. It’s in The Eyes

A sexually stimulating conversation is easy to read in the eyes. No matter how subtle or discreet you are about how badly you want this person in bed, your eyes can’t lie.

If you’re romantically infatuated, your eyes will brighten up and sparkle with happiness. But if someone desires you sexually and both of you have a sneaky moment of alone time, you’d see that their eyelids are almost drunkenly half closed with lust *especially when their face is really close to yours*.

12. You Linger More Than You Have To

You don’t want to let go of this hottie even when you have to say your goodbyes. You linger on your touch, your goodbye kisses, and just about everything else. If you had a choice, you know you wouldn’t even want to let go of this person. [Read: How to increase sex appeal & 31 secrets of subtle sexual provocation]

13. You Remember the Small Details

It’s weird to think about this since we like to believe that whatever people tell us, we remember. However, if you’re sexually attracted to someone, you remember the details they tell you. It’s called considerate memory.

Now, we’re not saying that this person remembers that when you were five you broke your arm, but they might remember how you like your coffee or what your favorite television show is. Again, it’s for the same reason you tend to remember even the tiny details about someone you care about or even like.

14. You Think About Them When They’re Not Around

If you went on a date with someone and haven’t thought about them since you parted, well, that probably means it wasn’t a great connection. Maybe you had a good time, but there wasn’t that “click.” Now, the “click” we’re talking about could be a mental or physical connection.

If you’re wondering what sexual attraction feels like, it’s constantly thinking of them when you aren’t together. The desire for them feels so strong that your thoughts can’t help but go towards them. [Read: When you miss someone: 36 signs & things you MUST do to learn from it]

So, if you’re not thinking about how they would be as a kisser or what they would look like on top of you naked, chances are that you’re not yet sexually attracted to them.

15. Other People Comment on Your Tension

When there’s an evident sexual attraction between two people, the people who notice it the most are those around you. So if you’re at all wondering what sexual attraction feels like, it has a lot to do with how people constantly observe your tension. It might not be evident to both of you, but this won’t be true for others.

16. Your Voice Changes

Just like any form of attraction, your voice tends to change when talking to someone. This is also why when talking to someone you like, your voice pitch either increases or decreases. Don’t be self-conscious about this as it’s completely normal! In fact, it’s been found to make your voice more appealing, if anything.

17. You Just Want a Room

When you’re having a flirty conversation with this person, do you ever wish everyone else could just vanish? Or do you wish both of you had the privacy of being inside a locked room? When you’re having a sexually arousing conversation with someone you’re attracted to, you wouldn’t want anyone else around [Read: 100 juicy, sexual questions to ask friends & have a fun, naughty time]

What Sexual Attraction is Not

Sexual attraction is a strong, often intense feeling, so it’s easy to confuse it with other emotions or connections. To avoid any missteps, here are some key distinctions to help you understand what sexual attraction isn’t.

1. Not Always Love

Just because you feel a powerful sexual pull toward someone doesn’t mean you’re in love. Love is a deeper emotional bond that takes time to develop, often involving trust, shared values, and mutual care.

Sexual attraction, on the other hand, can be immediate and purely physical. While the two can coexist, one doesn’t automatically lead to the other. Mistaking sexual attraction for love can lead to unmet expectations or heartbreak, so it’s important to recognize the difference. [Read: What is true love? 58 signs & ways to tell if what you’re feeling is real]

2. Not a Sign of Compatibility

Feeling sexually attracted to someone doesn’t mean you’ll make a great couple. Compatibility goes beyond physical chemistry—it includes shared values, emotional connection, and how well you align in daily life.

You might find someone irresistible at the moment, but that doesn’t guarantee a harmonious relationship. Being aware of this can save you from investing in connections that lack depth or long-term potential.

3. Not Permanent

Sexual attraction isn’t always a constant. It can fade or intensify depending on the dynamics of your relationship, emotional connection, or even external factors like stress or life changes.

In long-term relationships, for instance, sexual attraction might ebb and flow, and that’s completely normal. The good news? It’s something you can often reignite with effort and understanding. Knowing that it’s impermanent helps set realistic expectations for relationships. [Read: Committed relationship: 59 signs & ways to show your commitment in love]

4. Not Always Mutual

It’s important to note that sexual attraction isn’t always a two-way street. You might feel drawn to someone who doesn’t feel the same way about you, and vice versa. This mismatch can be frustrating, but it’s a natural part of human connection.

5. Not a Measure of Your Worth

Feeling *or not feeling* sexually attracted to someone—or them toward you—doesn’t reflect your value as a person.

Attraction is influenced by a wide range of subjective factors like personal taste, mood, and even biological cycles. If the chemistry isn’t there, it’s more about compatibility than your worth.

6. Not the Same as Lust

While they’re closely related, sexual attraction and lust aren’t the same. Lust is a more intense, primal desire focused solely on sexual gratification.

Sexual attraction, on the other hand, includes a mix of physical, emotional, and psychological factors. It’s important to understand your feelings and intentions when you’re feeling an attraction to someone, as it’s easy to have them interchanged. [Read: Lust vs love: 21 signs to know exactly what you feel for each other]

Sexual Attraction Has a Way of Making Its Presence Known

Sexual attraction is a strong feeling, and it’s not easy to ignore when it hits. It’s that undeniable pull toward someone that stirs up emotions, physical reactions, and a whole lot of curiosity.

[Read: Infatuation: The definition, how to break out & 47 signs you’re deeply infatuated]

Have you ever felt these signs of sexual attraction while talking to someone you’re drawn to? It’s not just a simple crush but a wildly passionate moment of sexual attraction unfolding right before your eyes. It’s a powerful experience, and understanding it can help you embrace the excitement it brings while staying clear about your emotions and intentions.

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Colin Andrews
Colin Andrews
A writer working on his first book, Colin Andrews lives in Sherborne, England and spends a good part of his day cycling around town looking for new adventures a...
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