Download Article
Download Article
Flirting can be tricky business, especially if you feel nervous around your crush. Flirting using eye contact is great because it doesn't require you to think of witty lines, or even to know very much about your crush. Eye contact is one of the most powerful ways that people convey attraction, but it's also subtle enough to be fairly risk free if you don't yet know if your crush is interested.
Steps
-
Choose the right moment. Holding your crush’s gaze can be a powerful way to flirt , but you need to do it at a good time. There’s no way to plan for the exact moment, but aim for a time when you can potentially have their complete attention without too many distractions. [1] X Research source- Don’t choose a moment when your crush is distracted or busy. They won’t be able to pay attention to you. For example, don’t try to hold their gaze while they’re driving, reading, or working.
- Good moments can be when you first meet and shake hands , when you’re handing them something, or when you open a door to greet them.
-
Catch their eye. If you’ve chosen a good moment, this shouldn’t be too hard. If they’re introducing themselves or meeting you at the door, they’ll likely naturally make eye contact. If the context is more difficult, keep your eyes on them until they notice you looking. [2] X Expert Source Mark Rosenfeld
Dating & Relationship Coach Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.- At a party or other social event, position yourself so that you can see your crush’s eyes. Keep your eyes on theirs as much as possible. Eventually, they’re going to look up and they’ll probably see you looking at them. [3]
X
Expert Source
Mark Rosenfeld
Dating & Relationship Coach Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.
Advertisement - At a party or other social event, position yourself so that you can see your crush’s eyes. Keep your eyes on theirs as much as possible. Eventually, they’re going to look up and they’ll probably see you looking at them. [3]
X
Expert Source
Mark Rosenfeld
-
Keep your facial expression inviting. Let your expression be soft. This can mean smiling slightly, or even licking your lips a bit. If you let your face freeze up or come across as too serious, it might look like you're staring rather than flirting. [4] X Expert Source Mark Rosenfeld
Dating & Relationship Coach Expert Interview. 11 June 2021. -
Maintain eye contact . Normal eye contact lasts for about three seconds. However, if you can hold your crush’s gaze for four and a half seconds, they’ll get a powerful cue that you’re flirting with them. You can even hold it longer, if you like, as long as your crush doesn’t look away. [5] X Research source- If you’re nervous, you may be tempted to look away. However, try to maintain the eye contact to help build tension. You’ll seem confident and available, which are two powerfully attractive qualities.
Advertisement
-
Catch your crush’s eye. This may happen in a natural context, such as when you need to talk to each other, or you pass each other in a hallway. However, if you’re in a busy social setting, keep your eyes on your crush until they look up and meet yours. [6] X Research source- There’s a difference between looking at someone and staring. Make sure your gaze is curious and inviting. You don’t want to seem like you’re impatient or upset.
-
Drop your gaze downward. Once your crush makes eye contact with you and you’ve held it for a couple of seconds, let your eyes drop down as though you’re feeling shy (which you probably are anyway). Only let the eyes drop momentarily, however. You don’t want your crush to steer their focus elsewhere. [7] X Research source- You can drop your eyes down toward your lap or the floor to appear shy.
- If you’re feeling bold, you can drop your eyes to one of your crush’s other features, such as their lips, chest, or groin. This can be very suggestive and may turn some people off, but it’s great if you want to be extremely obvious about your intentions.
-
Slowly bring your gaze back up. Once you’ve dropped your eyes a bit, bring them back up to meet your crush’s gaze again. They’ll likely have some kind of questioning look on their face, since you’ve just sent a clear signal that you’re flirting with them. [8] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source- You can now choose to hold the eye contact or look away again.
- If you were engaged in a conversation, keep talking. Feel free to keep up the eye contact and drop your eyes down again whenever you want to appear coy.
Advertisement
-
Make eye contact with your crush. You can do this technique in any context. It’s great if you work together or are already friends. If you are in a situation with a lot of other people, you may need to say or do something to get your crush’s attention so that you can make eye contact. [9] X Research source- Don’t do anything too outlandish to get your crush’s attention. Simply saying, “Excuse me, do you have the time?” or saying, “Hello” is plenty.
-
Smile. This might seem obvious but sometimes if you have a crush on someone, you’ll feel so nervous that you’ll forget to smile. [10] X Expert Source Mark Rosenfeld
Dating & Relationship Coach Expert Interview. 11 June 2021. As soon as your crush makes eye contact with you, let a nice big smile show on your face. [11] X Research source- People can subconsciously tell if a smile is real or fake. To make sure that your smile looks warm and genuine let your teeth show and make sure that your eyes squint up , creating crows feet on your face.
-
Add some energy. This may be a little bit confusing, since it’s more subtle. To add energy to the interaction, simply let the positive and nervous feelings you have around the person energize the way you look at them. Don’t try to hide it. Some ways to add energy are: [12] X Research source- Take a deep breath and let it out through your mouth.
- Straighten your posture .
-
Add another gesture or expression to convey that you are flirting. You can try waving, touching your face, winking, or brushing back your hair. You can smile, shift your eyes a bit, and lick your lips if you're feeling a little bit bold. Choose small facial gestures that work for you. [13] X Expert Source Mark Rosenfeld
Dating & Relationship Coach Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.- Winking can be flirtatious, but is sometimes viewed as old fashioned, or even creepy depending on the context. Use your intuition to tell you if it would work well with your crush.
- You can also blink slightly more often around your crush. This is something people do subconsciously when they’re around someone they’re attracted to. It will help send subtle messages that you like them.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionHow long are you supposed to hold eye contact while flirting?Mark Rosenfeld is a Dating and Relationship Coach based in Norman Park, Australia. He founded his coaching business, Make Him Yours, in 2015. Mark specializes in helping women find, attract, and keep extraordinary relationships. He has been featured in Style Magazine, Thought Catalog, Elite Daily, News.com.au, and The Good Men Project. Mark’s dating videos have received over 60 million views, and his book “Make Him Yours – Beating the Odds of Modern Dating” was a best-seller on Amazon upon its release.Try to hold it for 3-4 seconds. Then, smile as you make eye contact. The other person will give the green light!
-
QuestionHow do I approach my crush for the first time?Mark Rosenfeld is a Dating and Relationship Coach based in Norman Park, Australia. He founded his coaching business, Make Him Yours, in 2015. Mark specializes in helping women find, attract, and keep extraordinary relationships. He has been featured in Style Magazine, Thought Catalog, Elite Daily, News.com.au, and The Good Men Project. Mark’s dating videos have received over 60 million views, and his book “Make Him Yours – Beating the Odds of Modern Dating” was a best-seller on Amazon upon its release.Try making eye contact for around 3-4 seconds and offering them a smile. You can even mouth the word "hi" as you approach so your crush realizes that you're opening up to them.
-
QuestionHow do I get less anxiety when making eye contact?Mark Rosenfeld is a Dating and Relationship Coach based in Norman Park, Australia. He founded his coaching business, Make Him Yours, in 2015. Mark specializes in helping women find, attract, and keep extraordinary relationships. He has been featured in Style Magazine, Thought Catalog, Elite Daily, News.com.au, and The Good Men Project. Mark’s dating videos have received over 60 million views, and his book “Make Him Yours – Beating the Odds of Modern Dating” was a best-seller on Amazon upon its release.If you're feeling nervous, practice making eye contact while walking around public streets. Then, you can slowly build your way up to approaching your crush.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Reader Videos
Submit a Video Tip!
Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!
Submit a Video
Coming Soon!
Tips
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
References
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dating-and-mating/201605/4-ways-you-can-turn-crush-relationship
- ↑ Mark Rosenfeld. Dating & Relationship Coach. Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.
- ↑ Mark Rosenfeld. Dating & Relationship Coach. Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.
- ↑ Mark Rosenfeld. Dating & Relationship Coach. Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201404/5-secret-powers-eye-contact
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-clarity/202109/the-subtle-dance-eye-contact-in-conversation
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1F5JIkftCM
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/nonverbal-communication.htm
- ↑ https://www.mq.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/884780/Communicating-with-gestures.pdf
- ↑ Mark Rosenfeld. Dating & Relationship Coach. Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/changepower/201605/the-9-superpowers-your-smile
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIj5cWBIb1c
- ↑ Mark Rosenfeld. Dating & Relationship Coach. Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.
About This Article
Article Summary
X
Eyes are said to be windows to the soul, so it’s no surprise that eye contact is an important part of flirting. If you’re attracted to someone, you’ll probably be looking their way a lot, but when they meet your gaze, don’t look away instantly. Instead, smile and hold their gaze for a second or 2. You can also touch your face or play with your hair before you look away, which can seem more flirty. When you’re talking to someone you like, try to hold their gaze for longer than you would with other people. 3 or 4 seconds should be fine. That way, it’ll be clear that you’re attracted to them and not just being confident. For more tips, including how to make coy eye contact to intrigue someone you like, read on!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 314,771 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I believe eye contact really works. It is undoubtedly the best flirting method by which you show your interest without even talking. All techniques taught in this article are great. I will use them in future." ..." more
Advertisement
87%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"I believe eye contact really works. It is undoubtedly the best flirting method by which you show your interest without even talking. All techniques taught in this article are great. I will use them in future."
..."
more
"Well, it helped me out with my new boyfriend, Cyan, cause I never show any facial expression. That's just me."
