Brad Pitt clearly loves them on Angelina, as does David on Victoria Beckham, and everyone adores Cheryl Cole. But tattoos on women are the biggest turn-of for men, according to new research.
Some 37 per cent of men questioned in a new poll about unattractive qualities in the opposite sex listed tattoos as their number one turn-off, with more than three quarters of men (78 per cent) ranking body art among their top five pet hates.
Women on the other hand are fairly apathetic about tattoos on men, with only 13 per cent of females considering them to be a big passion-killer.
Instead, beards are what women are least attracted to, with a third of those questioned voting hairy faces into the top spot.
Bad breath came second on the lists of both men and women, with 27 per cent of women and 28 per cent of men identifying halitosis as their number one dating gripe.
And smoking also ranked fairly high with both genders. Seventeen per cent of men considered a cigarette habit to be the least attractive quality in a women, while 11 per cent of women would never be turned on by a man puffing on a little white stick.
Similarly, excessive body piercings would be considered a dating no-no by everyone, with 10 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women finding too much metalwork the biggest turn-off.
And nibbled, poorly maintained fingernails are men’s fifth biggest complaint in a girl, with eight per cent voting a nail-biting habit into the top spot.
The research was conducted by electronic cigarette retailer ecigarettedirect.co.uk who interviewed 500 people.
A spokesman for the company commented: ‘Women getting tattoos is becoming increasingly common in today’s society. Most top female celebs seem to have at least one and we even saw plenty of ink at Royal Ascot this year.
‘However, whilst many women want to get a tattoo it seems most men dislike the idea finding them garish and un-feminine.
‘Once applied tattoos are with the wearer for life which may explain why the ranked higher than things like bad breath and smoking which can be changed.
‘Both genders felt bad breath was a significant turn off which is understandable, who wants to get close to somebody with breath that makes you want to turn and run away?’
One male respondent commented: ‘I find the sight of tattoos on women extremely unattractive, regardless of how pretty the woman wearing them is. Why anyone would want to permanently mark themselves like that is beyond me.’
One female respondent commented on beards: ‘They are just disgusting! Some stubble is attractive on a man however a full blown beard is repulsive.
‘You never know how clean they are or what they’re hiding behind the hair and you always get that scratch feeling when kissing.’
MEN’S TURN-OFFS
1. Tattoos
2. Bad breath
3. Smoking
4. Excessive piercings
5. Biting fingernails
WOMEN’S TURN-OFFS
1. Beards
2. Bad breath
3. Excessive piercings
4. Tattoos
5. Smoking
