text: It's official: alcohol makes you more attractive to the opposite sex. And that's when you are boozing, not them. Scientists at the University of Bristol found that having 'one large glass of wine' increases 'facial flushing' and 'confidence', making the drinker 'more attractive' to others and more likely to 'get lucky'. Researchers quizzed 40 heterosexual male and female students and asked them to rate the attractiveness of three groups of people who were sober, tipsy and drunk. A study of 40 men and women found drinking a glass of wine makes you more attractive to the opposite sex... ...but too much booze leads to 'excessive and unattractive' changes in facial expressions, like Bridget Jones . The study found that tipsy people, who had downed one large 250ml glass of 14 per cent wine - that's one-third of the bottle - were consistently voted as the 'most attractive'. Sober subjects and those who had 'had a few too many' were rated as far less attractive than a 'tipsy' subject. Academics have previously confirmed the existence of the 'beer goggles' phenomenon - in which boozers find other people more attractive after several drinks. This new study, however, is the first time it had been shown that the drinker themselves actually 'becomes more attractive' to others, in an experiment dubbed 'reverse beer goggles'. The study found that alcohol had a 'positive pulling power', but only if the subject was 'not hammered'. It states that booze 'mimics' how a person's body 'demonstrates it is healthy and attractive to attract potential mates' and that facial flushing is perceived by others as 'healthy and attractive'. Alcohol also makes people seem in a 'more positive or jolly mood' and encourages people to 'relax' and give off 'positive' signals, such as smiling - increasing their attractiveness levels. The study states: 'In addition to perceiving others as more attractive, an alcohol consumer may also be perceived by others as more attractive, and therefore receive greater sexual interest from potential mates. 'An increase in such attention from others may also positively reinforce alcohol consumption, particularly in social contexts.' The study found alcohol has 'positive pulling power' but only if the person isn't too intoxicated . The study said, however, that too much booze led to 'changes in facial expressions which were excessive and unattractive' - leading to a decrease in 'pulling power'. It adds: 'In conclusion, our data indicate that alcohol consumption may lead to consumers being rated as more attractive than sober individuals, but only following low levels of consumption. 'At higher levels of consumption this effect is not observed, and may even be reversed.' Professor Marcus Munafo, a senior researcher on the Bristol University study, said: 'The people who had consumed a small amount of alcohol had a slightly rosier complexion than they did in their sober and high-dose photos. 'Rosiness is attractive because it characterises good physical health characteristics. 'You consume a drink, so you see other people as more attractive, but you also become more attractive yourself because you've consumed a drink. 'But if they go on to consume more alcohol, they're no longer rated as more attractive.' In a previous study last year, again at the University of Bristol, it was found that 'beer goggles' - in which booze makes others seems more attractive - was a proven phenomena. Volunteers drank either alcohol or a non-alcoholic placebo before looking at images of men's and women's faces - as well a landscape portraits. Those who drank alcohol found all three image types more attractive compared with those who did not. David Simmons, 31, of High Wycombe, Bucks, said last week: 'So if I want to pull I need to drink either a third of a bottle of wine or a couple of pints and then draw a line under boozing for the night. 'I can't really see that happened as after a couple you always want more, but if it improves my chances of pulling I'll give it a shot.'
target: Study finds booze 'mimics' how a person's body demonstrates health .
  Facial flushing and confidence perceived as 'healthy and attractive'
  Experiment by the University of Bristol dubbed 'reverse beer goggles'