5 Dating Apps That Accentuate Your Positives (Not Just Your Pics)

Forget little black dresses, bright red lipstick and a perfectly executed cat eye. Nothing looks sexier on a woman than self-confidence. But how do you brave the digital fray without losing your most attractive feature? Approach online dating with a plan — and choose the platform that lets you shine.

Here are six popular dating apps and websites. See how you can use each to exude confidence right through the screen.

1. HowAboutWe
HowAboutWe bills itself as the "offline" dating site, since the goal of this service is for a couple to connect based on a shared interest — such as eating dumplings or listening to live jazz — and then to get out there and do said activity together. Users post date ideas, other users who dig the idea respond and either the magic happens or it doesn't.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, but when it comes to showcasing the areas you feel most confident about — like your commitment to volunteering or your PhD in art history — HAW is the site to let your great ideas, and not just your pretty face, shine.

2. Grouper
The Grouper team obviously buys into the whole "strength in numbers" idea. On Grouper, you choose two friends to join you as wingmen/wingwomen on a date with three other "Groupers." The site matches groups based on age, education, interests and other info gleaned from users' Facebook profiles.

Because it's not a one-on-one date, there’s not nearly as much pressure. Instead of focusing on whether or not your date was into you, you can focus on having fun with your new friends and being your magical, confident self. 

3. Revealr
If you've ever been turned on (or off) based simply on the sound of someone's voice, you know how strongly voice can factor into attraction. Studies have shown that 75% of the time, people can correctly match someone’s picture to his or her voice, so you actually can get a good sense of what someone may look like based on voice alone.

Revealr is a new dating app that works like Tinder except the profile photo that's displayed is pixelated. The main attraction, instead, is a 20-second audio clip of the user introducing him- or herself. Once two users like each other's voices, the site reveals photos and other details.

When you feel confident, your voice exudes it. So get on Revealr and start talking, all you confident ladies!

4. Hinge
Hinge connects users through their Facebook profiles, which means that the profile you see is the same one that a potential date's family and friends see, too. In other words, besides the usual Facebook embellishments, you get a fairly authentic overview of someone.

It's a pretty bold move to choose to share a Facebook profile with a potential date (Hinge displays your education, work history, and so on — as well as your 25 most recent profile pictures, but not your status updates or timeline info), so the message that comes across is: I'm confident enough to not need to create overinflated online dating profiles. And that's pretty cool.

5. Ditch the apps and go do the things you love to do
OK, so this last one isn’t an app at all. Some of us have gotten so comfortable looking for Mr. or Ms. Right online that we've forgotten the art of meeting someone offline. Nothing shows off confidence more than striking up conversation with someone new.

And if you're both doing something you enjoy — like rock-climbing, yoga or learning Mandarin — chances are you’ll have a lot to talk about.

Plus, research shows that men are more likely to approach a woman who seems confident (ie. those who smile, sit up straight, make eye contact, etc.) than one who simply looks good.