So, What Are The Dating Deal-Breakers When It Comes To Prince Charming?

If they have 'STDs', 'smell bad' or have 'poor hygiene', then it’s a dating deal-breaker…

A recent round-up of six studies exploring dating deal-breakers has been released in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and they may just explain why no one seems to fit the bill of ‘Mr Perfect’. Tired of Tinder terrors, Plenty of Fish fiascos and Match.com mishaps? Well maybe you’re just being too picky. The research revealed that we’re placing more emphasis on the negative traits of our potential playmate when it comes to the dating tick list. And ladies are apparently the fussiest. Oops.

So what is it that's turning us off these potential partners? Well, if a slob sprawled out on the sofa in stained sweatpants, with hair resembling a deep fat fryer and an attention seeking attitude is a major turn off then you’re not alone, with 'disheveled', 'lazy' and 'too needy' hitting the top spot for women’s and men’s deal-breakers.

But if you’re not interested in a long-term love affair, then as long as the potential other half is clean, sweet-smelling and STD free, they might just be in with a chance, 'Basically, for short-term partners, if they have a toothbrush, they’re good to go,' says Gregory Webster, associate professor of social psychology at the University of Florida.

We put a bit more thought in to our future ‘one’ though, with 'anger issues,' 'is currently dating multiple partners' and 'person is untrustworthy' forming the no-go criteria.

And as for HIS deal-breakers... Well 'low sex drive' and 'talks too much' featured at the top of the list. But the ladies picked quality over quantity, stating that 'bad sex' and 'lacks a sense of humour' were big fat crosses on the checklist. No one likes bad sex, now do they?

Words by Ashleigh Houlton