Beauty Is Only Skin-deepBut It Still Matters. A Lot.

A new era of online dating

Traditional dating practices have encouraged taking one's time before gaining intimate knowledge of a partner.  However, times are changing and people are realizing that seeing a future partner naked before dating provides certain advantages worth considering.

Although seeing someone nude before you first meet may seem strange, the benefits it brings to a relationship should not be overlooked: Establishing open communication, determining physical compatibility, avoiding unrealistic expectations, and building trust and emotional closeness.  All of these contribute significantly to a lasting and fulfilling relationship.

Our naked self is our truest self: vulnerable, trusting, and open to judgement by others.  “Hey, this is me, this is what I've got, like it or leave it!” And that is exactly how we believe a dating site should work: matching people who find each other attractive in every way.

There's no point in hiding reality

...unless you are looking for a short-term relationship and intend to keep up the pretense throughout.

Your true age, looks, personality, employment, income and physical characteristics will all be revealed at some point in a serious relationship.

Your positive traits will foster a closer relationship, but the negatives could end it – especially if your partner feels that you have been deceiving them.  The longer someone waits to be truthful, the harder the explanation – and possible breakup – will be.

The woman in red has a post-weight-loss condition that is probably temporary.  When dating, she has the choice of using only her attractive portrait and upper body photo, or showing her whole body which might be off-putting to some.  If she keeps her secret, what will happen a few weeks into a relationship when it moves to the bedroom and the corset comes off?

Reality check: Most people are not models or porn stars

Through the media, society creates beauty standards that often result in unrealistic expectations, insecurities, and ultimately disappointment.  When dating sites only allow us to see portrait photos and clothed photos, they simply perpetuate our illusions.

Here at Barely Dating we believe in putting it all out there in the open, then looking for someone we like – who also likes us back, warts and all.  We believe that both partners should enter into a relationship based on full disclosure and a genuine connection rather than superficial desires and fantasies.

Establishing honest communication

Intimacy and trust go hand in hand within any relationship.  Seeing your future partner naked early on fosters an environment of honesty and open communication from the outset.  This level of openness promotes authenticity, enables partners to develop a deep emotional bond, and creates a solid base for a healthy and long-lasting relationship.

Understanding physical compatibility

Physical compatibility plays an essential role in a romantic relationship.  Sexual compatibility is a significant aspect of overall compatibility, and exploring this area before committing ensures that both partners' needs and desires are met.

By observing each other's bodies and discussing preferences, boundaries, and expectations, couples can determine if their physicalities complement each other.  Such compatibility fosters a fulfilling and satisfying intimate connection, which in turn leads to emotional satisfaction.

Conventional dating profiles are one-dimensional

Look at this woman and consider whether you would swipe left or right based on her portrait photo alone.  Most people would quickly move on to the next profile.  But how many would change their mind if they saw her full body (or nude) photo?

Have you ever formed a negative first impression of someone and then, over time, realized that this first impression was wrong?

The same thing happens on conventional dating sites all the time, except that we never get the chance to find out that we were wrong.  Presented with one profile photo, we instinctively and automatically 'swipe left' because it triggers an instantaneous negative impression.

Don't be fooled by first impressions

How about these three women?  Without scrolling down and cheating, ask yourself honestly which way would you swipe based on each woman's profile photo.  OK, now scroll down!

Not only do portrait photos and fully-clothed photos provide an incomplete picture of a person, but they can also look very different across several photos due to small variations in angle, lighting, shadows, expression, and posture.

Unfortunately, most dating sites give us no choice: We are often forced to make a yes/no, swipe-right or swipe-left decision based on the limited information conveyed by just one of these incomplete photos.

One photo is not enough for a decision!

At Barely Dating we show as much detail about a person as they are willing to share, without limits.  Do you want to show 6 profile photos and 8 anonymous (body only) nude photos, including close-ups?  No problem!  Potential matches will be shown multiple photos of yours*, randomly mixed with thousands of others, until their rating of you becomes either a 'definitely not' or a 'definely yes'.*No one can connect your profile photos to your anonymous nudes

When someone rates you 'definitely yes' and you rate them the same, it's a match.  At this point you can read their profile but you cannot see any of their photos; all you know is that you liked their photos very much and you are unlikely to be disappointed if you meet in person.

You can message one another (with photo attachments if desired) and optionally reveal your profile and/or nude photosets to each other.  A more interesting option is to initiate Tit4tat whereby each of you automatically reveals whatever the other reveals.

And finally...

The answer to our challenge above: Compare how you would have swiped on these three women based only on their portrait photos, to how you would have swiped having seen their full-body photos here.

Did you change your mind about any of them?  If you did then conventional dating sites might not be right for you!

Why not give anonymous nude dating a try?  It's free and there's no need to upload nudes at first (or at all) in order to get started, although matches will most likely be more accurate and frequent if you do.