Couldn’t understand why that guy at the corner shop kept ogling you and following you around like a lost puppy, even though you were in your daggiest tracky dacks? It could be your scent that was luring him in.
The way we smell plays much more of a role in our daily interactions than you may think. Scents have the power to repel, entice, intrigue and excite. So what is your scent saying about you…?
Perfume and pheromones
Pheromones are natural chemicals, which are secreted through our bodies via undetectable scents. It is thought that we are attracted to certain people’s pheromones, even though we are never actually aware we are smelling them. (Hence the enigma: ‘I just can’t explain it, but I find this guy so attractive!’)
Perfumes and deodorants can work with pheromones in two ways – they will either clog or ‘block’ pores, preventing pheromones from escaping, or they will interact with our pheromones to create a personalised kind of scent.
Scent speak
There have been hundreds of studies conducted into what scents the opposite sex finds most alluring on us. The smell of vanilla, which is used in most perfume for women, has repeatedly been shown to be the best perfume in terms of its appeal factor to men. So if you’re wearing a fragrance with strong vanilla notes, you could be sending out the signal: ‘come and get me boys!’
In terms of making a lasting statement, citrusy scents have been found to be the most memorable.
Personality wise, floral scents evoke feelings of romanticism and femininity, while woody scents can send out sensual signals.
Knowing notes
Perfumes contain three ‘notes’ – these are the distinct levels of fragrance contained inside your scent. The ‘top’ note is the first smell to hit your nose when you apply your fragrance, while the ‘middle’ note rises to your nostrils afterwards then usually fades away. The base note of your perfume can take up to an hour to surface, though it is generally the most potent and lingering, so take note of the smell of this note when you’re wearing perfume – as it will be the one that sends out the strongest scent signals.
Omg, no wonder I dislike vanilla perfumes!