The Scent of Attraction

Not all body language is about what you see – it’s about what you touch and, very importantly, about what you smell. There’s two parts to this …

A) Pheromones: This is still a hotly debated subject but here are the basics. Pheromones are airborne chemical signals (scents) that are produced by one creature and cause a compulsive and instinctive reaction in another of the same species. A very common pheromone is one that triggers a sexual interest reaction. It is believed that humans do produce and react to pheromones but the scientific evidence is sketchy. One anecdotal, but strong, case for the power of pheromones is the dance floor. When a large group of people get together in an energetic and enclosed area there is also a dramatic rise in sexual awareness. This may be caused by the concentration of pheromones in the air. In our hygiene focused world the idea that sweat and body odour can be appealing is surprising but there is a lot of evidence to suggest that a little can be. Eight out of ten women said they were most attracted to their partner after he had worked out and then had a quick shower. This makes sense as he would be both clean (very important) but still scented with Pheromones. The same number of men said they were often very aroused by a woman who had just worked out whether she had showered or not. We’re not sure about this but it does bear thinking about.


B) Good Smells and Bad Smells: The perfume industry worldwide is huge. This alone should be proof of the importance of smelling right. The human body produces a vast range of smells and some add to attraction but many can have the opposite effect. The Bad smells are usually anything that is associated with illness, poor hygiene or filth. For example, smelly feet indicate athlete’s foot disease. Bad breath indicates possible tooth decay and long-term sweat may indicate poor personal hygiene. Humans are consciously aware that most diseases can now be controlled or cured but subconsciously they remain terrified of them. Smoking, stale coffee, oily hair, alcohol, wet clothes and skin oils can all create unpleasant and unattractive odors. The first rule is to eliminate them.

Good smells are those that suggest cleanliness, health and comfort but are not so strong as to be overpowering. Light perfumes for women – heavier musk perfumes for men. Fresh smelling clothes and lightly scented hair are good. Comfort smells are those that people associated with good things and make people relaxed and open. Apples, cinnamon, fresh mown grass and vanilla are all good examples. One woman we know claims that she always dabs a hint of chocolate essence on her neck as well as her perfume and claims it works wonders. (Who knows she could be right.)

The basic rule is this: A bad smell is very bad and is a big turn-off. A good smell won’t draw the opposite sex compulsively to you but it will send the right message