Follow Your Nose to Love

January 14, 2008

Scents are all the rage this season, and I'm not just talking perfume. This month's Psychology Today has a fascinating article about how natural scents determine our attraction to others. It's widely known that pheromones, a natural scent released by humans directly related to sexuality, influence lust and that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. But this article takes it a step further, saying that the smells we seek out are actually determined by our genes.

Unfortunately, for those of us on the Pill or other hormonal birth control, things seem to go a little haywire. According to the article:

The pill subverts a woman's ability to sniff out a compatible mate by causing her to misinterpret the scent messages she receives. . . . and making her seem less appealing to men.

Yikes, this means we could be choosing the wrong men and losing out on great guys because we're on the Pill! As if a decreased sex drive wasn't enough of a bummer!

I don't scoff at science and medicine, but it's hard to believe our genes and smells could have that much to do with our relationships. Then again, there's nothing like your favorite man's smell first thing in the morning. What do you think? Has scent had an effect on your attraction or desires?

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20 Comments

littleblonde 4 years

Yes! I've always been attracted to my boyfriend's scent, ever since we first met. I'd always ask him what cologne he was wearing, and found out he never wears any! (I actually don't like it when he does wear it, it covers his personal scent up!) I will just grab a shirt from his room and stuff my face in it because of how much I love his smell.

MandyJoBo 5 years

It's science. My fiance says I have extremely strong pheromones. When I walk by or get in the car, he inhales and it just drives him crazy! I feel the same way about my cats - they smell so good! It's the kind of smell that makes me want to nurture them. My scent just makes him want to ravage me.

gossipqueen 5 years

I LOVE how my husband smells...I even changed a new deodorant he was trying because the chemical combination with his scent was all wrong...lol! He smells great and I can definately say it turns me on! :p

shanimalcracker 5 years

Pheromones definitely have an effect, but I don't believe it's something you generally explicitly can tell with smell. Also, different studies show that perfumes and colognes mask pheromones, making the effect of pheromones much less prevalent in this day and age.

michelleannette 5 years

scent is big...i never really noticed it too much though until my recent boyfriend. one day he just said to me, "no girl has ever smelled good to me until you." he was embarrassed because he thought it sounded weird, but i'm glad he brought it up because his smell attracts me sooo much.

heineken67 5 years

I used to know I was really attracted to a guy if I noticed (and liked) how he smelled. Guess being in a LTR and being on the pill have taken that away from me, for better or worse.

Tinybubbles_21 5 years

i love my bf's scent in the morning, it makes me just wanna snuggle up and make out with him. He's gone most of the time so when i get a tiny reminder of his scent it makes me feel loved and protected!

caryatid 5 years

one of my professors is cited in that article! =)this is something that is totally believable to me and so very interesting. your body is doing all kinds of things that you aren't aware of, so why would this be so unbelievable? survival of the fittest, girls!most of all - i'm glad i met my boyfriend (and liked his smell) before i got on the pill.

caryatid 5 years

one of my professors is cited in that article! =) this is something that is totally believable to me and so very interesting. your body is doing all kinds of things that you aren't aware of, so why would this be so unbelievable? survival of the fittest, girls! most of all - i'm glad i met my boyfriend (and liked his smell) before i got on the pill.

candy apple 5 years

I've always thought there is a certain physiological element to how you pick a partner or who you're attracted to- smells being one of the most obvious thought sometimes unexplainable manifestations of this. Glad that some scientific research is backing me up here!But yeah- I mean I've had a bunch of guys where I kept thinking "oh, there's really nothing wrong with him. he's good looking, good personality, smart.. yet- there's something that doesn't work." sometimes the spark just isn't there, or sometimes it actually feels wrong. and most of the time the first "wrong" thing i notice is the smell. not that i pick really unhygienic guys! :PNo just sometimes, you know, there's this really weird feeling like you're kissing a relative, or someone you really can't be attracted to. and most of the time it is related to the person's smell. maybe it's an indication that you come from a similar gene pool or something?!

candy apple 5 years

I've always thought there is a certain physiological element to how you pick a partner or who you're attracted to- smells being one of the most obvious thought sometimes unexplainable manifestations of this. Glad that some scientific research is backing me up here! But yeah- I mean I've had a bunch of guys where I kept thinking "oh, there's really nothing wrong with him. he's good looking, good personality, smart.. yet- there's something that doesn't work." sometimes the spark just isn't there, or sometimes it actually feels wrong. and most of the time the first "wrong" thing i notice is the smell. not that i pick really unhygienic guys! :P No just sometimes, you know, there's this really weird feeling like you're kissing a relative, or someone you really can't be attracted to. and most of the time it is related to the person's smell. maybe it's an indication that you come from a similar gene pool or something?!

whatthew00t 5 years

I love the smell of my boyfriend ever since the first time I met him. I get really turned on by his scent! When I asked him if he was attracted to my scent, he said the same thing. However, when I first met my ex-boyfriend, I was turned off by him. I wasn't attracted to his scent.

Lovely_1 5 years

I dunno, I believe it. What pixiedust1010 said is the same for me too. I love love love the smell of my guy, even when he smells all stinky! I love sleeping with his pillow too :)

mRta03 5 years

i agree with masqueraded somehow LOL but i'm sure some fragrances turns us on more easily.

Masqueraded_Angel 5 years

What a load of crap. :) Sure, I like the way my man smells and everything, but to say that we choose our mates by their smell? I thought we were humans, not animals! :rofl:

Masqueraded_Angel 5 years

What a load of crap. :) Sure, I like the way my man smells and everything, but to say that we choose our mates by their smell? I thought we were humans, not animals! :rofl:

yes jess 5 years

Heh, when I was in college, I was taking an animal behavior class and this topic came up. Of course, my boyfriend and I had a conversation about it after I got home from school.Our conclusion was that I like the way my boyfriend smells...oddly enough, he smells similar to me. He dated a girl in high school who he just couldn't be with because her skin too different and he said it was a distraction.

yes jess 5 years

Heh, when I was in college, I was taking an animal behavior class and this topic came up. Of course, my boyfriend and I had a conversation about it after I got home from school. Our conclusion was that I like the way my boyfriend smells...oddly enough, he smells similar to me. He dated a girl in high school who he just couldn't be with because her skin too different and he said it was a distraction.

ChelseaGirl 5 years

I agree with pixiedust. I definitely love the way my guy smells. I even move to his pillow after he leaves for work in the morning just because it smells like him.

Leanne1078 5 years

I really think it does, I love the way my man smells--even when he's a little stinky :) It definitely turns me on. This didn't happen as much in past relationships, but I really notice it with him-I think that is one of the reasons why I've always been so sure that he's the one. Plus, for me smells are my strongest memory trigger so smelling certain things has a huge affect on me.

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