Men, Scent, and the Art of Attraction

The woman in the picture? She knows what she’s doing.

Master perfumer Olivier Creed states:

“Ladies, a man will never remember your handbag, but he will remember your perfume.”

And while I personally think the scent in which you feel most beautiful is the one that will get his attention, studies have shown some scents have a particularly strong effect on men.

Here are a few of them.

The Underrated Power of Perfume to Catch His Eye (and Nose)

Vanilla

The scent of vanilla seems to be a universal favorite of men.

Why?

Refinery 29 cites perfumer Christine Nagel, who’s helped create perfumes for labels such as Jo Malone and Narciso Rodriguez. She explains the reason for vanilla’s universal appeal, stating that it is “soft, almost sweet, but it has a strong intense and animalistic facet.”

The allure of vanilla may also be because the scent is usually associated with pleasant memories such as family get-togethers and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. This may add to vanilla’s power because the positive recollections related to the scent may subconsciously be transferred to its wearer.

Finally, vanilla has long been used to produce a state of comfort and relaxation. It’s one of the most popular scents used in candles and diffusers because of the feeling of calm it creates.

For example, an article entitled “The Smell Report” details research done at Germany’s Tubingen University. The research concluded that “vanilla fragrance reduced the startle- reflex in both humans and animals.”

And the calmer you are, the more likely it is that you see the charm in everything around you, especially the wearer of the fragrance itself.

Here’s a list of some vanilla-based perfumes if you’re interested in giving one a try.

Cinnamon

It’s starting to look like the way to a man’s heart is mainly through his stomach, because cinnamon-based perfumes are also highly seductive.

As a matter of fact, Body and Soul reports a study conducted by American neurologist Dr. Alan Hirsch. Hirsch found that “males were more responsive to the smell of baking cinnamon rolls than any perfume.”

He states:

“If you really want to entice the opposite sex, you’re better off with cinnamon.”

If you’re also drawn to the complex oriental notes of this spice, here are some cinnamon-based scents to try.

Pumpkin pie

Maybe the best time to lure in the object of your desire is Thanksgiving.

Because of all the scents mentioned, the one that came up most frequently was — get this — pumpkin pie.

Health Central hypothesizes a possible reason for this may be that pumpkin pie is not only made of pumpkin, but it’s also composed of the previously mentioned smells of vanilla and cinnamon.

And what’s even potent than pumpkin pie?

The combined scents of pumpkin pie and lavender.

I know. I’m confused too.

But ABC News relays studies performed at The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation of Chicago which prove this mixture is a recipe for romance.

The research involved thirty-one volunteers spanning the ages of eighteen through sixty-four. The participants were attached to a device that measured sexual arousal. The men were asked to breathe through masks that pumped in certain aromas.

The findings of the study were that “forty percent of the test subjects were aroused most by that combination of smells.”

And just so you know, the same study revealed that “pumpkin combined with doughnuts also had a big effect on twenty percent of the subjects.”

Perfume Master lists some scents with heavy pumpkin notes if you want to experiment with this holiday fragrance.

More Food for Thought (pun intended)

If smelling like a bakery just isn’t your thing, other scents also seem to keep popping up on the male radar. The List mentions more traditional favorites. A few of these include:

• Lily of the Valley
• Rose Oil
• Musk
• Jasmine

The Bottom Line:

Each man is different, so it’s not a sure thing that if you walk in smelling like Thanksgiving dessert, your man will go wild.

If you really want to find out, take him shopping and let him tell you what fragrances he’s drawn to.

Of course, you can purchase his favorite perfume, serve pumpkin pie for dessert, and burn a lavender-scented candle.

According to science, this sounds like a can’t miss concoction.

However, the most important thing to remember is that what makes you feel most desirable is what really matters.

Because if you feel beautiful, chances are he’ll see you the same way.