Scent and sex have been coupled for generations. We’ve all seen how the fragrance industry markets and sells. But there is undoubtedly some hard science behind this interconnection. What is it about scent and sex?

Scent and sex are interconnected on a far deeper and genetic level, which might just be the very reason advertisers are so quick to jump on board, the interconnection is primal and so it’s the easiest sell of all time.

Let’s talk about the hard facts. The biology behind it. The why’s and the hows. What is it about scent and sex?

Have you ever been with someone who just smelled so good, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. Is it an exorbitant fragrance they are wearing? Is it their soap? Or maybe they’re into essential oils?

Smell, being one of our 5 scents, much like most of our other scents, is strongly linked to our neural pleasure system. But what exactly is happening in our bodies when we get a whiff of something that communicates to us without using words? That my darling, scientists have coined pheromones.

And if you’ve ever been in a romantic situation, there’s a very good chance that you’ve experienced these pheromones first hand. Smell is one of those things that is usually incredibly apparent. And it can go both ways. Someone could smell so good, all you want is more, but on the other hand, a smell that doesn’t appeal to you could derail things all together.

In fact, in a study conducted by dating service OkCupid, 81% of its members stated that other’s smell mattered to them, and 77% stated that they would want themselves to smell good when going on a date.

Designer fragrances and scrubs aside, ultimately it all comes down to the chemical in our bodies known as pheromones. The term pheromone was coined by two hormone researchers, Karlson and Luscher, who created the word from the Greek words pherein, meaning to bring or transfer, and hormon, meaning to excite.

“Pheromones are primarily perceived through olfactory sensors, and studies suggest they are excreted by several areas of the body, including the skin, sweat glands, saliva, and urine. Produced by animals and humans, they affect others of the same species on a psychological and physiological level.”

The scientific study of smells, known as Osmology, determined that men and women are attracted to each via selective chemical messengers ie: pheromones.
These arousal-stimulating chemicals signal sexual desire, sexual readiness, hormone levels, fertility, and the deepest emotions.
When released by the body, certain pheromones can work like magic to attract members of the opposite sex.

And when we talk about the genetic connection, humans have the ability to instinctively choose partner’s that are genetically compatible through our sense of smell which is actually the pheromones speaking.

Science has proven time and again that scents do in fact influence our emotions, that they play a role in our memories, that they have a hand in influencing how attractive we are to other people, and so much more.

Our brains play a huge role in this, and since we are all wired differently, that makes the science of attraction unique to each person. Which is why so many of us love to splurge on fragrances or candles, and create spaces that smell so good.

It’s part of setting the mood, creating a visceral memory, attracting a lover.

Next time you catch a whiff of something you love, take a moment to be grateful for the profound and powerful sense of smell, we’re lucky enough to have.