Perfumes and fragrances are often used as aphrodisiacs to attract the opposite sex.
The logic behind that is, well, you get attention if you smell good, right? Yes and no. Yes, a solid fragrance is obviously going to attract people who think the scent is nice.
However, when it comes to attracting men, there’s actually some science involved in what scents work and which ones don’t.
According to research done by the The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, all scents are not created equal. Apparently the scents that men love the most are not super complicated or exotic—they are fruity, herbal, or spicy. In other words, men like scents that are often found in food.
Girl, they want you to smell edible! Go figure.
Not sure where to start with selecting the right man-attracting perfume for you? No worries. Let’s take a look at three different fragrances that men absolutely love on women and see which one works best for you.
Vanilla
Since the 1700s, vanilla has been said to be a natural aphrodisiac. Why? Well, research shows that tasting vanilla activates your hypothalamus gland and sends signals (sex hormones) throughout your body.
In fact, various studies centered around smell and taste show that vanilla scented things lead to increased arousal in men more than any other scent they’ve experimented with.
SKYLAR Clean Beauty Vanilla Sky, $9
Vanilla is one of those scents that can easily be too “girly” for grown women because it has the tendency to smell super sugary and sweet, like something we wore as teenagers.
That’s why Vanilla Sky by SKYLAR is such a vibe because it’s still has the soft, sweet tones of plain vanilla, but the body of the perfume is bold, warm, and spicy—giving it a seriously grown and sexy edge.
Fresh Oranges
According to one study, citrus scents caused an aroused reaction in 20% of men who sniffed it. And when you think about the energy associated with oranges, it totally makes sense.
They’re vibrant, energizing, bright—no wonder they conjure up thoughts and ideas of women who are sweet, sunny, and probably a lot more positive than others.
GUERLAIN Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic, $110
Inspired by a delicious, golden mandarin orange, GUERLAIN Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic is freshy, fruity, and floral scent that aligns the most with one word: juicy.
It’s a scent that makes you just feel supple and sweet. And while the top notes are mandarin, roses, and basil, the base note is actually another arousing scent we just talked about. Surprise! It’s vanilla.
Black Licorice
Black licorice is yucky, right? Well at least the vast majority of people aren’t running to the stores and buying it off the shelves every day and night. However, you’d be shocked to know that men actually love the smell.
Now don’t get confused, the scent of lack licorice increases male libido by 13%. But eating it? Girl, it does the exact opposite! The presence of glycyrrhizic acid is actually found to decrease libido and cause sexual dysfunction in some men who eat more black licorice than suggested.
Dior Hypnotic Poison, $80
Again, black licorice as a whole isn’t usually thought to be particularly appealing in taste or smell in the opinion of most people, but Hypnotic Poison by Dior is undoubtedly the exception to the rule.
It’s a bold, anise-like scent that’s only softened by the juicy peach and plum top notes. It gives black licorice the highly alluring and intoxicating rebrand it deserves.
