We surveyed thousands of guys on how they're affected by a girl's fragrance. The results blew us away: Your scent can make a guy lust after you and long for you.
You know that when you're sporting a snug, cleavage-enhancing top or a pair of low-rise jeans, guys are guaranteed to take note...if not drool, pant and babble. But you probably never realized that the way you smell can actually have just as much -- if not more -- of a knock-his-socks-off impact. Sure, you've sensed that guys love fragrance, but how much so has never been fully measured...until now. According to the more than 4,000 hot-blooded hombres who responded to a poll we conducted on the Men's Health Website (and the scientists we consulted about the results), a woman's fragrance not only matters, but it also wields tremendous power over the opposite sex. To find out exactly what these powers are and how to harness them to enhance your own man-entrancing abilities, keep reading.
One Whiff Can Hook a Hunk
When asked if they thought a woman's fragrance could boost her overall attractiveness, a whopping 89 percent of the respondents said yes. And 60 percent actually said that at one time in their past, a woman's scent was the main reason that they wanted to meet her. One explanation for this crazy phenomenon: Studies have shown that smelling a fine fragrance can improve a man's mood and make him more eager to socialize, says Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Human Development Lab at Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. In other words, your luscious scent can make your lad much more likely to stay at your side and get to know you better. Avery Gilbert, Ph.D., president of the Sense of Smell Institute, has another reasoning: "If a guy's brain gets lost in the sensual experience of smelling you for the first time, then he's not assessing your physical traits as critically."
Perfume Power Play: How to make a perfectly fragrant first impression? For starters, only people within a one-foot radius of your body should be able to smell you. "If anyone can smell you outside that invisible circle, you're overly scented," says Gilbert. Go light on the juice -- one spritz or a couple of dabs should be enough. Another tactic is to perfume your hair lightly, suggests Mark Knitowski, vice president of product development for Victoria's Secret Beauty. Then, when you're cruising by the object of your affection, subtly tousle your tresses (a seductive move in and of itself) to release a dose of scent.
Your Aroma Can Arouse Him
If you've ever doubted that your fragrance alone could actually get a man in the mattress-mambo mood, consider this: Fifty-five percent of our randy poll respondents said they've wanted to go to bed with a woman just because they found her scent to be a major turn-on. "If a woman is wearing a sensual, feminine scent that has some erotic oomph to it, men subconsciously tend to perceive receptivity on her part -- as though she has ramped up her scent for a sexual encounter, which is very attractive," says Gilbert. In short, guys know it takes two to tango -- and if your fragrance seems to suggest you'd be a willing partner, they're all the more likely to want you.
Perfume Power Play: So what kind of sensual scent should you be spritzing on yourself to ignite a nookyfest? While heady, spicy oriental-inspired notes are always a safe bet, you don't have to limit yourself to only that category. "Potent florals -- such as those containing ylang-ylang -- are effective too," says Gilbert. In fact, since most modern scents are based on flowers, you can pick from a wide range of fragrance types, as long as your selection exudes the aforementioned oomph. ("There is no scientific way to quantify 'oomph,'" notes Gilbert. "You just have to use your judgment and stay away from light florals and overly sporty scents.") And you're in luck, because this fall, there's a large selection of brand-new sexy fragrances to choose from.
Your Lingering Perfume Will Make Him Miss You
"Scent can powerfully enhance emotional attachments," says Theresa White, Ph.D., assistant research professor in the department of neuroscience and physiology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, in Syracuse, New York. "This happens by way of classical conditioning: If you start to associate a scent with someone, smelling it from then on will call that person to mind and evoke the feelings you have for him or her." That explains why 69 percent of the guys surveyed say that thoughts of an old flame pop into their noggins when they get a whiff of the perfume she wore when they were dating. Even more impressive is the fact that 85 percent said that when a girlfriend leaves behind a lingering trail of scent (like on an article of clothing or pillow, for instance), it conjures up strong feelings about the sexual relationship he shares with her.
Perfume Power Play: There are so many ways to leave tantalizing traces of your scent around: Spritz a naughty-but-nice note and leave it under his pillow, for example. Or you could always "forget" a scented scarf in his car. There's also this trick from Knitowski: When hand-washing your lingerie, spray it with a bit of your fragrance as it dries. Then any nightie, cami or whatever else you wear to bed will transfer just the right hint of scent to his sheets. Note: To make this advice work for you, don't be a scent slut -- stick to just one or two signature fragrances when you're with him so he'll associate them only with you.
Scent Can Make Sex Even Steamier
Though it may seem hard to imagine, even the best sex you've ever had can be made hotter if you add a delicious scent to the mix. Fifty-eight percent of the men we polled said that the alluring perfume of a partner has indeed made their lovemaking moments more erotic. "Scent adds another sensory dimension to the sexual experience, which can heighten sexual abandon and help you become totally lost in your partner," says Gilbert.
Perfume Power Play: Simply spritzing on some scent before sex will spice things up, but if you want your romp to rank among the greatest of all time, take advantage of what White calls "the high level of integration between sensory systems." She explains: "When you experience something, it's never through only one sense -- and the more senses you play to (like touch, sight, taste and sound in addition to smell), the more heightened the overall sensation will be. In fact, lots of studies suggest that when an experience is strongly perceived through multiple sensory systems, you remember it better." If you want to work his senses to the hilt and create the right ambience to have some of the most memorable sex ever, stock up on sensory multitaskers: candles that give off a seductive scent and a romantic glow or a body oil that makes your birthday suit smell and feel amazing.
This article is from Cosmopolitan.com.
by 旭日の革
One Whiff Can Hook a Hunk
When asked if they thought a woman's fragrance could boost her overall attractiveness, a whopping 89 percent of the respondents said yes. And 60 percent actually said that at one time in their past, a woman's scent was the main reason that they wanted to meet her. One explanation for this crazy phenomenon: Studies have shown that smelling a fine fragrance can improve a man's mood and make him more eager to socialize, says Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Human Development Lab at Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. In other words, your luscious scent can make your lad much more likely to stay at your side and get to know you better. Avery Gilbert, Ph.D., president of the Sense of Smell Institute, has another reasoning: "If a guy's brain gets lost in the sensual experience of smelling you for the first time, then he's not assessing your physical traits as critically."
Perfume Power Play: How to make a perfectly fragrant first impression? For starters, only people within a one-foot radius of your body should be able to smell you. "If anyone can smell you outside that invisible circle, you're overly scented," says Gilbert. Go light on the juice -- one spritz or a couple of dabs should be enough. Another tactic is to perfume your hair lightly, suggests Mark Knitowski, vice president of product development for Victoria's Secret Beauty. Then, when you're cruising by the object of your affection, subtly tousle your tresses (a seductive move in and of itself) to release a dose of scent.
Your Aroma Can Arouse Him
If you've ever doubted that your fragrance alone could actually get a man in the mattress-mambo mood, consider this: Fifty-five percent of our randy poll respondents said they've wanted to go to bed with a woman just because they found her scent to be a major turn-on. "If a woman is wearing a sensual, feminine scent that has some erotic oomph to it, men subconsciously tend to perceive receptivity on her part -- as though she has ramped up her scent for a sexual encounter, which is very attractive," says Gilbert. In short, guys know it takes two to tango -- and if your fragrance seems to suggest you'd be a willing partner, they're all the more likely to want you.
Perfume Power Play: So what kind of sensual scent should you be spritzing on yourself to ignite a nookyfest? While heady, spicy oriental-inspired notes are always a safe bet, you don't have to limit yourself to only that category. "Potent florals -- such as those containing ylang-ylang -- are effective too," says Gilbert. In fact, since most modern scents are based on flowers, you can pick from a wide range of fragrance types, as long as your selection exudes the aforementioned oomph. ("There is no scientific way to quantify 'oomph,'" notes Gilbert. "You just have to use your judgment and stay away from light florals and overly sporty scents.") And you're in luck, because this fall, there's a large selection of brand-new sexy fragrances to choose from.
Your Lingering Perfume Will Make Him Miss You
"Scent can powerfully enhance emotional attachments," says Theresa White, Ph.D., assistant research professor in the department of neuroscience and physiology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, in Syracuse, New York. "This happens by way of classical conditioning: If you start to associate a scent with someone, smelling it from then on will call that person to mind and evoke the feelings you have for him or her." That explains why 69 percent of the guys surveyed say that thoughts of an old flame pop into their noggins when they get a whiff of the perfume she wore when they were dating. Even more impressive is the fact that 85 percent said that when a girlfriend leaves behind a lingering trail of scent (like on an article of clothing or pillow, for instance), it conjures up strong feelings about the sexual relationship he shares with her.
Perfume Power Play: There are so many ways to leave tantalizing traces of your scent around: Spritz a naughty-but-nice note and leave it under his pillow, for example. Or you could always "forget" a scented scarf in his car. There's also this trick from Knitowski: When hand-washing your lingerie, spray it with a bit of your fragrance as it dries. Then any nightie, cami or whatever else you wear to bed will transfer just the right hint of scent to his sheets. Note: To make this advice work for you, don't be a scent slut -- stick to just one or two signature fragrances when you're with him so he'll associate them only with you.
Scent Can Make Sex Even Steamier
Though it may seem hard to imagine, even the best sex you've ever had can be made hotter if you add a delicious scent to the mix. Fifty-eight percent of the men we polled said that the alluring perfume of a partner has indeed made their lovemaking moments more erotic. "Scent adds another sensory dimension to the sexual experience, which can heighten sexual abandon and help you become totally lost in your partner," says Gilbert.
Perfume Power Play: Simply spritzing on some scent before sex will spice things up, but if you want your romp to rank among the greatest of all time, take advantage of what White calls "the high level of integration between sensory systems." She explains: "When you experience something, it's never through only one sense -- and the more senses you play to (like touch, sight, taste and sound in addition to smell), the more heightened the overall sensation will be. In fact, lots of studies suggest that when an experience is strongly perceived through multiple sensory systems, you remember it better." If you want to work his senses to the hilt and create the right ambience to have some of the most memorable sex ever, stock up on sensory multitaskers: candles that give off a seductive scent and a romantic glow or a body oil that makes your birthday suit smell and feel amazing.
This article is from Cosmopolitan.com.
by 旭日の革
