How your Scent Makes you More Appealing

By: Brett Smith

Ever wondered what draws us to some people and not others? What makes us irresistible when we’re looking for a partner?

If you’re desperate to look good for your next date – and who isn’t? – listen up: attraction is not in the eye of the beholder, it's in the nose.

Researchers may have unlocked the mystery of magnetism: At the onset of puberty, pheromones are secreted into our sweat which we use to attract sexual partners.

So guys and girls, put the Lynx away and let your natural smell help you to attract the ideal partner. No guys, this is not an excuse to stop showering. Instead, just stop covering up your natural manly smell. After all, there’s bound to be a woman out there who will go weak at the knees just by catching a whiff of your scent in the breeze.

But be aware, these pheromones do more than just attract a partner for sexual pleasure. They are designed to ensure the survival of the species as they help to convey information about our genetic makeup. Research has shown that women prefer male odours that are different to their own – presumably to enhance the gene pool, on the grounds that the greater the difference, the less likely it is that the owner of the smell will be a near relative.

There is however an exception to this rule. Scientists have discovered that when a woman is pregnant – or on the oral contraceptive pill and hence her body thinks she is pregnant – she gets an altered sense of smell and is more likely to be drawn to someone with similar pheromones to her own. This is a natural instinct so that she can keep family close by to help raise and protect her young.

That’s all fine and good, but what happens when she stops taking the pill? That love of your life, that perfect partner, suddenly may not smell all that good after all!