I Tried A TikTok Viral Pheromone Perfume To Attract My Soulmate. Here's What Happened
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After listening to many TikTok tarot card readers (yes, I'm obsessed) claim that either a.) my most recent ex is coming back to ask for a second chance or b.) that the next man I seriously date (he'll be a Sagittarius, they say) is my soulmate, my algorithm started feeding me more hands-on advice about how to take control of my love life.
One of the ways the social media gods claim I can attract “the one” is by wearing pheromone perfume.
It sounds kind of crazy, but certain scents have long been linked to sexual attraction. Experts claim there are even perfumes that can make sex itself more pleasurable. But for years now, fragrances infused with specific pheromones have promised that a few spritzes can instantly attract a partner. The viral Pure Instinct Roll-On Pheromone Perfume, for example, is a sweet musk made with notes of sandalwood, vanilla, and tobacco that will, according to the brand, “leave a mark wherever you go.”
But does it—or any pheromone perfume—actually work? I clicked *add to cart* to put Pure Instinct to the test myself—and then tapped the experts to see what they had to say.
Meet the experts: Pamela Dalton, PhD, is a member of the Monell Chemical Senses Center. Dana Schmitt is a perfumer at Givaudan.
What are pheromones?
Pheromones are substances that are emitted by animal species to initiate a mating response. First coined in 1959, pheromones were originally discovered in insects and other animals. They're broken into four categories—primers, signalers, modulators, and releasers—each of which has a specific functions. But, again, they're most commonly associated with attracting a sexual partner.
To be considered a pheromone, a chemical must be species specific, produced by one animal of a given species, cause another animal of the same species to change its behavior or physiology once that chemical signal is received, explains Pamela Dalton, PhD, member of the Monell Chemical Senses Center
“These are stereotypical responses that do not change as long as the pheromone is released and the receiver can detect it,” Dalton explains. “For example, artificial insemination of sows [an adult female] is done by exposing them to a chemical steroid called androstenone, released by boars (or synthesized). When sows are exposed to that pheromone, they exhibit a mating posture that readies them for insemination.”
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Do humans product pheromones?
While Dalton can see why you might assume that pheromones in animals would work the same in humans, she emphasizes that there is still debate on whether our species even secretes pheromones in the first place. “We don’t know the specific chemicals that might produce a pheromone-like effect in people,” she says.
At the very least, there may be evidence pointing to some pheromonal effects in humans. Based on a 2004 study, instances such as your mood improving by scent or a newborn recognizing its mother through smell seem to link smell and human emotion. There may also be a connection between scent and attraction based on our sweat. Dalton says that human sweat contains key compounds that might be responsible for behavioral changes when someone smells it. A 2003 study shows that men’s sweat can reduce tension and increase relaxation in women, both precursors to attraction.
But the idea that pheromones are at work in the human body and can explain why we might be attracted to our partners still hasn’t been firmly established. Simply put: More research is needed.
Ok, so then how do pheromone perfumes work?
Since we don’t have enough science to back up the existence of pheromones in our bodies in the firs place, there's no real proof that pheromone perfumes actually work as advertised. “I've seen no compelling evidence that they function in the manner of pheromones in insects or non-human mammals,” says Dalton. She explains that scent can elicit strong emotions. Based on your past experiences, you can either react positively or negatively to whatever you might’ve caught a whiff off.
But given the connection between emotion and scent, it's theoretically possible that a fragrance can have an impact on sexual attraction, adds perfumer Dana Schmitt. Givaudan, the Swiss fragrance manufacturer where Schmitt works that's responsible for many of our favorite scents such as Tom Ford’s Black Orchid Eau de Parfum and Carolina Herrera’s Good Girl, has been studying the brain response to fragrance for over 35 years and has created fragrances to enhance specific moods. Thanks to Givaudan’s MoodScentz+ technology, she says that they have access to algorithms that will help them mix different ingredients to boost certain emotions such as happiness and relaxation.
If you already find someone attractive and they happen to be wearing a scent that you associate with good feelings, it’s most likely going to make them even more attractive in your eyes. Schmitt says it's impossible to give a blanket recommendation for what scents are attractive or not (though she does highlight warm and rich vanilla as a note that is universally used in perfume and a scent people generally love), so which specific scent does that is up to you and your personal preference. “I think most scents improve people's moods,” she adds. “They add dimension to life.”
My experience with the viral pheromone perfume
After a few weeks of wearing scent, I can say my results have been...lackluster. The scent itself is lovely and I’ll get a few comments here and there about how nice I smell. But those compliments have mostly come from from female passersby and Uber drivers.
It's no surprise to Dalton, who explains that behavioral changes in humans are far too complex to ascribe a single chemical reaction as the reason why we might be attracted to our partners. Instead, she says it’s more likely that the confidence of whoever is wearing pheromone perfume goes up and that’s what really is making them attractive to others.
So maybe a change of attitude and a bit more delusion (or as the kids say, delulu) paired with the scent is the key to attracting the love of my life? And, yes, I'm still hoping he'll be a Sagittarius.
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