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Sex Pheromones Guide

Dr. Lisa Lawless

Dr. Lisa Lawless, CEO of Holistic Wisdom
Clinical Psychotherapist: Relationship & Sexual Health Expert

Flowers, Oils, Sex Pheromones

Do Sex Pheromones Work?

Sex pheromone products such as sprays, massage candles, and creams have been controversial selling products. They promise all kinds of success when it comes to attracting a partner. Yet, do they really work? In this article, we will explore what sex pheromones are, what they do, and if they can help attract a sexual response.

Presenting a comprehensive look at the topic of pheromones is a challenging one. There has been more controversy than agreement between many who study them, and with a variety of variables, it proves to be a difficult topic to cover in simple terms. Below you will find an overview of pheromones with multiple points of view to provide you with a complete look at them and their effectiveness.

What Are Sex Pheromones?

The word pheromone (pronounced fera-moan) comes from the Greek words pheran (to transfer) and horman (to excite). Pheromones are the most primal form of communication as they are chemicals that are excreted to send information from one member of a species to another of the same species. Pheromones in the animal kingdom can provide various messages such as alerting to danger, physical location, and sexual cues.

Sexual pheromones are natural airborne hormones that the body produces to attract a sexual partner. Scientific research has shown that while you can't see them, they are quite powerful and can make you feel drawn to another person without consciously knowing why. Pheromones have been shown to create a chemical reaction in the brain within a matter of seconds and can, in turn, influence people to feel a strong emotional and physical response.

Where Are Pheromones Sensed & Excreted?

Pheromones are detected by the organ just inside your nose, called the vomeronasal organ (VNO). It is here that humans can detect trace amounts of pheromones and stimulate the limbic region of the brain, also called the 'Seat of Emotions.'

Pheromones are released throughout glands all over the body; however, they tend to concentrate in six areas in both men and women:

  • Underarms
  • Nipples
  • Genitals
  • Mouth
  • Eyelids
  • Ears

Pheromones, Menstrual Cycles & Sexual Attraction

Women who spend a lot of time together know that their menstrual cycles will inevitably synchronize with one another. That is because pheromones are detected from one woman to another and allow them to be fertile at the same time. In turn, women increase pheromone output when they are most fertile and ovulating to attract males. The bottom line is that it allows women to stay competitive with one another for sexual suitors.

Scientific studies have shown that women engage in sexual intercourse about six times more frequently at the time of ovulation. In turn, women are also more sensitive to male pheromones when they are ovulating.

Pheromones have been speculated to allow both men and women to determine the most physically compatible mates to create the most healthy offspring. It is thought to be why certain people smell better than others to someone. Those people that smell good to you are theoretically better genetic matches.

Certainly, many factors determine an ideal partner beyond pheromones; however, we will only focus on that aspect for this article.

Birth Control Impacts Pheromone Detection

Italian scientists have confirmed that birth control appears to affect a woman's sensitivity to smells, which may impact her selection of a partner.

In one study, psychologists found that women taking birth control tended to be more attracted to men who displayed overtly masculine physical qualities such as strong jawlines and prominent cheekbones. Women who were not taking birth control were likely to be attracted to more sensitive men without traditionally masculine features.

Because birth control pills block the natural process of ovulation and do not allow women to become pregnant, they may be subconsciously attracted to 'macho men' rather than men who are more likely to make a sensible long-term partner.

Pheromone Studies

There have been many studies on pheromones and much controversy. What we do know is that human pheromones are genuine, and they do impact human responses. What is currently uncertain is understanding what pheromone levels have the most positive and negative effects, the types of pheromones humans respond to, and whether humans react to plant and animal pheromones and how.

Researchers had demonstrated in one clinical experiment that male pheromones triggered a subconscious sexual response in women when they sprayed the pheromones on one chair in a waiting room. The other chairs were not sprayed. It was found that the women were more likely to sit in the chair that was sprayed with the pheromone than any of the others.

In another study, identical twin brothers were used where only one was sprayed with pheromones. Women reported that they found the pheromone sprayed twin brother more sexually attractive than the other.

Do Sex Pheromone Products Work?

One of the biggest questions about this topic is do pheromone products work? The truth is that some have shown to provide results and others have not; however, the catch is that it may not be based on the pheromones they claim to contain.

We will explore this in more detail below, but before we go there, the most important thing that we can tell you about these products is that there a great deal of hype about them, and we encourage you not to get fooled by many of the false claims they make.

Companies that market pheromones have nicknamed them such things as Love Potion # 9, scents of Eros, and aphrodisiacs. They are often sold as perfumes, lotions, colognes, oils, lubricants, and candles. In women, they are supposed to mimic a 17-24 year-old fertile woman as females have been shown through studies to smell best when they are most fertile. In males they are supposed to mimic a similar age range.

Claims Of Pheromone Manufacturers

Do not believe the absolute claims that any pheromone seller claims. As you well know, there are no infallible guarantees in life. Watch out for companies that make false promises such as these:

  • Arouse, attract, seduce anyone you want.
  • Attract someone even when they are resistant.
  • Meet more beautiful people more easily.
  • Make a great impression every time you meet someone.
  • Increase your masculinity or femininity.
  • Have sex whenever you want.

Pheromone Product Ingredients

Alpha-Androstenol (5alpha-androst-16-en-3-ol) is a sex pheromone that possesses a musky scent. It is primarily found in human sweat glands. Many manufacturers use a chemical derivative of Androstenol found in truffles related to mushrooms and are known as hypogeous fungi.

The problem in using this is that humans primarily respond to human pheromones, which are already created by your body. Some critics of pheromone products argue that humans, like insects and animals, will only be attracted to human pheromones.

However, it has been shown that humans respond sexually to scents derived from plants and foods; therefore, it may be possible for a sexual reaction from the Androstenol found in truffles. Studies have not confirmed this; consequently, it is not proven and is still a matter of theory. Those in the fragrance industry continue to work on blending scents that create positive reactions in humans, and we will cover what the natural scents are later in this article.

Animal or Human Pheromone Warnings

Some companies go as far as to put animal or human pheromones in their products, which is controversial. Using animal pheromones may not chemically attract a human.

If a company uses human pheromones, you may essentially be putting on someone's urine or sweat. In addition to being fairly revolting to most people, it would be counterproductive to put on someone else's pheromones as nature has designed us with a specific chemical makeup to attract an appropriate partner for us using our natural pheromones.

Pheromones have been shown that they can alter people's impressions of people. Typically in studies where the pheromone with Androstenol was used, both men and women were judged to appear more sensitive, positive, intelligent, sexually attractive, approachable, friendly, and confident.

When Pheromones Are Effective

Psychological Influences

Regardless of whether they work, these products create a placebo effect, promote positive thinking by the user, and boost self-confidence. This, in turn, makes the wearer more attractive to those they encounter and may influence how they are perceived.

The Power of Fragrances

The fragrance industry is a billion-dollar industry that sells everything from scented personal products such as perfume, cologne, and deodorant to scented soap. In addition, home fragrances and deodorizers are everywhere. Humans respond favorable to many scents, and these do have an impact on how someone is perceived.

Creative Uses For Sexual Pheromone Products

  • Women and men use it on themselves to appear more attractive and invoke positive as well as sexual responses from others.

  • Both sexes use them on bed sheets and in their environment to make others feel more comfortable in their home. Some spray them on their home air filters.

  • Salespeople use them on themselves and promotional materials, including mass mailings, to create a positive response from customers.

  • Businesses use them to scent their environment through air filters and on chairs to create a positive environment. Some dance clubs and other similar companies have been known to pump scents such as cotton candy into their air to encourage a festive mood as well as the mating instinct.

Other Ingredients In Pheromone Products

The following is a list of popular ingredients in pheromone sprays. Whether or not they are effective is still up for debate:

  • Androstenone
  • Epoxyestratrienol
  • Androstanone
  • Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone
  • Androsterone
  • Oxytocin Analog
  • Dehydroisoandrosterone

Consumer Warnings

Beware of websites that offer you 'honest reviews' on pheromones and appear as though they are not selling the products so you can trust the information they provide. Many of these websites are affiliate sites, which means they list the highest paying affiliate programs (programs that pay them when their referrals convert to a sale) and make money off of you that way.

We have seen websites that blacklist companies that do not offer affiliate programs as a way to deter you from buying from them and rave about how wonderful the sites are that pay them the most for your business. An easy way to see if they are doing this is to look at the referring URL when you click on the link to the website they are referring to. If it has an affiliate code attached to the URL or does a redirect, it is most likely someone just doing some clever marketing. This applies to any product but is especially true with pheromone products.

Do Sex Pheromones Affect Children?

Because children are not sexually developed, the only effect that pheromones may have on them is that they may feel more positively about the person wearing them. There has been no evidence that would show cause for alarm that they would sexually stimulate a child.

The truth is that pheromones will only enhance feelings that someone would already have for you based on their connection with you. In that case, children would not feel sexual arousal toward a parent or adult, so there is no need for concern about that.

Situational Factors On Scents & Pheromones

The effect a scent has on us depends on the way it is presented. If you were to smell the smoke of a campfire, it might bring you a feeling of relaxation because you may associate it with a camping trip. Whereas if you smelled the same smell if a forest fire burned your house down, the scent would inspire fear and grief. You cannot dismiss the power of the environment and circumstances when exploring the influence of scents and pheromones.

Just as in the example of one's perception of the smell of wood-burning would vary in different situations, so is one's interpretation of pheromones. For instance, if a woman would detect the pheromone androstenone in a gentle and caring male, she might perceive him as a strong male who could offer her security. However, if she detected it and the male presented as aggressive or threatening, the detection of the same pheromone would make him seem even more intimidating.

Do Fragrances Sexually Attract?

The most effective fragrance is one that mixes well with your own body chemistry. First, sampling a perfume and allowing it to merge with your body oils for several minutes before smelling it is an excellent place to start. Once it has had time to mix with your scent, make sure it is one you enjoy. Then asking unbiased people that you already like to give you an honest assessment is a great way to confirm that it is a pleasing scent in general.

A scent of an associative memory can also trigger romantic feelings. For example, the scent of a particular perfume or cologne that a partner that you already have been attracted to can trigger a sexual response in someone even when the partner is not there.

According to a study from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, men's colognes reduced vaginal blood flow. In the study, foundation director Al Hirsch came to this conclusion by placing surgical masks scented with ten different aromas and hooked the women up to a vaginal photoplethysmograph to determine what scents turned them on. The women responded most to was a mixture of cucumber and Good 'n' Plenty candy. They were most turned off by men's cologne, the scent of cherry, and barbequed meat.

Why Many Fragrances Mimic Food

When you eat, as much as 90 percent of the flavor comes from the aroma, and it has long been known that many smells of food are not only enticing but can stimulate positive moods. Research shows that certain preferred scents lead to sexual arousal in men and women.

The following are some of the most popular scents that have been tested and have shown that they tend to evoke sexual responses. The scents, in some cases, have shown to stimulate sex hormones and have estrogenic compounds.

Scents Men Preferred On Their Partners

  • Bananas
  • Vanilla
  • Cinnamon Buns
  • Strawberries
  • Pumpkin Pie
  • Basil

Scents Women Preferred On Their Partners

  • Cucumbers
  • Fennel
  • Anise
  • Ginger
  • Licorice
  • Hot Peppers

Fragrances & Phthalates

Many products contain fragrances which unfortunately means they may have phthalates, the most popular being DEP (Diethyl Phthalate). They are solvents that extend the aromatic strength of fragrances. There are varying reports of what fragrances have phthalates in them, but in one study, phthalates were found in 75% of fragranced products. If you want to lower your exposure, you should opt to buy fragrance-free products. Please see our helpful guide on phthalates for more information: Phthalates in Sex Toys.

In Conclusion

The best source of pheromones comes from you, so that is why we do not promote synthetic pheromone products; rather, we encourage people to utilize their own scent mixed with arousing natural fragrances. That is why our massage oils, lubricants, and body care products are all scents that have been researched to be sexually appealing.

If you would like to learn more about sensual scents, make sure to also see our Sex & Aromatherapy Guide.

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