This article was medically reviewed by Jennifer Boidy, RN and by wikiHow staff writer, Dev Murphy, MA. Jennifer Boidy is a Registered Nurse based in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to her nursing career, she also works as a Healthcare Content Strategist & Writer, helping businesses and non-profits market their products and services to healthcare provider organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare services vendors. Jennifer’s areas of expertise include pharmaceuticals & life sciences, health technology, medical devices & diagnostics, health insurance & managed care, and healthcare services & facilities. Her certification as a Registered Nurse was issued by the Maryland Board of Nursing. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Marketing and Finance. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing from Carroll Community College in 2012.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Pheromones are chemicals simple insects use to communicate actions like mate, eat, flee or other clear commands by way of smell. Science has shown that some animals emit smells to attract mates, and though technically not pheromones, humans do also produce natural smells from bacteria growth on our skin. But whether or not your scent makes you more appealing to potential partners is highly debated. Still, there’s no harm in trying techniques to improve your dating life and attract a mate. If you want to experiment with increasing your natural scent, there are natural remedies you can try or you can pick a pheromone-containing product.
Steps
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Wear perfume or cologne that contains pheromones. Shop for fragrance products that contain pheromones. Many fragrance companies claim to include pheromones in their products, but they are usually from pigs or deer—which won’t accomplish anything for humans.[1] It’s very debatable whether these fragrances work, however, so don’t spend much money on them.[2]
- A popular pheromone perfume for women is Pherazone Perfume.
- Other marketed brands include Scent of Eros, Primal Instinct, Realm, Alter Ego, The Edge, Impi, Pheromol Factor, Pheromax, Lure, Yes for Men, Chikara, NPA, Perception Spray, W.A.G.G, Rogue Male, Silent Seduction, and more.
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Leave your armpits natural. It may sound counterintuitive to boost your stinkiness if you’re looking to attract a mate, but pheromones are supposedly let out through sweat—mainly from your armpits.[3] Try going all natural by staying away from deodorant, or at least using all-natural, unscented antiperspirant without the added deodorant. Let your natural scent shine through for a boost in pheromones.[4]
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Get at least 8 hours of sleep nightly. There is evidence to suggest being stressed or fatigued can affect skin scent: people under stress may emit an unpleasant odor similar to leeks.[5] Being well-rested can boost your energy and alleviate stress, so try to sleep 7-9 hours a night.[6] Try these techniques to get good shuteye and stay on a healthy sleep schedule:
- Set a regular bedtime for yourself.
- Exercise regularly (but not within 3 hours of bedtime so it doesn’t keep you up).
- Avoid caffeine after 4 p.m.
- Relax before bed with a warm bath or reading.
- Don’t nap too much during the day.
- Sleep in a cool, dark room.
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Exercise with weights regularly. Stick to a regular exercise routine that includes weight-lifting. Target large muscle groups and lift heavier weights for fewer repetitions. Increasing your testosterone may have a boosting effect on pheromones.
- It’s also possible, however, that pheromones increase testosterone, and not the other way around.[7]
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Eat foods containing androstenone and androstenol. These two chemicals are considered human pheromones, and it’s possible that eating foods that contain them may boost yours—or at least increase your arousal, which then triggers more chemical signals that may make you more appealing to potential partners.[8] This has not been proven scientifically, but there’s no harm in trying these three foods:
- Celery
- Parsnips
- Truffles
Expert Q&A
Tips
Warnings
- Though humans do emit pheromones that affect women’s menstrual cycles, indicate when we are afraid, and call babies to their mothers, there is no scientific research that has identified human pheromones that increase attractiveness to potential partners.[9]Thanks
References
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1892796/
- ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/romancing-armpit/
- ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123211000397
- ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/romancing-armpit/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9246182/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/basics/stress-relief/hlv-20049495
- ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/romancing-armpit/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2822864/
- ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/romancing-armpit/
About This Article
Pheromones are smells that animals give off, which may help to attract partners. Although humans don't actually produce pheromones, they do put off a natural scent that may or may not attract different people. You can make yourself smell good by wearing a nice perfume or cologne. Don’t worry if you do sweat a bit, since some people will be attracted to your natural smell. You can also do regular weight-training exercise, which will help boost your testosterone and may improve your natural scent. Some people also believe that eating celery, parsnips, or truffles can make you smell better. To learn how pheromones work in the animal kingdom, read more from our Medical co-author.
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