The Scent of Attraction, Success, and General Well-Being

We all know that scent works to uplift our mood, make us feel more confident and attractive, but did you know that you can tailor your scent to suit a specific task or desire?  In The Science of Scent - Get Your Perfume to Work For You, Women’s Health Magazine has the following suggestions…….

If you are experiencing the dreaded Fat Day, then you want to chose a floral scent layered with a bit of spice….. 

Fresh Memoirs of a Geisha
This intoxicating mix of jasmine, rose, and peach mingled with sexy musk and white sandalwood may smell amazing, but could it possibly smell skinny? Dr. Hirsch reports that men who smelled a spicy floral scent like this one perceived the wearer to be an average of 4.1 pounds lighter than she actually was. And if he really liked the scent, he estimated her at 12 pounds lighter.

Do you know what scent attracts your man?  Apparently, it’s a fruity blend that puts him in the mood.  Rather than rubbing your pulse points with a fresh peach, try some……….. 

Calvin Klein Euphoria
Euphoria’s sensual aroma of orchids, sweetened with pomegranate and persimmon, is a sure attention-getter. “Luscious, fruity notes are disarming but attractive,” says Avery Gilbert, Ph.D., a sensory psychologist.The best part: “Edible odors tend to increase male arousal,” says Alan Hirsch, Ph.D., of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. Plus, his study showed floral smells like orchid increase penile blood flow. Apply this baby for the scent equivalent of a one-two punch.

In these troubled economic times, don’t you want all the help you can get when you walk into you boss’s office and ask for a much deserved raise? The scent of capability and success is wood. 

Donna Karan Wenge
Wearing this woody, smoky, yet feminine scent will help you come across as consummately capable. “Woody fragrances convey sophistication, confidence, and strength,” Dr. Gilbert says. And they have for a very long time: Ancient Egyptians used wood incense to put the gods (their equivalent of corporate big shots) in favorable moods. One whiff of Wenge and your boss may feel more comfortable leaving the big decisions to you. This scent works for both men and women.

I know what I do when I’m feeling tired, uninspired, or even under the weather - spritz on something citrus.  My favorite lime and basil combination that is sadly no longer available (I hide it behind the sunblock in my toiletry cupboard as it’s also my daughter Bailey’s favorite).  Something in the citrus family that will work as well for you and for me………

Malin+Goetz Lime Tonic
Lemon and lime, the two ingredients that give this scent its cool, crisp edge, are shown to ease tension and anxiety. “In one study patients exposed to a lemon aroma reported better moods and fewer negative health symptoms,” says psychologist Bryan Raudenbush of Wheeling Jesuit University. Researchers at cosmetics company Shiseido have also found that citrus cuts down on production of the stress hormone cortisol. Are you happy now?

Now we’ve got romance, self-image, work, and perkiness covered. Do you have any tried and true go-to scents that you grab when a particular need arises?  And do you have any suggestions for a lime and cilantro-missing girl to try? 

Image credit - Sephora