Rest My Chemistry - The Pheromones

 

Type “pheromones” in google search and at any given time over six million results will come up. So what exactly are pheromones and why so many results??

According to a medical encyclopaedia, the pheromones are chemical signals that trigger a response in another member of the same species and were first discovered in silkworms, where female silkworm would release such a signal in order to attract a mate. There are many types of pheromones that animals and even some plants emit and sex pheromone is of course, the one most people have heard about.

So how does that affect us, the human race? Do we actually have them? Can we really attract a mate just by the way their smell gels with ours? But, more importantly, can we actually bottle it, so we can smell our way into anyone’s heart… or bed even.  

Well, looking at the google results, that is just what over two million links want us to believe.  

Enter “Scent of Eros” which some scientist dude (he even wrote a book about it) developed with some other dude and is marketing a selection of pheromone-based products. It promises to make a man feel more “manly” and for a woman it is supposed to lift their mood and get them to feel better about themselves in order to be more appealing to men. 

I mean, alcohol already exists, right? And then, the disclaimer: “there’s no scientific data that supports the claim that any “pheromone-containing” fragrance or fragrances additives acts as an aphrodisiac.” And the point is? He then goes on to say that the most wearer can expect from the product is something of a perceived boost to their confidence?! Yeah sure, I’ve just spent a $50 on a product that will make me more confident so I’ll believe it will! A Balenciaga handbag would do the same trick for me! More expensive, but I’d enjoy it more.

Moving on, there are some more intriguing products available on different sites. “Pherox” is “different” again, but this time it is supposed to be taken orally and not sprayed onto skin. It claims that it will boost the natural production of sex hormones that we emit and hence attract more mates. Shame you cannot smell them as I’d love to be able to smell that powerful “aura of irresistibility” around me, once I take the magic pill of course!  No ingredients listed on site but once you take it you shall experience “feelings of euphoria, confidence and jubilation…flushing, redness of the skin and a heightened pulse”. Sounds more like an illegal class b substance to me.

Then I come across “Liq-Me” that creates “drop dead appeal”. Yes I really want to meet a guy I fancy and for him to drop dead! Nice. And on the same site there’s another one called “Amour Devil” that will “create extreme romance” with the opposite sex. Sounds like something Borat would say! And what is extreme romance? They suggest spraying the product on the neck or the “appropriate areas”. I’d say if someone got near to smelling my “appropriate areas” I’d be onto a sure thing!

I managed to stumble on a site that looks more serious that gives me all the info and scientific research into different kinds of pheromones and gives a list of published scientific articles that support the theory that pheromones work to attract romantic interest. And of course they claim that their pheromones work and they charge a whopping $100 for their version of it.

Oh I don’t know, I’m not sold on it. I’ve tried a few of the so-called pheromone enhancing products (for research purposes naturally) that mostly smelled like cat’s wee and gave me no extra attention from men. But saying that, pheromones are quietly muscling into the mainstream fragrance market. Paris Hilton apparently loves them and has included them in her perfume.  Even the fragrance I love and wear (Escentric Molecules) apparently has the pheromones as one of the ingredients. And do I attract more men? No. So far only (straight) women commented that I smelled nice, but they also said the same for this other non-pheromone perfume I was wearing.
 

So make your own mind up.