Smelling Good may Make you Attractive.
A pleasant scent emanating from a potential romantic partner is, of course, a plus — we are biologically wired to be drawn more strongly to people whose natural chemicals, or pheromones, trigger reactions in us. Perhaps that’s why perfumes exist: smelling nice can lead to a higher perception of overall appearance. It can signify cleanliness, and can add to our “odorprint,” something that is uniquely ours, sort of like our fingerprints. But can perfume or positive smells have an impact on how our actual physical appearance, and facial features, are perceived? A small study out of the Monell Chemical Senses Center wanted to answer this question, and the researchers found that an association with nice smells did actually boost perceptions of physical attractiveness. They tested 18 young adult participants by showing them images of female faces (all at different ages) while simultaneously releasing one of five different odors — the worst being a...
