Oh the scents we love!
Sure, we may mostly be in various states of lockdown across Canada, but maybe a little perfume or cologne can help ignite some memorable moments!
An online retailer, OnBuy, recently looked into the most preferred scents for women and men in an effort to find the ones that seem to resonate. The findings seem to be consistent and included looking at unisex scents. While it’s harder to wear scents in a lot of public places such as hospitals (totally banned) and federal government buildings (also banned) they can be perfect to set a romantic mood, wear out shopping or just as a changeup in our work-from-home lives.
Dennis Relojo-Howell, the founder of PsychReg, a site for understanding mental health in more accessible ways. His response to why different genders see changes in preferences is helpful. “The way we associate (and prefer) scents is down to culture and our experiences. The perfume industry is hinged on cultural convention whereby powdery and sweet scents are intended for women; aromatic and woody scents for men.
“When growing up, we also smelled these scents from our parents; thereby reinforcing why a particular gender should wear them. According to research, we are attracted to some natural scents more than others due to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which is tied to our immune system – a detection system which has evolved to let us choose the best partners for genetic advantage in reproduction.”
Scent Preferences for Women
The research indicates that women prefer powdery scents. Typically these are described as a baby or talc powder type of smell, with a note that gives off a fresh and clean vibe. Just behind this are more woody scents, characterized by smelling warny and dry characterized by fresh citrus or floral scents.
Scent Preferences for Men
Men tend to rely more on aftershaves than colognes, but there are preferences. Men it seems prefer aromatic or woody scents and the most popular are those with amber. Typically amber is described as woody with sweet notes like vanilla.
Scents for Unisex People
When it comes to unisex preferences it seems it’s about warm and spicy! These scents can include notes like ginger, cloves and pepper. Earthy scents also seem to be preferred, such as balsam.
So whether it’s romance or just to change things up a bit, maybe spritz on a little perfume or cologne as you prefer and add some aromatic to your day!
You might also enjoy this article on tapping into your sexual fantasies.