Scents That Attract Women (2024)

There is no denying the power—or the desirability—of a good-smelling man.

The right scent can make even the most ordinary of guys seem attractive to women.

If you take your grooming routine seriously, a pleasing scent can be the cherry on top of your suave appeal.

But before you douse yourself in an expired cologne bottle that you dug up from out of your drawer, you should know that not all “manly” scents are appealing to the ladies.

In fact, you may be surprised at some of the scents that seem to attract women.

If you want to set yourself up for dating success, here are three things you should know about the scents that turn women on the most:

• Soothing scents such as lavender can relax women, leading to increased feelings of arousal.
• Vanilla is a crowd-pleasing scent that both men and women find attractive.
• Applying peppermint on your lips can help you seal the deal with your date.

The secret to scoring more dates with women could come down to how you smell.

Read on for the top scents that will attract women like flies to honey.

1. Vanilla

Vanilla is an extremely popular scent in men’s cologne, and for good reason.

Seductive, playful, sweet and sensual, this pleasant aroma is always a crowd-pleaser.

You may not even need to buy a vanilla cologne to attract women—a quick workout may do the trick just as well.

According to a 2017 study published in Nature, some people have a variant in a single odor receptor gene that causes male sweat to take on a sweet smell like vanilla (see claim: Up to one-third of adult humans cannot perceive an odor in a component of male body odor that induces physiological responses in both men and women.”)

That being said, you probably shouldn’t skip your regular shower routine.

The same gene that makes urine smell sweet to some can also make your sweat take on a repulsive smell.

So instead of going au natural, maybe you should stick to using a vanilla cologne.

TRY MEN’S SKIN CARE

2. Peppermint

Peppermint has been used medicinally for thousands of years to help treat a variety of health problems, from stubborn acne blemishes to digestive issues to the common cold.

Not only does it taste fantastic, it also smells amazing to both men and women.

The key is to go easy on the smell.

Rather than a cologne, use a peppermint lip balm to give your lips a hint of mint.

Once she smells it on your lips, she’ll definitely lean in for more.

3. Sandalwood

If you want to attract the ladies, get yourself some sandalwood cologne.

In a 2006 study published in Planta Medica, researchers found that inhaling the scent of sandalwood could increase mood and arousal (see claim: “Sandalwood oil elevated pulse rate, skin conductance level, and systolic blood pressure.”)

If you’ve ever smelled sandalwood, this probably doesn’t come as a surprise.

Sandalwood smells expensive and sophisticated, two traits that women often look for in a man.

4. Pastries and Coffee

Want to score a girl’s number?

Try making your move in a café that has the sweet smell of coffee and pastries.

In a 2012 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, researchers found that guys were more likely to score a date with women when they approached them in pleasant-smelling places (see claim: “It was found that women agreed more often to the confederate'scourtshipsolicitation in the pleasant smelling areas.”)

Researchers believe that the pleasant odors can boost mood, encouraging favorable feelings towards romantic relationships.

It’s worth a shot, right?

TAKE THE SKIN CARE QUIZ

5. Lavender

Has your girl been super-stressed lately?

The next time she’s over, light a lavender candle.

Lavender is commonly used in aromatherapy for its many health benefits.

According to research published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, the scent of lavender has anxiety-relieving effects that can help take the edge off a stressful day (see claim: “…the vaporized lavender compound linalool must be smelt – not absorbed in the lungs – to exert its calming effects…”)

Don’t forget to mention that you bought the candle specifically for her.

She’ll love that you randomly thought of her and decided to get something that would make her day better.

6. Cinnamon

Are you more of a spicy scent guy?

Spicy scents such as cinnamon and clove are attractive scents to both women and men.

Unsurprisingly, cinnamon appears to be most pleasing to women in the colder months.

In a 2009 study published in Appetite, subjects who smelled cinnamon during the Christmas season had higher feelings of familiarity and pleasantness than during the summertime (see claim: “…subjects showed significantly higher familiarity and pleasantness ratings when they smelled cinnamon during the Christmas season than during summertime.”)

Less Is More

How you smell can make or break your success with women.

But just keep in mind that less is always more.

If she can smell you before she sees you, you’ve definitely put on too much cologne.

References

Heuberger, Eva, et al. “East Indian Sandalwood and α-Santalol Odor Increase Physiological and Self-Rated Arousal in Humans.” Planta Medica, vol. 72, no. 09, © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York, July 2006, pp. 792–800.

Guéguen, Nicolas. “The Sweet Smell Of… Courtship: Effects of Pleasant Ambient Fragrance on Women’s Receptivity to a Man’s Courtship Request.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 32, no. 2, June 2012, pp. 123–25. ScienceDirect.

Seo, Han-Seok, et al. “Odor Attributes Change in Relation to the Time of the Year. Cinnamon Odor Is More Familiar and Pleasant during Christmas Season than Summertime.” Appetite, vol. 53, no. 2, Oct. 2009, pp. 222–25. ScienceDirect.