Can Pheromone Perfumes Really Make You More Attractive?

Of all the beauty categories out there, fragrance has long been regarded as the most mysterious, alluring, and emotive. It is known to boost moods, conjure memories of the past and even arouse the senses. There is good reason why Marilyn Monroe's admission of wearing Chanel No.5, £63.80, to bed made the scent something of a seductive legend, why Beyoncé named her first perfumeHeat, £24.99, and why most fragrance brands choose to adorn their adverts with a naked body or two (CC: Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino, £145). It goes without saying, scent and sex are mutually inclusive, or at least sold as such. But of all the fragrance families, pheromone perfumes are perhaps the most salacious, not least because they've been dubbed the aphrodisiac of the scent world.

Currently #pheromoneperfumes have wracked up a cool 573 million views on TikTok and counting, with creators vouching for the provocative nature of the scents. A roster of products have held the attention of PerfumeTok's masses, including the pheromone-infused essential oil perfume Pure Instinct Roll-On, £19.72, and Venom's Pheromone Scents, £24. According to the reviews, each share a common quality – making its wearer that bit more sexually irresistible – a love potion of sorts.

TikToker @yourstruly_rebecca's review of the Venom scents begins strong, 'Y'all there is something in this bottle that drives men crazy. I'm not getting paid for this. I'm trying to help a sister out,' she says.

Touching on the science behind the olfactive frenzy, the internet's very own professor and debunker @jordan_the_stallion8 even took a moment to explain what all the fuss is about, adding, 'Pheromones are something that is in a specific scent that will attract mammals... Am I terrified of using that just for the fact that I don't know what it would do for me or other mammals? But i can only imagine it won't be a boring evening.'

We spoke to experts in the field, cosmetic chemist, Ava Perkins, and perfumer and founder of 4160Tuesdays, Sarah McCartney, to understand exactly what the fragrance family is and why it is on the rise. Read on for everything you need to know.

What are pheromones?

Think of them as a tool or mode of communication. Cosmetic chemist, Ava Perkins, explains, 'A pheromone is a chemical signal produced by one member of a species that influences the physiological behaviour of another member of the same species. In other words, these are chemicals produced by animals and humans used to communicate with each other, typically sexually.'

Do pheromone perfumes actually work?

Perkins explains, pheromones are produced by specialised glands in various parts of the body, such as the skin, sweat glands, and other exocrine glands. Once they are produced, they are released into the environment via sweat, urine, saliva, or other bodily fluids, depending on the species. Pheromones can trigger various physiological and behavioural responses in the receiving member and in animals these responses can include changes in mating behaviour, aggression, territorial marking, and social bonding.

'Mammals can detect pheromones through the vomeronasal organ (VNO - an accessory olfactory organ located in the nose), but it is highly debated whether the VNO is functional in humans,' Perkins confirms. 'In humans, the effects of pheromones are still being researched - there is no definite answer as to what responses they elicit and if perfumes can emulate them.'

Similarly, perfumer and founder of 4160Tuesdays, Sarah McCartney, says, 'In animals which can emit and detect pheromones, the chemical signal works like an on or off switch. It doesn't involve any decision making. If the relevant animal pheromone is present then they will behave in a predetermined way. It's how clothing moth traps work.

Ergo, McCartney explains, if such things existed in humans then their presence would cause groups of people to react in the same way, all at once. You would get hoards of women chasing men down the street - or vice versa - like the funniest of Lynx adverts, and the fact that this doesn't happen tends to support the current available evidence that there aren't any.

Shop: The Best Pheromone Perfumes To Try Now

The jury may be out on whether perfumes can double up as love potions but that's not to say we don't hold a sweet, musky, soft spot for the roster of cult-like perfumes that have fallen under the pheromone category. Scroll below for the ones we rate most...

How are pheromones being used in perfume?

Both McCartney and Perkins debunk the idea that pheromones can make its wearer more sexually attractive to others. 'Pheromones are typically incorporated into a perfume as a fixative or carrier for other ingredients in the fragrance. Despite their purpose in the formulation being mainly functional, they are largely marketed to heighten sexual appeal,' says Perkins.

McCartney agrees, 'Materials which are marketed as pheromones are being used to sell more bottles to people who dream of increasing their attractiveness'. She explains that conventional compounds labelled as synthetic pheromones such as Hedione(TM) and Iso E Super (TM) have a lack of evidence in this respect, plus 'around 95% of modern perfumes contain both Iso E Super and Hedione so if you already have a favourite fragrance or two, just wear those'.

The pheromones used in fragrances are typically derived from non-human mammalians such as deer, cats, or beavers, or are synthetically created, meaning they do not produce physiological effects in humans because they’re simply not derived from humans. 'However, this is not to say that fragrances containing pheromones don’t elicit a positive physiological response. Pheromone-containing fragrances can still produce a pleasant smell which can lead to physiological attraction, it just may not solely be from the pheromones or elicit that "irresistible" response companies market them to produce,' Perkins elucidates.

What do pheromones smell like?

It’s hard to say as there’s still much we don’t know about them, but experts say they’re usually associated with a musky or sweet scent in fragrances, given their animalistic origins.

McCartney adds, 'Humans can smell some pheromones - there is a pig pheromone which smells quite pleasantly of sandalwood to some people; others can't detect the aroma at all.'

Why are pheromone perfumes so popular?

Sure, TikTok has had a great influence in educating and inspiring those hunting for the next big thing in perfume and many well-known, established brands have had a hand in spurring this further by releasing their own iterations. But founder of Liquid London, the UK's newest pheromone perfume brand, Connor Martin points out, 'In a world where everyone is wearing the same fragrance, people want to enjoy originality and something unique.'

'That’s exactly what pheromone-based fragrances do: create a sense of originality. Even if several people are wearing Liquid London, it’s going to smell different on each one of them. In a world where individuality is celebrated, people are seeking scents that offer something beyond the mainstream options. They're keen on discovering fragrances that make them stand out but also resonate with their personal chemistry.'