Beyond a great movie, Scent of a Woman (1992) starring Al Pacino, and Chris O’Donnell, it is a real physiological dynamic!

“… I carried to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had let soften a bit of madeleine. But at the very instant when the mouthful of tea mixed with cake crumbs touched my palate, I quivered, attentive to the extraordinary thing that was happening inside me.”

For French author Marcel Proust, who penned the legendary lines in his 1913 novel, “À la recherche du temps perdu,” it was the soupçon of cake in tea that sent his mind reeling. Often referred to as a Proustian Moment.

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Scent of a Woman

I associate a woman’s perfume or scent to that particular person if it’s the first time I’ve enjoyed it. For example, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privée will be connected to Jami forever. When I smell that I think fondly of her. Besides, most of the memories of us are positive.

I think it’s a popular perfume amongst Latinas. At my current Costco Warehouse, every work night I catch a whiff of it on a Member or co-worker. Unless it’s Jami, everyone else rocking it is a memory imposter. HELL, even if a future date wears that one … still only Jami.

Another perfume that stands out is Sand & Sable. (I won’t reveal her name as she might be reading this blog) I’ve only ever smelled it on her but my point stands.

One more perfume that I remember is Trésor Midnight Rose Eau De Parfum by Lancôme Paris. The hottest girl to date that I’ve kissed was wearing it on our first date.

That said, there is a scent that angers me, and it is repellant to me … iris based perfumes. Specifically, Clinique Happy is a terrible smelling perfume.

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With that in mind, I only wear a cologne for the duration of the relationship. That way their ‘nose knows’, per se, the same dynamic. Once we break up, I’ll finish off the bottle and retire it – usually a 2-year process.

In-between relationships, I’ll experiment with colognes: spring / summer scent, which tend to be light, and citrus, with fall / winter being heavier and musky-based.

My current colognes are: V by Ajmal, and Noir Homme by Camille Rochelle.

Smell and emotion are stored as one memory.

~ Dawn Goldworm, co-founder of olfactive branding company

What Are Pheromones?

Pheromones are chemicals that animals and humans use to communicate. Our bodies release pheromones through sweat, urine, semen, breast milk, and vaginal fluid.

The theory is that these substances cause a reaction in the people around us. For example, pheromones might help us attract a mate. They’re sometimes called “love chemicals” for this effect. But while there is a direct link between pheromones and mating in the animal world, the effects and even the existence of these chemicals in humans have been hotly debated.

The original concept of pheromones came from studies of insects in the 1930s. Researchers used the term “ectohormone” to describe the hormones that insects release outside of their bodies. By the late 1950s, scientists had renamed the substances released by members of the same species as pheromones.

Pheromones aren’t the same as hormones, though the names sound similar. Hormones are chemical messengers such as estrogen, cortisol, and testosterone. They work inside our bodies to control things such as growth, mood, and sexual function.

Pheromones work outside the body. They act like signals to members of the same species. Animals release pheromones to mark their territory, find prey, attract a mate, or recognize other members of the same species.

These chemicals affect not just sexual attraction but other behaviors such as:
• Mood
• Parent-child bonding
• Social connection
• Thinking

Types of Pheromones

Pheromones come in four main types:
• Releaser pheromones work right away and elicit a specific response from the other person.
• Signaler pheromones give information about the person who releases them. For example, they help a mother tell her own baby apart from other babies.
• Modulator pheromones affect mood and emotions. 
• Primer pheromones affect hormones, for example during pregnancy or menstrual cycles.

It’s debated whether pheromones play a role in human attraction. (Photo credit: Martinmark/Dreamstime)

How Do Pheromones Work?

Mammals detect pheromones through the olfactory system deep inside their nose. This is the same system that helps us smell and taste food.

Chemical signals reach a mammal’s nose as a gas or liquid. Organs inside the nose — the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and main olfactory epithelium (MOE) — detect pheromones. Jacobson’s organ is another name for the VNO. The VNO and MOE then send signals to the animal’s brain to process.

Human Pheromones

It’s not clear how the process works in humans. We do have VNO organs, but they’re small and may be too poorly developed to process pheromones like the VNO organs in animals can. More likely, we process these signals through our olfactory system.

Experts don’t even agree on whether humans produce pheromones. Some scientists say we don’t make them. Others say human pheromones do exist, but they haven’t been identified.

Pheromone Perfumes

Not surprisingly, some companies have taken advantage of the role that scent plays in attraction. They use pheromones to sell products designed to help us find love (or just sex). Pheromone-infused perfumes claim they can “boost attractiveness” and grab the attention of the object of your affection.

The idea might sound appealing, but there’s no evidence these products work. When these perfumes were tested out in studies, not only did they not increase attractiveness, but also they had the opposite effect.

Pheromone collars, sprays, and other products for calming anxious pets have more evidence to back them up. A pheromone collar reduced anxiety in dogs that were exposed to a simulated thunderstorm. And dogs staying at a veterinary hospital who were exposed to pheromones had less separation anxiety than untreated animals.

Takeaways

Pheromones help animals with various activities, ranging from finding prey to attracting a mate. In humans, there’s a lot more debate about what pheromones do, or even if they really exist. Until we know more, there isn’t much point in buying pheromone products because there’s no evidence they work.

Whatcha think, Spaceship Earth? Are smell and emotion tied to ONE memory?