# The Great Pheromone Experiment **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 13, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400 "2005-12-13T13:08:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/41 "2005-12-21T14:24:34Z")
Okay, I wore it to work today. And today already sucks. Updates as they happen. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/42 "2005-12-21T17:19:44Z")
As the day has progressed, Iā€™ve noticed that nobody is treating me any differently, but I havenā€™t had any meetings or anything. However, _I_ am most certainly in a better mood than I should be, given the annoyances Iā€™ve dealt with in the last three hours. It should be noted, though, that I have a great deal of fun things to look forward to this weekend, and that might be where the good mood comes from. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/43 "2005-12-21T19:57:52Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > As the day has progressed, Iā€™ve noticed that nobody is treating me any differently, but I havenā€™t had any meetings or anything. However, _I_ am most certainly in a better mood than I should be, given the annoyances Iā€™ve dealt with in the last three hours. It should be noted, though, that I have a great deal of fun things to look forward to this weekend, and that might be where the good mood comes from. \*Donā€™t \* tell me this! Iā€™ve already _ordered_ it, and itā€™s one itā€™s _way_! I need something to look forward to in life to help make me An Irresistable Babe! This was my Last Chance! ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/44 "2005-12-21T20:03:20Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > \*Donā€™t \* tell me this! Iā€™ve already _ordered_ it, and itā€™s one itā€™s _way_! I need something to look forward to in life to help make me An Irresistable Babe! This was my Last Chance! Wait. Youā€™re a woman named Phall-something? I wore it to the market today. Nada. Tonightā€™s the big test. Iā€™ll keep the stuff in my purse and sneak applications every half hour. If getting a response requires that JBF look, then Iā€™m shit out of luck. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/45 "2005-12-21T20:20:53Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > \*Donā€™t \* tell me this! Iā€™ve already _ordered_ it, and itā€™s one itā€™s _way_! I need something to look forward to in life to help make me An Irresistable Babe! This was my Last Chance! I should point out that I work primarily with straight women, and none of them are going to hit on me. I _did_ get told earlier that I look nice today, though I donā€™t think I look any different than I did yesterday, with the exception of wearing different clothes. Thereā€™s still hope. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/46 "2005-12-21T22:46:13Z")
One nagging question: if this is supposed to arouse either sex, then why doesnā€™t just wearing this stuff make me hornier than usual? ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/47 "2005-12-21T22:54:27Z")
The thing with pheromones, though, is that itā€™s all advertised to ā€œarouseā€, however, any actual studies done with these things shows the effects they actually have, which are subtle at best, are not supposed to ā€œmake you hornyā€. I used that in my OP, but I was being facetious. Pheromones are really only supposed to make people ā€œfriendlierā€. If I thought this stuff was going to turn everyone around me on, I wouldnā€™t be wearing it in public. :eek: I just want to see how much of a change really takes place in the people around me. Iā€™m not going to experiment with it any more until after the holidays. Mid-January, when people are trudging through rain and mush, will likely be a better time to give this stuff a whirl. As I mentioned, my husband hasnā€™t ravished me yet. But he sure does seem to think Iā€™m beautiful lately. Thatā€™s okay with me. šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![marque\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@marque\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marque_elf)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/48 "2005-12-22T19:01:34Z")
Q: How do you make a pheromone? A: Step on its foot.\* \*Please, stop me before I pun again. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/49 "2005-12-22T20:00:31Z")
Last nightā€™s experiment yielded mixed results. I ended up spending all my time in conversation with lots of people - no solo standing, fortunately. The ratio was about 2/1 women/men, but for about half the time I socialized with two men at the same time, so my personal ratio was pretty good, considering. But it was all chummy, no chemistry. My presence seemed to be entertaining but not particularly enticing. I doubt the stuff had any effect. Btw, Iā€™ve noticed that while itā€™s strong, it wears off really fast. ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/50 "2005-12-22T20:16:27Z")
> [@](#): > > However, this morning I went to do my usual grocery shopping, and this time, I slathered the stuff on thick. Phooo! Strong stuff. Before I left, my husband grabbed me, took a deep sniff, told me I smelled wonderful, then started in with that beautiful talk again. This only happens when I wear the pheromone stuff. Interesting. The cats, happily indoor warmth-worshipping cats, tried to follow me out the door. After holding off my family and getting safely out the door, I walked down the road to the local grocery store. I met several people along the way, and though I live in friendly Ballard, I usually donā€™t get much more than a tight smile and a nod at best, or no glance my way at all. Today? Every single person I met came near me and suddenly began smiling. One middle-aged man, a middle-aged lady, two young men who looked pretty surly otherwise, and a young girl with headphones. All of them, huge, friendly smiles, one nodded to me and began to whistle a tune as he walked away, the older lady gave me a hearty hello, and the young girl said, quite warmly, ā€œGood afternoon! How are you today?ā€ That was a little odd. Holiday spirit, perhaps? Maybe. Iā€™m tentative. > > The grocery store was more of the same, very friendly people, a man about my age stepped aside and gave me a huge ā€œafter youā€ flourish, with a bow (!), the man giving out cookie samples offered me the entire tray (almost jokingly, but then he said, ā€œno, here, take them! I have plenty more!ā€ as I began to walk away. No, I didnā€™t take them!) A lady who looked to be a few years older than me stopped me and told me I looked stunning - I was just wearing my old jeans, a T-shirt, and my pastel green and white fleece lined jacket. And old sneakers. Skechers, if it matters. My hair was unstyled and mostly hanging limp. The cashier was munching on some knd of candy coated Hersheyā€™s kisses, and as I went to leave, she held out the bag and asked if I would like to try some, and I refused, and then she said she didnā€™t mind, I looked like the ā€œcleanestā€ customer sheā€™d had all day - not sure what that meant! Maybe sheā€™d been dealing with many dirty people all day? > > Something was definitely different today. Iā€™m wary of chalking it up to the pheromones - itā€™s too close to the holidays to be sure. I got a few more big smiles and hellos on my way home, as well, but I discount those, because after that shopping trip, I, myself, was smiling pretty big, and Iā€™m sure it was infectious. > > It was certainly a very friendly day, anyway. This post really made me chuckle and crack a smile. It sounds like a cheesy Christmas movie! The image of all these people being so thoroughly friendly cracks me up. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/51 "2005-12-22T20:20:18Z")
> [@brightpenny](#): > > Btw, Iā€™ve noticed that while itā€™s strong, it wears off really fast. Ugh, really? Mine lingers for hours upon hours. If I take a shower when I wake up and then put it on, by the time I take my clothes off for bed, I still smell it, just as strong. I get used to the smell during the time I wear it, when when my clothes shift, I get a fresh whiff of the stuff, and it lets me know it hasnā€™t worn off of me one bit. I usually have to go take a shower again to get it all off. Iā€™m still getting the ā€œbeautifulā€ treatment from the husband. Could be just a coincidence that the day I started wearing the stuff, he decided to start a new trend of telling me how beautiful I am. It is kind of surprising to me that it only happens after heā€™s said, ā€œWow, you sure smell nice. Have I told you today how beautiful you are?ā€ And then only when he gets near me. He doesnā€™t say it from across the room. However, heā€™s not one to yell from one end of the apartment, ā€œHEY! SWEETHEART! YOUā€™RE LOOKING PRETTY TODAY!ā€ in the first place. So thatā€™s normal enough. šŸ˜ƒ I really donā€™t think this stuff is meant to turn people on, or make anyone horny. Seriously. Friendlier, perhaps. Itā€™s still too damn Christmas-y out there to find out for sure. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/52 "2005-12-22T20:21:49Z")
> [@brightpenny](#): > > Wait. Youā€™re a woman named Phall-something? Yep, P as in my middle name (which I used to go by years ago) and Hall as in my last name. 0106 as in January 6ā€“my birthday. How original, I know. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/53 "2005-12-22T20:25:53Z")
Day Two of wearing it to workā€“Iā€™m unusually happy again. It could be a variety of factors, though. In the next three days, Iā€™ve got a party where all my friends give me presents, a birthday, and my college roommate coming to visit. But I think this stuff is actually lifting my moodā€“I should be mad as hell at all the idiots calling me names because we donā€™t have an iPod to sell them three days before Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/54 "2006-01-02T01:52:28Z")
I havenā€™t worn the stuff since December 23. My husband and I have been having much, much more sex. However, the ā€œbeautifulā€ talk has stopped, perhaps coincidentally, since the day I stopped wearing it. Heā€™s back to saying, almost shyly, ā€œYouā€™re pretty.ā€ But no more ā€œYou are so beautiful!ā€ ā€œHave I told you how beautiful you are today?ā€ ā€œI was just sitting here noticing how beautiful you are.ā€ No more of that. ā€œYouā€™re pretty,ā€ he says. I will wear it once tomorrow and see if the beautiful comes back. Then not wear it for a week and seeā€¦ then wear it again once. This stuff is weird. I get laid more when Iā€™m pretty than when Iā€™m beautiful. šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/55 "2006-01-02T04:18:39Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > This stuff is weird. I get laid more when Iā€™m pretty than when Iā€™m beautiful. šŸ˜• Thatā€™s because beauty is skin-deep, but pretty is, well, pretty darned nice through and through. šŸ™‚ Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/56 "2006-01-11T15:48:23Z")
Mine came in the mail yesterday. Itā€™s a nice scent, fresh, subtle, friendly. Very wearable, not tacky at all. I guess I had the vague idea it would smell like unwashed armpits, or something. šŸ™‚ I like it myself, and I canā€™t hardly stop sniffing my wrist. My first impression is that my mood does seem to improve a bit when I smell it. The smell doesnā€™t last taht long though, just two/ three hours. Let the experiment beginā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/57 "2006-01-11T15:54:16Z")
[Wikipedia on pheromonesā€¦](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromones) ā€¦and a [link](http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/prsrelea/fy01/091.htm) to an article quoted on Wiki: > [@](#): > > SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2002 ā€” Womenā€™s perfume laced with synthetic pheromones acts as a sexual magnet and increases the sexual attractiveness of women to men, San Francisco State University researchers concluded in a study appearing in the current issue of the quarterly journal Physiology and Behavior. The study, the first of its kind in the world to independently test a sex attractant pheromone for women, showed that of the 36 women tested, 74 percent of those wearing their regular perfume with the pheromone saw an overall increase in three or more of the following sociosexual behaviors: frequency of kissing, heavy petting and affection, sexual intercourse, sleeping next to their partner, and formal dates with men. In contrast, only 23 percent of the women who had a placebo added to their perfume saw an increase in these sociosexual behaviors. Researchers conclude from these data that the pheromone users were more sexually attractive to men. ---
**Author:** ![Resist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Resist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Resist)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/58 "2006-01-11T18:34:08Z")
Am I losing my mind, or is this whole idea that you can increase the sexual attractiveness of women just gilding the lily? Since when do women need any improvement? ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400/59 "2006-02-09T21:30:25Z")
Iā€™ve been wearing the stuff again, and getting the same, minor reactions I was getting around Christmastime - my husband says Iā€™m beautiful often (and decided on a whim he was going to take me out to dinner tonight, even though Valentineā€™s Day _and_ our anniversary is next week and heā€™ll be taking me out then, too). At the grocery store, a man about my age gave me a big hug, because, he said, I looked ā€œcuddlyā€. One young fellow who was working at another store, stocking shelves, stopped and asked if I needed any help, which isnā€™t strange in and of itselfā€¦ but then he keptā€¦ following me around, and asking me if he could reach anything for me. He had a big goofy grin and looked like a puppy dog. I told him really, I was fine, and he just smiled and nodded, and said awkwardly, ā€œOkay. Because, you know, you can ask me for help anytime. Okay? Anytime.ā€ Yeeeah. Okay. It doesnā€™t work on everyone, and often doesnā€™t work quite as well as those top two examples. But I do notice more people being very friendly and talkative, men and women alike. When I donā€™t wear it, even if Iā€™m having a great day and Iā€™m smiling and saying hi to people all by myself, the reaction is not _nearly_ as positive as the days I am wearing it. And **Resist** , not all women are so attractive that men just automatically fall at their feet. Now that Iā€™ve been out and about, there are a few Dopers who could vouch for my normal-to-dismal looks - okay, without bashing myself, they could at least tell you Iā€™m not a particularly striking girl. Certainly not worth a second look on the street. I didnā€™t wear my pheromones the night I went to pub trivia, and no bar patrons were falling over themselves to buy me a drink. In fact, I _owe_ **Cervaise** a buck. šŸ˜ƒ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-pheromone-experiment/335400.md?page=2)