# The Scent of Arousal **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 8, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360 "2003-09-08T19:36:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/1 "2003-09-08T19:36:03Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=209597), I made a comment which has caused me to wonder how universal my observation is. > [@](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed, and would like to follow up on, is that I become a great deal more aware of a woman’s perfume if she’s aroused. Several times, I have been out with the ladies, and inexplicably have become aware of Ms. X’s perfume-du-jour, only to study her and her behaviour, and determine that she was “in heat,” to be crass about it. (Caveat: these have been girlfiends of long standing, whom I know well. It would be a tricky indicator if you don’t know your lady.) > > For what it’s worth, the perfume thing also works with men and their cologne. If for no particular reason, you become aware of a companion’s scent (as opposed to BO), watch them. Odds are good they’re in the mood. Has anyone else noticed, primarily (but not exclusively) when out in public, whether they can smell “the mood” on people in their immediate vicinity? ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/2 "2003-09-08T19:53:06Z")
Kind of the opposite, for me. I am more sensitive to other people’s smells when _I’m_ in the mood. It’s also related to ovulation, I think: certain times of the month are more sensitive. Also the birth control pill makes me less sensitive. (One summer evening I walked down a residential street and could smell the insides of the houses I passed - cooking smells, air fresheners, etc. I can’t wait to go off the pill again, it was amazing !) There was one lovely bus ride I spent sitting next to this guy who smelled amaaaaaaaaazing - not perfume or deodorant or usual boy-smells, but something unnameable and absolutely intoxicating. I would have followed him off the bus and pulled him into the bushes, but I had to meet someone. oh, regrets … ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/3 "2003-09-08T22:20:59Z")
What **cowgirl** says goes for me as well–with the possible subtraction of the ovulation relation part, only because I’ve never had my menstrual cycle have much effect on anything. But I notice an increased acuteness in the senses (but particularly smell), when I’m in the mood. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/4 "2003-09-09T02:27:11Z")
I don’t know about detecting mood. But I sure do know about the scent of a woman’s ability to _change_ a mood! Damn powerful stuff, smell! I mean it, there are moments that I’ve wanted to change direction and follow somone just because of their aroma. When I was much younger a friend of a girl I knew visited the area, we all hung out together. I swear I fell in love with the girl because of the perfume she was wearing ! (she was pant-wettingly gorgeous too, but the smell is by far the most potent memory) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/5 "2003-09-09T02:34:36Z")
Well I’ll Be. I just remembered her name. Karly Ivens. She often wore big baggy jumpers, which in hindsight I suspect was to hide some embarrasingly (for her) large breasts. Long smooth thick brown hair. Slightly crossed eyes that screamed sex. A manic laugh. That smell.!!! **Sinshine** I blame you for this! ---
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/6 "2003-09-09T03:50:42Z")
**Lobsang** I have strong shoulders, I can take it. The rest of you are alarming me. My theory was that my acute sense of smell indicated to me, when others were horny. Not that it flipped **my** switch. I don’t recall _my_ being aroused when noticing others scenting off like that … ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/7 "2003-09-09T04:00:51Z")
The smell of a freshly showered male is very pleasing, not the smell of his shampoo or soap… just the smell of him. Sorry, went off on a tangent, oops! I blame Lobsang!! ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/8 "2003-09-09T11:31:25Z")
My first boyfriend smelled like, just, oh, I don’t know, it was amazing! Kind of powdery and sweet – not a deodorant and he thought cologne was icky. It was just his smell, and it used to get stronger at certain times 🙂 I can still remember the wonderful smell. Still makes me all confuzzleded! ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/9 "2003-09-09T15:21:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*Well I’ll Be. I just remembered her name. Karly Ivens. > She often wore big baggy jumpers, which in hindsight I suspect was to hide some embarrasingly (for her) large breasts. > Long smooth thick brown hair. Slightly crossed eyes that screamed sex. A manic laugh. That smell.!!! > **Sinshine** I blame you for this! \*\* **Lobsang** ; memory is very closely associated with sense of smell. Weird, huh? My husband says he remembers quite clearly the way my hair smelled the first time he hugged me. BTW, **Sinshine** , if you are shedding happy pheromones yourself, you’re very likely to notice someone close by doing the same thing. :sigh: I love it…even chemistry is all about sex. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/10 "2003-09-09T22:06:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*When I was much younger a friend of a girl I knew visited the area, we all hung out together. I swear I fell in love with the girl because of the perfume she was wearing ! (she was pant-wettingly gorgeous too, but the smell is by far the most potent memory) \*\* [The limbic system](http://members.aol.com/nonverbal3/limbic.htm) is in charge of our most basic emotions and is also tied to the olfactory nerves. When you get a sniff of something the memories associated with it can come back with a rush that just about knocks you over. It isn’t necessarily sexual, but what is more basic than that? About a year after my wife died died, I was going through things and opened a carton of her clothing she’d packed for Goodwill that never made it there. These were washed clothes but there was enough of _her_ in them I had to stop for a while. DD ---
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/11 "2003-09-10T05:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Maureen \* > \*\*BTW, **Sinshine** , if you are shedding happy pheromones yourself, you’re very likely to notice someone close by doing the same thing. :sigh: I love it…even chemistry is all about sex. \*\* Okay, I knew that pheromones were tied in somehow, but I have never claimed to “get” biology, or chemistry, or biochemistry or :o high school science. So, do I understand this correctly, that if I’m putting out these pheromones, that I will be that much more aware of whomever else is, whether they are male or female? Or is this how to explain everyone else’s reaction of “that smell turned me on”? :rolleyes: I’m such a freak. ---
**Author:** ![Fatwater\_Fewl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4491bb/32.png) [@Fatwater\_Fewl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fatwater_Fewl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/12 "2003-09-10T06:49:36Z")
I’ve noticed that a few women I’ve known intimately carried a faint scent on their breath when they were aroused which was somehow like both juniper and fresh corn. Very pleasant and very apt to flip my switch. As for myself, I’ve been told (more than once) that I have a natural scent which is very appealing. Was never able to get a “smells like”, though. Damnit. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/13 "2003-09-10T17:14:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sinshine \* > \*\*Okay, I knew that pheromones were tied in somehow, but I have never claimed to “get” biology, or chemistry, or biochemistry or :o high school science. > So, do I understand this correctly, that if I’m putting out these pheromones, that I will be that much more aware of whomever else is, whether they are male or female? > Or is this how to explain everyone else’s reaction of “that smell turned me on”? > :rolleyes: I’m such a freak. \*\* Stop, you’re not a freak. I think it’s cool that you noticed this. Yes, if you are predisposed (in the mood), you are much more receptive to those pheromones that men/other women are putting out. And, just as there are pheromones that smell “right” to you, there are some that will smell “wrong.” To take it one step further: Consider Las Vegas. Gambling, high energy, lots of excitement, tension…pheromone action like crazy. You’d have to be trying awfully hard not to feel it. There’s a reason behind all those drive thru wedding chapels. ---
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-scent-of-arousal/200360/14 "2003-09-12T03:03:04Z")
Point taken. And for a moment thee I thought I had seriously misinterpreted my own motivations …