525 THE ROLE OF PERSONAL SCENT
found that fertile, regularly cycling lap dancers made about $20 more in tips per hour than
when nonfertile, and about $35 more in tips per hour than when menstruating!2 There are
numerous studies that tell us that men find women more attractive when they are fertile,
for instance.3 Juette and Grammer asked a group of men to rate pictures of females for
attractiveness while having them exposed to female pheromones or to a nonpheromone
control.4 While unknowingly being exposed to vaginal pheromones, the men rated the
same females as being more attractive than they felt when they were not exposed to the
pheromones.
It might be of interest to learn that women who are using the contraceptive pill choose
men with immunity genes similar to their own, as opposed to naturally cycling women,
who choose men with immunity genes different from their own (and mating with an
individual with different immunity genes is evolutionarily beneficial). In addition, the
use of hormonal contraceptives reduces the production of copulin and its fluctuations. As
we said above, copulin is a blend of aliphatic acids (acetic, propionic, butyric, isovaleric,
isocaproic) usually present in vaginal fluids of healthy women.5
One study even proposed that this phenomenon could have downstream effects on the
health of future children6 and lap dancers who were using hormonal contraceptives
received in tips about $80 dollars less per shift than dancers that did not use oral hormonal
contraceptives.2 This supports what we know about how the human olfactory system picks
up on pheromones and subconsciously uses them to interpret attractiveness.
POSSIBLE APPLICATION OF THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH
The conclusion is that Homo sapiens is an efficient receiver and sender of chemical signals
like all species with an active olfactory communication system.7 From these studies it can
be inferred that it is important to maintain the release of the molecules that constitute
the chemical signature of fertility and immune response, that might well be weakened
or altered by the use of hormonal contraception in females and by the use of deodorants
fragrances and the excessive cleaning of one’s skin in males.
It appears therefore possible to add to fragrances or other personal care products, molecules
able to mimic the ones released by fertile women to maintain their attractiveness or the
ones released by males that are recognized as stimulating by women even when they are
using hormonal contraception.
Experiments in this sense have been performed, for instance by Friebely and Rako.8 They
reported that the addition of female pheromones to common perfume increased the sexual
attraction of postmenopausal women. This effect was assessed by documenting behavioral
changes in their contemporary partners. Other experiments have shown that adult males
exposed to a female pheromone-mimetic substance do produce more testosterone than
unexposed controls, and this effect is amplified by physical exercise.9
Male and female pheromones can be synthesized following routine chemical reactions.
Since in cosmetics the use of hormones is prohibited or controversial, two molecules of a
nonhormonal nature were studied. These molecules were selected because they reproduce
respectively the typical effects of female pheromones as well as of male pheromones.
Originally, both molecules were synthesized in 1978 as osmostenicizing steroids, that is,
steroids which can enhance olfactory stimuli. They were later reconstituted with specific

526 JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE
osmostenicizing elements identified in human-specific acidophilic microflora cultures.
Both exert their function at the subliminal level and therefore should be included in target
products in minimal amounts so to remain below the threshold of perception.
The olfactory signals released by the woman change with her fertility status and the
woman’s perception by the man varies accordingly. The positive perception of women
by men can be maintained by providing the woman personal care products that contain
female pheromones. These pheromones will be sustainably released overtime by the woman
and will generate a constant olfactory signal. It has been handed down that this was already
understood by the women of the Middle Ages who used their vaginal fluids to perfume
their cheeks.
The woman exposed to male pheromones is more confident, less confused, less depressed,
and less angry and is therefore in an ideal state to react positively to any type of human
interaction. These observations have been confirmed in a double-blind study carried out
for five months between 2000 and 2001 with 26 stable heterosexual couples having lived
together for at least five years, aged between 25 and 45, in good general health conditions,
not under drug treatment, who did commit not to change their lifestyle habits.10–16 The
synthetic substitutes of male and female human pheromones or their placebos were added
to a moisturizing emulsion and to a deodorant gel. Males received either placebos (P) or
products with male pheromone MP, and females received either placebo (P) or products
with female pheromones (FP). They were applied on skin areas daily, once, or more often,
according to the free choice of the participants. The test was carried out between October
and February in order to avoid the influence of pollen and other products such as solar
products that could affect the results. Every month the applied product was changed. The
chronology of application was:
1 2nd 3 4th st rd month P/P month P/MF month FP/MP month: :::F P month P/P /:5th
The aim of the research was to verify if, and to what extent, the two substitutes constitute
and enhance the natural osmostenicizing compound in a pheromonic sense. The results
show that the substances used had a remarkable effect when they were simultaneously
administered to both members of the couple. As a matter of fact, the interpersonal
relationship within a couples, assessed according to the positive evaluation of the partner’s
scent seems to be increase in the month when the male partner applies male pheromones,
and the female partner applies female pheromones. The positive effect of balanced overload
therefore confirms that well-balanced pairs are normally in pheromonal harmony.
CONCLUSION
Olfactory signals are an integral and fundamental part of our existence. The examples
could be dozens, from the interaction and recognition of the mother-baby, to the increase
or decrease of fertility, to the alignment of the menstrual period between isolated women
living together.
The supplement of pheromone-mimetic substances, when properly operated, has shown to
be of support in both sexes being able to contribute to an improvement on an individual
and collective basis in terms of mood, acceptance, relationship, and emotional.