New York City is home to some of the most bizarre, entertaining “trends” in the world… we’re responsible for creating the dance style called popping, home to the most terrifying acts of terrorism ever, and also to legendary music artists.
But perhaps the most interesting one as of late, are “pheromone parties”.
Perfumes and colognes have endured through many centuries, from the ancient Egyptians, all the way to current times. It was once a luxury afforded only to the most royal, but is now an everyday part of life in most people’s daily routine.
Apart from smelling pleasant, some people use fragrance to make positive impressions on other people, get the attention of men or women, or simply just to stand out from the crowd.
But what is it about certain “smells” that can either attract or repel us from other people?
Different types of scent can mean many different things. For example, half baked cookies, the smell of freshly cut grass, or maybe even a forest after it’s rained. Some smells are instantly recognizable, some are pleasant, some aren’t. Scents are also a powerful, primal part of our being, that can invoke memories and emotions that we might have thought were long forgotten in the past.
Over the last few years, “pheromones” have been gaining ground among fragrance enthusiasts as a new way to make positive impressions on other people. Some people use them for attracting men or women, for raising their “social status”, or even coming across as more dominant than they actually are.
Sure, it sounds a little far-fetched – but there is actually scientific evidence to back these type of reactions up. For example, in a study conducted by the University of Chicago, women exposed to a pheromone called “androstadienone” were reported to rate men approximately 10% more attractive. There are other pheromones that have been studied extensively, such as androstenone, and androstenol.
Even more interesting is that larger cosmetics and perfume/cologne manufacturers are starting to take an interest in exploring this idea. The large amount of skepticism remains, mainly due to the way it has been advertised in the past, and sometimes even recently – in shady back-page magazines, nightclub lavatories, and even some outrageous TV commercials making claims of “instant attraction”.
During our research into this phenomena, we discovered that there is a growing community that tests these types of products in depth. There are well known scams in the industry, but also a handful of vendors that are claimed to be legitimate for a large number of people.
At the same time, we became of a pervasive trend that seems to be taking up this space. Hype. Hype for mediocre or products that are complete scams, such as Pherazone. Pherazone has also been responsible for creating utter nonsense, such as fake news reports claiming how effective their products are.
Here is Garry, an enthusiast and vendor behind the highly acclaimed Liquid Alchemy Labs. He is according to one of our contributors, one of the best pheromone oil and spray formulators currently on the market.
To explore this idea further, we caught up with a veteran, who goes by the alias “PheroJoe”.
We asked him about pheromones, as well as how they , how they work, and how fragrances can produce (what seem to be anyway), unrealistic effects on other people.
“Pheromones are a new concept, yes – but that doesn’t mean they only just came out recently. Naturally, all mammals produce them – ants use them to create food trails, birds use them to hunt for food, cats and dogs use them as a way to associate their owners. Human beings are no different – pheromones are produced on the skin, and can instantly, subconsciously tell others about us. Information like our age, health, gender, sociability, etc. Sure, there are unscrupulous product vendors out there that make ridiculous claims – but there are a few vendors that produce quality products which create a huge variety of effects. No, they won’t make people do anything they don’t want to do – but they can create a huge impact on other peoples perception of you – which is, for the most part what pheromones are capable of. And that’s still extremely powerful.”
While the skepticism from some scientists, as well as the general public surrounding this industry remains, we can’t deny that it’s a fascinating idea that seems to be taking off. Scientists have also uncovered a pheromone called DHEA, which is supposedly the top link in the chain of pheromones.
In fact, there are “pheromone parties” popping up in major cities all over the globe – places like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Australia, and even as far as New Zealand. The idea behind these types of parties is to exchange clothing that has been “worn in” for several days, and to pass it around for people to sniff. When 2 people like eachothers natural scent, they are then introduced.
Gimmick or not, it will certainly be an interesting and entertaining trend to keep an eye on.
That’s why we’re hosting our very own pheromone party on the 30th of August, 2016 – we’re sending our flyers and organizing a mailing list – so be sure to sign up!
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