Olfactory memory is said to evoke the most memories in humans, more than any other sense. Indeed, our sense of smell can remind us of a memory associated with childhood or a former romantic partner. The smell of a comforting dish or an intoxicating fragrance can take us back to the past for a few seconds, because our brain has associated the scent with a specific, and often happy, moment in our lives.
Without us realizing it, smell also has a very strong connection to love. In fact, it is believed to influence even our choice of partner, and pheromones are largely responsible. Pheromones result from a mixture of substances produced by exocrine glands, which are capable of secreting certain substances outside the body. In doing so, they trigger specific behaviors between individuals, who feel a stronger attraction toward some people than others. Pheromones therefore play an important role in human sexuality... just as they do in animals!
Although the scent each person gives off is very powerful, it is nevertheless not significantly perceptible. No need to worry... you do not give off any particular scent capable of attracting or repelling others. Everyone therefore has their own olfactory signature, which is, in a way, part of their DNA.
Certain clearly perceptible scents help increase our own sexual desire and cause us to release pheromones. Our partner's skin, putting on a shirt that still smells of their fragrance, the particular and unique smell of their sex, and even the smell of the sheets after having had sex. These unconscious mechanisms cause us to release more pheromones, which can increase our partner's desire without them realizing it.
And while men are sensitive and responsive to pheromones, women apparently are even more so. A partner's appearance and intelligence are certainly not negligible, but for most of you women, a man who gives off more pheromones will be more attractive. An aroused man would be unconsciously more perceptible to a woman and therefore more attractive. Conversely, menopausal women give off fewer and fewer pheromones, with the result that, unconsciously, a majority of men would be more attracted to women who are still fertile.
Obviously, pheromones are secreted by our bodies in a completely imperceptible way. In this way, they influence, without our knowledge, the desire we feel for a person and naturally steer us toward certain types of partners rather than others. Admit it: you will never smell things quite the same way again!
