The connection between scent and attraction, explained

Promotional feature with BOSS The Scent

When it comes to connecting with someone on a deeply sensual level, could finding the perfect partner mean simply sniffing out the right match?

Come on, as blissfully easy as that sounds, establishing a meaningful and emotional connection with someone special takes more than an app or algorithm.

Despite living in an age that's becoming increasingly reliant on digital interaction, the hopeless romantic within us wants to believe that pure love is based on chemistry. Crossing paths with someone unexpected, or a chance encounter that's left you breathless. These indescribable attractions cannot be replicated, especially via social media.

So, rather than becoming a slave to the swipe, dating experts are now suggesting that singletons rely more on their instinctual emotions and attractions. Why? Because harnessing the power of our senses – AKA augmented sensuality – may well be the key to truly connecting with those around us.

Of all the senses, scent is particularly powerful – and only works through real-life interaction. We all know certain fragrances can evoke powerful emotions and memories, but you might be surprised to hear that scent triggers a response faster than a thought, making it the heart of instinctive attraction and desire.

Recent studies have suggested that our own natural odour and signature fragrance is key when attracting a mate. In fact, a staggering 75% of our emotions are triggered by what we smell* – proof that smells like freshly washed sheets or a favourite perfume, push our unique pleasure buttons.

Think about it. An alluring scent ignites and heightens the senses, making romantic interaction, however brief (hello, gorgeous tube stranger) so much more intense and electric. It’s a spark that certainly doesn’t happen if you’re spending your entire lunch break trawling through dating profiles. It’s no wonder that people are beginning to look beyond the screen to face-to-face interaction.

Hayley Quinn, a 31-year-old romance guru who has almost 100k YouTube subscribers and hosts regular all-day ‘renegade’ group training sessions for women, agrees that a growing number of people she meets are hoping to disconnect in order to truly connect.

‘I’ve been doing this for 10 years now and already I’ve seen a shift,’ Hayley says. ‘People are going on endless strings of dates, which are often unfulfilling and unrewarding.’

Not only is meeting the right person through dating apps exhausting, but there’s a prevalence of online behaviours such as ghosting (disappearing without a trace), orbiting (similar to ghosting) and breadcrumbing (leading someone on).

While these behaviours are not specific to the digital age, when you add to this the huge social media footprint left behind when a relationship breaks down, Hayley acknowledges that it’s often difficult to detach ourselves from the digital space.

That’s why we have to get back to basics and make real-life, sensory connections the starting point.

When it comes to romance, smell reigns supreme, so try wearing a fragrance that exudes femininity and seductiveness, such as BOSS The Scent. Honeyed peach and freesia make for a head-turning combination that will engage and intrigue, whereas notes of irresistible roasted cocoa add an addictive boost, arousing the senses even further.

And if you want to know more about the power of augmented sensuality, watch the tantalising encounters between Jamie Dornan and Dutch model Birgit Kos in the new BOSS The Scent ad. It’s a stunning reveal of the non-verbal signs that signal intense attraction, from smouldering looks to barely touching hands.

Whatever scent she’s wearing, trust us you want it…

*Source: The Scent-It Palette, August 2014