Love at first whiff

Sniffing armpit stains of dry t-shirts at a ‘Pheromone Party’ is the new way for singles to mingle. Gross or kinky? Melissa D’costa finds out more
Love at first sight may sound cliché and overrated to people who want logic and reasoning to dictate their every move, and that’s where a ‘pheromone party’ can play cupid to that practical side. The Pseudoscientific phenomenon is based on the premise that our brains
pump happy, loving chemicals when we pick up the scent of a good genetic match.Put to test by a southern California woman in Los Angeles, who decided to explore the idea by organising parties where singles choose dates based on scent.
A peek into a ‘pheromone party’
Buy a plain white cotton T-shirt, wear it for three days, register on the site, and put the T-shirt in a ziplock bag. At the venue of the party, bags are labelled pink for girls, and blue for boys. Each bag is assigned a number. Only the guest knows what their shirt’s number
is. Bags are placed on a table. Guests smell the bags at their leisure throughout the party. If a guest finds the smell attractive, they take a picture with the bag at a photographer station. These pictures are projected as a slide show on the wall at the party. If you see a
picture of a guest you find attractive holding your number, this is the green light to talk to them. At the end of the party, an online album is created on a popular networking site, and all of the pictures are tagged. So, if you missed your match at the party, you can still contact them.
Does it smell like romance?
Dipti Bhatnagar, a call centre executive, says, “Honestly with each passing day, the way to meeting potential dates is becoming more absurd. While I get that they may be some reasoning behind the concept, the idea grosses me out. I would still prefer the traditional
way of getting to know a person by meeting them in person, rather than subject my nose to stinky armpit odour.”
Aaliya Roy, a fashion consultant, adds, “It seems like a blind date taken to another level altogether. While it may sound a little weird to others, this idea sounds like fun to me. I would love to see what sort of people I get attracted to, through this wacky process. In most cases, we connect with a person on a physical level. I get attracted to men who smell good, so I would love to find out what changes if I am a guest at a party like this. ”
What the experts say...
Dr Parul Tank, consultant psychiatrist, says, “Smell is the first instinct that humans register. Leaning on pheromones to find a partner is similar to an animals trying to find his/her mate. There have been a number of studies done that show that women find odours/smells of certain men attractive and this is related to getting a mate who is
genetic ally compatible. However, it is difficult to verify these studies. Also studies have been done, as to how women find certain odours pleasant depending on whether they are ovulating. However, it is hard to convince people of this concept and even harder to accept the notion of these parties. We have evolved as humans, and since our thinking brain is stronger than our olfactory brain, it’s only fair that we look at other human qualities when we search for a partner. This is because we are not only looking for ‘breeding’ but also to spend our life together with someone.”
Psychiatrist, Anjali Chhabria, adds, “Pheromone parties’ gives singles an opportunity to socialise till one discovers the smell that one finds attractive and sensuous. The concept does not seem very appealing as there are a lot of factors that distinguishes human
beings from animals. Sex is not an act just to satisfy our sexual instinct but also for the purpose of satisfying our emotional needs. And the above concept directly points to our basic animal instinct.”
Pros and cons of this dating trend according to Chhabria
The only pro of using pheromones to decide on a partner could be ona sexual level. Pheromones can definitely help choose a good sexual partner and satisfy your physical needs. This may also somewhere fall under the ‘one-night stand’ category as there may be attraction but there is no guarantee of whether it can be a relationship. Thus people
who are looking for sexual attraction, can benefit from such a concept.
The cons of such a setting are that sexual intimacy cannot always promise emotional bonding. If one wants a partner to have a long stable relationship, such a concept cannot be the deciding factor, as a lot of aspects of one’s personality need to be compatible too.
melissa.dcosta@timesgroup.com