Woody fragrances to attract women

For both men and women, genes determine the reactions to different perfumes. Nevertheless, woody scents are what most women like best on men.
By Silvia Manzoni . 08/06/01

What smell will trigger a woman's attraction to a man? The answer is in the genes.
A study conducted by professors Manfred Milinski of the Max Planck Institute for Limnology in Plön, Germany and Claus Wedekind of the University of Edinburgh, shows that our genotype makes us seek out partners whose smell is different from our own.

The explanation: the two researchers tried to find out if there was a correlation between the two genes that control our immune system's proteins and, consequently, our body odor and olfactory taste. The answer was unequivocal. Participants in the test showed their preference for smells (and thus for fragrances) that were closest to their own. In other words, it would seem that we choose a perfume not to cover up our own smell, but rather to amplify it. The opposite phenomenon occurs in regards to attraction to the opposite sex.
According to the same researchers, women are attracted to men with a different olfactory "heritage", and vice versa.

Sensuous and reassuring, woody scents are in

Out of all the components of men's fragrance that appeal to women, woody scents are the ones they like most. Whether it is sandalwood, cedar wood or cherry wood, this olfactive family pleases the female sense of smell thanks to the warmth it exhales. Woody fragrances are the ones that best express a charming, comforting virility that has nothing to do with the somewhat out-dated "macho" concept. Subtle and elegant, these fresh and sensuous colognes strike women's fancy by reflecting a reassuring image of an attractive man they can lean on.
The researchers realized that wood conveys the idea of a tree: sturdy and stable.

Fragrance creators took the research on seductive scents further and added a hint of spice to enhance the woody note and give it a more exotic accent. Exciting and dependable: modern men's fragrances aim to please... women.