Have you ever had a night where you've changed outfits ten times before heading out the door (and weren't even satisfied with the final choice)? Or worse, have you cancelled a date because you just didn't feel attractive in any way shape or form that day? Ah, the perils of being a woman… most of us have felt this way in varying degrees at one time or another. Sometimes, the hardest part of dating is feeling that your imperfections will be your downfall - and it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But have we got news for you!
The next time the dreaded wheel of what-to-wear-when-you're-feeling-less-than-gorgeous brings you down, stick to a standby that makes you feel comfortable and change something else - your scent!
In one study, researchers at The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago found that, men rated women (as shown to them in photos) as more attractive, intelligent, successful and trustworthy when looked at in the presence of both cinnamon and lavender aromas. Intrigued by this information, one researcher decided to look further into the effects of smell on perception. His team then sprayed an overweight woman with a different fragrance each day and asked men to guess her weight. Most perfumes had no effect. But when she wore a spicy-floral fragrance, men perceived her to be as much as 12 pounds lighter than she actually was!
The reasoning behind this - how a scent can have a slenderizing effect - is a mystery, though the researcher in charge of the study has several theories including that the smell puts men in a good mood and that the fragrance may be sexually appealing. But whatever the mechanism, he concedes that what's important isn't how slender someone appears, but the self-esteem boost it provides.
"If a woman feels she's being viewed as slim, she may feel more confident and be more likely to socialize and attract men."
Unfortunately for me, according to the study, guys hoping to disguise a beer belly are out of luck. Women's perceptions of weight weren't fooled by fragrance. Probably because they're so good at estimating their own weights!
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