Pheromones are chemical signals one animal gives off that change how another of its kind responds, often to attract a mate. In fragrance, lab-made copies of compounds the human body produces are added to colognes and perfumes because they are believed to help the wearer attract the opposite sex.
Here is how pheromones work in animals, what the research says about people, and how to wear a pheromone cologne.
What pheromones are
Pheromones are chemical signals released by one member of a species that can influence the behavior or responses of another. The word comes from the Greek pherein, meaning “to carry.”
In many animals, those signals are specific enough that researchers can isolate a compound and show a consistent response: trail-following, mating, territory, bonding. That is the version most people have in mind.
Humans are a harder case. Scent clearly matters. First impressions, comfort, and that hard-to-name sense of “chemistry” often include smell. Whether any single compound works as a true human pheromone, the way insect pheromones do, is still debated.
How a pheromone cologne works
A pheromone cologne or unscented spray adds laboratory-created compounds to a fragrance, or to a fragrance-free base. The idea is that those compounds, worn on skin at conversation distance, may add a subtle layer to how you are perceived, or to how you feel wearing them.
The compounds most often named in this category include androstadienone, androstenone, alpha-androstenol, and beta-androstenol. Researchers have studied them for decades for their possible role in attraction.
The compounds in our bottles are not taken from people or animals. Our formulas come from a specialist pheromone lab with more than 28 years of research and synthesis behind it. Each compound is made to match the one the human body produces, then purified, and every finished formula goes through lab analysis to keep it consistent from batch to batch.
Do pheromone colognes work?
This is the question behind the reviews, the Reddit threads, and “does it work” autocomplete.
Pheromone compounds are believed to help the wearer attract the opposite sex, and many people wear them for exactly that reason. How much one does for you is something only wearing it will tell you. Think of a pheromone cologne as a subtle addition to your presence, not a replacement for it.
What people more often describe is quieter:
- Feeling more confident, relaxed, or socially at ease
- Small shifts in how an interaction feels: a little more ease or engagement
Many people choose pheromone-infused fragrances for the way they make them feel. If you carry yourself with more ease, other people can respond to that.
What we can point to is what buyers actually say. There are more than 1,400 verified buyer ratings on our eBay storefront, 98% of them positive, and there are more than 100 unsolicited customer stories published unedited on our Success Stories page. Nobody was asked to write those.
The simplest way to know is to wear one. That is what our 60-day satisfaction guarantee is for.
Scented or unscented
Scented and unscented versions use the same pheromone-related blend. Choose scented for an all-in-one fragrance; choose unscented to layer under cologne or perfume you already wear.
Men: Max Attraction GOLD ($64.90, scented) or Max Attraction Unscented ($58.55). All men’s sprays: For Men.
Women: Max Attraction Silk ($64.90, scented) or Max Attraction Unscented ($58.55). All women’s sprays: For Women.
There is also Aware ($46.50), a unisex blend dosed lighter, for business and social occasions rather than dates.
Pick the one you would actually wear.
Scented is a fragrance you wear on its own. Unscented goes under the cologne or perfume you already own. Aware is unscented too, unisex and dosed lighter, for business and social occasions rather than dates.
Every one of these is covered by the same 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
How to wear them
We suggest two to three sprays to the sides of your neck or the inside of your wrists, on clean, dry skin, while you get ready. Let it dry without rubbing it in. With an unscented bottle, put it on first and your usual cologne or perfume over it. Our guide on how to use pheromone cologne covers timing, placement and layering.
Common questions
What do pheromones in a cologne actually do?
They are believed to help the wearer attract the opposite sex, and many people wear one for the confidence they feel wearing it. They work alongside your own presence, not instead of it.
Are these human-derived?
No. They are made in a lab to match compounds the human body produces. Nothing in the formula is taken from people or animals.
Will people know I am wearing them?
The blends are meant to be discreet. If someone notices anything, it usually registers as a light personal scent, not as “pheromones.”
What if it is not right for me?
Wear it for up to 60 days. If it is not right for you, send it back for a refund of the product price. U.S. orders ship free by USPS.
Who you are buying from
Luvessentials has sold pheromone-infused products under the same name for over 25 years. That is unusual in this category, where brands tend to appear, sell hard for a season, and disappear. Three things you can check for yourself:
- A 60-day satisfaction guarantee, stated in full. Wear it for up to 60 days, and if it is not right for you, send it back for a refund of the product price. Shipping is not refunded and return postage is yours. Orders of $180.00 or more before discounts carry a 25% return processing fee. Read the guarantee.
- More than 1,400 verified buyer ratings on our eBay storefront, 98% of them positive. They sit on our eBay storefront, on a marketplace we do not own and cannot edit.
- More than 100 unsolicited customer stories, published unedited on our Success Stories page. Nobody was asked to write them.
It is a long track record, and a lot of people who bought something, used it and chose to say something afterwards. We would rather you weigh that yourself than take our word for it.
Shop the current catalog
The full current lineup. Every one of these is covered by the same 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
For men
- Max Attraction GOLD for Men, $64.90
- Max Attraction for Men, Unscented, $58.55
- IMPI Red, $60.00
- Edge Man, $46.00
- NPA Touch for Men, $41.00
For women
- Max Attraction Silk for Women, $64.90
- Max Attraction for Women, Unscented, $58.55
- TRUST, $69.00
- Edge Woman, $46.00
- NPA Touch for Women, $41.00
Unisex
- Aware Confidence Enhancer, $46.50