Skipping showers is the latest trend. But is there any science to ‘pheromone maxxing’?

Experts say washing and deodorant beat ‘pheromone maxxing’ for attracting mates. Photo / 123rf

Across parts of the internet where young men trade tips on self-improvement, the latest project is scent. Deodorant is out and washing less is in.

These “stinkfluencers” promise that the right aroma will work wonders on attracting a mate.

But while humans can find smells pleasant, or malodorous, or something in between, there’s no evidence we can detect and respond to pheromones, let alone produce one.

Many animals communicate with pheromones, often around sex or marking territory. The problem is what happens when you look for the same sensory hardware in humans.

A pheromone is a chemical messenger made inside the body of one member of a species, such as a cat, that’s secreted or excreted and reliably produces a response in another member of that same species.