News
Briefly
Calendar of Events
Commentary
Opinions
Sports
Diversions
World News
Classifieds
Login
Letter Submission
Search
Archive
Publishing Policy
Mail Subscriptions
St. Cloud State University
College Publisher
Home
>
Diversions
Scent can provide extra juice
By Sally Kane
Published:
Monday, November 8, 2004
Do you ever wish you had that extra edge that would help make you more interesting to the opposite sex?
Do you ever get frustrated because that other person seems to always get the guy or girl? You know you are just as good as him or her. Perhaps that person has a something that you don't know about, and maybe that something is a certain smell.
Although the human sense of smell is feeble compared to that of many animals, it is still very important. Humans can recognize thousands of different smells.
Smell is not just a biological and psychological experience, it is also a social and cultural phenomenon. The positive emotional effects of pleasant fragrances affect our perceptions of other people.
In scientific experiments, subjects exposed to pleasant fragrances tend to give higher "attractiveness ratings" to people in photographs. If the person is just "average" looking, a pleasant fragrance will tip the balance of our evaluation in his or her favor.
So while the beautiful models used to advertise perfumes and colognes probably have no use for the fragrances they are paid to endorse, the rest of us ordinary mortals might well benefit from a spray or two of something pleasant.
The effect a smell has on us depends very much on the way it is presented. If you were lost, cold, wet and hungry in the middle of a forest, the smell of wood smoke would be most welcoming to you. You would go towards the source expecting warmth and possibly even food. Yet in a movie theatre or out to dinner with your guy or girl, the smell of wood smoke would be more likely to inspire a panic attack. Also, guys who believe that their "macho" sweaty body-odor is attractive to women are only cutting themselves short, while deluding themselves.
Jamie Brist, a sales associate at Bath and Body Works, said both male and female fragrance industry's have been booming.
"The current aromatherapy-boom in pop culture indicates a similar revival of interest in the powers of perfume," Brist said. "Once aromatherapy was regarded as hippie, new-age mumbo jumbo, (but) aromatherapy is now respectably mainstream."
Some other fragrances that are top department store sellers this season are Gucci's Rush and Ralph Lauren's Blue for women.
Gucci's Rush is a newer fragrance that gives off a spicy floral, oriental fragrance with a sultry attitude, while Ralph Lauren's Blue is a relaxing and confident scent that gives off a sheer and refreshing aroma. Also,Victoria Secret's Divine, by the Angel's collection, is a favorite smell this season as well.
For the guys, some of the best sellers this season are Issey Miyake's collection, Romance by Ralph Lauren and Joop.
Erica Stradlund, a fourth-year student at SCSU who works in fragrances at Marshall Fields said price really shouldn't be a factor.
"These fragrances, especially the men's, are spendy, but that is still not a good excuse to not smell bad," said Stradlund. "Some more affordable fragrances for the college student on a budget or anyone for that matter are Curve and Lucky You by Lucky for the guys. For the girls, Celine Dion and Vanilla Fields are great scents that don't cost as much and will still keep you smelling good."
It is a fragrant world that we live in today. Celebrate your senses by purchasing something pleasant smelling. It might even pull you out of those crappy, winter blues that tend to take their toll on college students.
Buy what you like, not what everyone else is wearing. Something new always turns heads and keep in mind that beauty is in the nose of the beholder.
Forum:
displaying
1
-
1
of
1
top level comments
Well I will definitely be going out and ... (11/13/04)
Post a comment
