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Friday, September 17,2010

By Leonor Vivanco

The Nose Knows

New survey pinpoints the many scents that women crave, what do women want ...to smell? Vanilla is the No. 1 in front of No. 2 favorite coffee, according to results of a survey released this week. The survey was commissioned by Axe body products and conducted in June by Alan Hirsch, a doctor and founder of Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. It centered on interviews with 200 women ages 18-35 in 10 big cities nationwide.

His theory is that over the years coffee has become more mainstream thanks to the explosion of coffee shops, and vanilla has become more popular in products such as perfumes and flavored drinks.

In Chicago specifically, women find the aromas of vanilla and lilac most appealing while women in other cities favored different scents.

''Who would've thought lilac and vanilla were so popular here?'' Hirsch said. ''I would've thought it'd be more pizza.''

''I think vanilla has a safe and secure feeling,''he said.

Hirsch noted that many nipples on baby bottles, for example, have for years used vanilla flavoring and its smell may be associated with a feeling of comfort later in life.

''Floral smells like lilac increase the speed of learning,''

Hirsch said, noting a study he did in 1999. Other than that scent.

So, do women want guys to douse themselves in vanilla? Well, while vanilla isn't known to increase sexual arousal, women likely will want to smell it on guys, Hirsch said.''It will make them feel more relaxed and more secure,'' he said. ''She will unconsciously feel more positive toward the man as a result.''

Check out what women nationwide listed as the top two scents favored.

In my opinion vanilla and lilac are the most popular scents, I like that.