The Pheromone Party Sets Up Lovers Through Smell

A pivotal stage in any relationship is the point where people grow accustomed to each other's smell. But what if you could just skip the awkward courtship process and picked a potential mate based purely on their smell? One artist is looking to play cupid, one smelly t-shirt at a time, and her success rate puts online dating sites to shame.

Georgia-based artist Judith Prays has been throwing her Pheromone Parties since 2010 in Brooklyn, New York. Attendees trade plastic bags stuffed with their own t-shirts, take a big whiff and pick a mate based on which scent they are most attracted to. Compared with other singles mixers, the results were astounding.

Of the 40 guests in attendance at Prays' first party, 12 reportedly "hooked up," while half of those people actually began romantic relationships. Prays got the idea for the party after realizing that picking mates based purely on physicality and scent wasn't such a bad idea. "The first time I dated someone for purely physical reasons, it was amazing how well it went," Prays told the The Daily. "I was so into his smell even when it was objectively nasty. So then I just thought, what if I could choose people by smell?"

Individuals were directed to sleep in the same shirt for three days without any deodorant or artificial scent, giving the shirts plenty of time to soak in the scents. The success of the pheromone parties reveals the shortcomings of conventional dating sites, the artist believes. "Written profiles are misleading," Prays said. "It really only determines how good you are at writing profiles." View a slideshow of Party-goers below.

What do you think, readers? Would you ever pick a partner based on his or her scent?

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[GCL 1]

03:34 AM on 04/25/2012

I think pheromone based sexual attraction is absolutely true and scientifically backed.

I wrote a paper on this in college several years back when interest in this was beginning, though pheromone research began in the 1960s leading to interest from the US military as well. I think Sweden pioneered some of the research. Sometime around 2003/4 links were made between human sexuality and pheromone stimulus based on scientific studies and control groups - the stimulation had something to do with parts of of the right side of the hypothalamus, if I remember correct. Must re-read that paper.

[useyourbrain]

02:37 AM on 02/08/2012

Pheromones are more subtle than sweat. While there are Pheromones in sweat it is not the same.

The problem is we cover up our pheromones with soaps, shampoo, body lotions, cologne, after shave, toothpaste, deodorants, laundry detergents and softeners. It's a wonder there is any attraction at all.

Perhaps this is why there is such an increase in diagnosis of autism and aspergers, what it comes down to is an infant/child not "recognizing" his own, i.e., his mother who he grew inside of vs. the shampooed and deodorized Mom post birth.

[MrMas]

10:58 PM on 02/06/2012

sounds like some crunchy/hipster williamsberg nonsense ... put a bunch of horney people in a room, and theyre gonna start "hooking up" ... it doesnt take a tiger woods to tell you that a house party where the attendees are all looking for mates is a better place to get laid than the internet!

[Conmier]

08:24 PM on 02/06/2012

Smelling a tee shirt worn for 3 days is supposed to turn me on? I don't think so!

[Max Shaw]

02:35 PM on 02/06/2012

Cool concept. Wonder how many people vomited.

[Payd Troll]

08:25 AM on 02/05/2012

i believe this kind of research has some scientific backing. those who smell the best to us are the ones whose immune systems are the most different from ours, lessening the chances of genetic abnormalities. it makes sense if you think about it.

[SolarPowerGuy]

04:25 AM on 02/07/2012

You are correct, and one of the researchers in the field was a fellow named Claus Wedekind.

http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/content/15/9/1269.full

[butchcliff]

07:39 AM on 02/05/2012

Very interesting concept & cuts to the chase. Attracted &/or not to the scent of others right from the start

[Tabasco]

07:56 PM on 02/04/2012

Pheremones have more to do with arousal and immediate intimacy.

The brain is still the best aphrodisiac. It opens up all kinda adventures.

[SolarPowerGuy]

04:33 AM on 02/07/2012

Most of the chemicals that are suspected to be human pheromones have no scent at all that is registered by the conscious nose.

In many other mammals, there's a specialized bulb in the nose called the vomeronasal organ (VNO), whose specific job it is to detect pheromones. Anatomists are unsure whether humans have a VNO at all. If we have one, it's small. And so, it's not clear that we really even have pheromones.

What CAN be smelled by the human nose is products of diverse proteins in the immune system, products which vary widely from person to person. In mice, these immunological odor molecules are known to influence mating behavior. Mice seek out mates whose odor molecules are DIFFERENT from their own. It's a way of maximizing genetic diversity.

Of course social behavior is multi-faceted, but even we sophisticated humans may sometimes be influenced by these ancient, instinctive mechanisms for finding our way through the world.

[Tabasco]

09:58 AM on 02/08/2012

The human vomeronasal organ (passage) is something we all have. Because of individual differences, some respond more than others to pheromones. But it's there in every mammal.

Do humans secrete pheromones? I'm surprised this is even a question. Of course we do. Species diversity definitely plays a part in mating, attraction and propagation. Are more than just pheromones involved in it? Yes.

Attitude, social position, creativity, fun, taboo, appearance, fitness, etc. are all in the mix.

[jf12]

01:24 AM on 02/04/2012

The majority of human pheromones per se would be in the lower underwear. The bacterial odors of underarms have almost zero pheromonal input, albeit with plenty of odors to determine health and diet for example. However nonpheromonal personal scents will be indeed concentrated in the neckline area.

[Matt1964]

07:36 PM on 02/06/2012

Great idea. "Date like dogs". A party where everyone smell someones each others ... first, then decide.

[es30]

01:03 AM on 02/04/2012

If I slept in the same shirt for three days sans deodorant, I'd be going home with the Golden Retriever.

[JE124]

02:14 AM on 02/06/2012

You took the words out of my mouth.

[msampo]

02:16 PM on 02/03/2012

The difficulty with this idea is that, according to a recent study, when prefer different pheromones depending on where they are in their cycle. When they are ovulating, the report said, they respond to a whole different set of smells.

[msampo]

02:22 PM on 02/03/2012

Oops. "...women prefer", I meant to say...

The point being that it might work for a "hookup" if the timing is right, but she might find herself less interested a week later.

[necropteluate]

02:02 PM on 02/03/2012

when is she planning parties around Virginia?