Smell is one of the most powerful bodily senses. It can affect the way you think and feel on a day to day basis. The sense of smell can even affect your dating life and increase or hurt your chances in making the right connections. Here are some of the most common ways to use smell to your romantic advantage.

Memory Triggers

There are many smells which are known to trigger certain memories. These smells can be both good and bad. Psychology Today notes that this is likely because of the brain’s anatomy and how incoming smells are first processed by the olfactory lobe that’s responsible for processing memories. It’s difficult to know which smells will elicit the most positive memories for your dates. However, wearing a fragrance with bubblegum or a peach scent may help your love interest conjure up good memories. Avoid scents that seem out of place or odd, however. Just because someone likes chocolate doesn’t mean they want to smell it coming off of a romantic partner.

Scents Affect Emotions

Similar to conjuring up memories, many smells are linked to certain emotional responses. If you want to put your date at ease, try wearing a fragrance with a vanilla, lavender, grapefruit or bergamot aroma. Sandalwood and hibiscus flower scents can also be effective, known for having something of a romantic musk to them. Many perfume companies, such as Scenterprises, will let you customize your fragrance. This means you can add in some relaxing lavender, your date’s favorite scent, and whatever else will help your date make the right connections and impressions.

Men and Women are Attracted to Different Scents

Depending on the sex of your date, you can help make him or her more interested in you by wearing a fragrance that’s known to attract a man or woman. Men are often drawn in by scents like vanilla, cinnamon and orange blossom. The smell of lime or peppermint can get a woman’s attention. Many men’s colognes and aftershaves are also made with a concentrated form of the pheromone musk to help men attract more women. For best results, aim for scents with natural ingredients to avoid harsh chemical smells.

Too Much Can be Overpowering

Even the best scents can be overpowering if they’re used in ways that produce too strong of smells. You don’t want to give your date a migraine or an upset stomach. Try to use fragrance in moderation without saturating yourself with it. One of the best ways to make a fragrance less potent is to spray it into the air and walk through the mist instead of spraying it directly on your skin. Even if you can’t smell the scent anymore, that doesn’t mean your partner can’t. One application for the entire day should be enough. You want the scent to be subtle and barely noticeable on a conscious level for best results.

The fragrance smell that you choose can make or break your date. By choosing a scent that most people consider pleasant without using it in copious amounts, you can give your date a more positive opinion of you. After all, first impressions are everything. If they remember you better with the right scent, then all the better for you.