Dating: How scent can help single men on a first date

We hear over and over again how strong secondary cues influence how others see you. For singles, these cues become even more important on a first date where a first impression can make or break a potential relationship. With the evolution of the dating game, the rise of new and increasingly popular activities such as speed dating means that the first impression needs to be strong, the first impression has to express everything you want, quickly.

Clothes and body language are the two top touted means for sending a message to your date. However, as we learn more about olfactory science – the science of smell – it is becoming ever more apparent that scent is a much stronger messenger than either.

Not to be overlooked, scents (and the messages they conjure) are actually stronger indicators of attraction than we realize. According to Dr. Ian Kerner, a sex therapist and relationship counsellor, “smell is a powerful sense that goes directly to the core of our emotional brain [playing] a key role in attraction.”

Don’t believe it? Nose into these stats:

84% believe perfume has the capacity to arouse.
36% say fragrance can make or break a first date.
81% think a man’s scent can boost his overall appeal.
35% would go to bed with a woman because she smelled good.
42% say they have fantasized about a woman’s fragrance.

So how can a scent-savvy single use fragrance for a first date? Since first-dates are often short, and speed dating is – well, speedy – you can use scents to express aspects of your personality, saving you time and solidifying you in her personality.

Use the following guide to help choose the scent that is right for you. Find the personality trait that you wish to emphasize about yourself, and choose a scent that works along those lines. If you’re stumped for an actual brand, start with the suggested brands for each category, and work your way from there.

Tell her you are: outdoorsy
Wear: Woody
Suggestions: Burberry Brit For Men, Carolina Herrera 212 H2O Men

Tell her you are: successful
Wear: Tangy and bold
Suggestions: Gendarme Gendarme, Ferrari Passion

Tell her you are: a wild child
Wear: Fresh and fruity
Suggestions: Calvin Klein's cK One, Dunhill Desire Blue

Tell her you are: refined and sophisticated
Wear: Crisp and classic
Suggestions: Gendarme Gendarme, Calvin Klein Eternity For Men

Tell her you are: a manly man
Wear: Spicy or musky
Suggestions: Alfred Dunhill Dunhill, Dior Fahrenheit

Tell her you are: daring
Wear: Zesty
Suggestions: Kenneth Cole Signature, Ralph Lauren Polo Sport

Tell her you are: romantic
Wear: Aromatic
Suggestions: Giorgio Armani Gio, Giorgio Armani Sensi

Tell her you are: traditional
Wear: Natural and clean
Suggestions: Kenzo Pour Homme, Boss by Hugo Boss

Tell her you are: sensitive
Wear: Herbal
Suggestions: Gendarme Eau de Toilette, Armani White and Black

Dating tips by Justin Parfitt, CEO and Founder of FastLife Speed Dating, the world's largest speed dating and singles events company, hosting regular speed dating events in 47 cities in 6 countries, including speed dating events in London and speed dating events in cities throughout the UK