I Tested 5 Fragrances Designed To Make You Smell Irresistible On Dates

How long does it typically take you to get ready for a date? Between doing my makeup, curling my hair, and picking an outfit, I need a solid hour — although, I have to tack on another hour to select the perfect perfume. I understand that might sound a bit extra, but as a beauty writer and lifelong fragrance lover who owns over 300 scents, I have a lot to choose from.

My overstocked beauty cabinet isn’t the main issue, though. Studies have shown that scent is closely tied to emotions and memory, and it’s important for me to wear a perfume that not only enhances my confidence, but also makes me completely unforgettable. Let me put it this way: I need to smell so distinctive that my dates dream about me for weeks after we meet up.

I have a good idea of what perfumes make me feel like a goddess, but I wondered if certain notes could spice up my dating life and help me become even more alluring. To find out, I chatted with fragrance content creator and expert Paul Fino (aka @paulreactss) to get his recommendations, and put them to the test on four dates to see if they triggered a ~chemical~ reaction.

Date 1: A Suave Vanilla Scent Got Me A First Kiss

Fino is known by his 2.2 million TikTok followers as the “king of gourmand,” so I’m not surprised he immediately suggested wearing something sweet. Gourmand fragrances — scents that contain edible notes like vanilla, chocolate, whipped cream, and honey — have exploded in popularity because they evoke a comforting aura. “When it comes to a date night, I want to feel warm, confident, and sexy, and I feel like my vanilla fragrances have always given that to me,” Fino says.

It turns out, there’s a study that supports this, showing that men can get physically turned on when they catch a whiff of vanilla. “This is a big reason why gourmand fragrances have become so massive. People started to realize these aromas are a type of aphrodisiac.” Vanilla is also one of the most common notes in perfumery due to its chameleon-like quality. “Not all vanillas are overly sweet,” Fino says. “Vanilla can be a little spicy, a little powdery, a little musky. There’s a vanilla scent for everyone.”

For my first date with Miles*, 33, I spritzed on Fino’s No. 1 recommendation: Matiere Premiere Vanilla Powder. “If you want a fragrance that’s going to truly grab someone’s attention and make them stop in their tracks, it’s this one,” he says. “It contains vanilla, coconut, and musk, with a little powder to make it more sophisticated. This is one of the most show-stopping vanilla fragrances available right now.”

Coconut isn’t usually my favorite note — it tends to smell tropical or artificial to me — but that wasn’t the case here. Wearing this made me feel powerful, foxy, and a little angelic, and it matched the vibes of the elevated cocktail bar where Miles and I met. Conversation flowed, and I could sense him leaning in closer as time passed. Before we left, he leaned in to kiss me. I got a simple “you smell great,” out of him after our lips touched, and we ended the date with plans marked in our calendars to meet the following week. One date in, and my scent-powered investigation was already looking like a success.

My Rating: 8/10 for its subtle sexiness and longevity — a month after my date, I can still smell this on the dress I wore that night.

Date 2: A Sexy Sandalwood & Tonka Scent Led To A Spicy Evening

For date No. 2 with Miles, I wanted to experiment a bit more. I love vanilla just as much as the next person, but it was essential for me to see if I could fully captivate his… nose… without the note.

Fino says sandalwood and tonka bean are also considered olfactive stimulants (aka erotic scents). “Sandalwood is the cleanest, freshest woody fragrance you can find, and I’m instantly addicted to any perfume that features it,” he says. It’s intoxicatingly creamy, warm, and soft, with a natural milky sweetness that makes it a popular base note in many perfumes. Imagine being wrapped in your favorite cashmere sweater — that’s what wearing a sandalwood perfume feels like.

As for tonka, it’s “similar to a sweet vanilla, but it stands out with more depth and complexity,” Fino says. I consider tonka to be vanilla’s darker, more sophisticated cousin. The note reminds me of a swanky jazz club — it smells deviously sweet, warm, and spicy with slight hints of almond and tobacco.

It’s not uncommon for vanilla, sandalwood, and tonka to be blended together in perfume, but for the sake of isolating them in this experiment, I found an option that left vanilla out of the equation. L’Objet Blindfold is a skin scent that’s not for the faint of heart. Skin scents are sheer, subtle aromas that lie close to the skin, creating the impression that it’s you that smells amazing.

Blindfold has a mysterious, deeply sexy animalic quality, and the first time I spritzed it, I wanted to rip my own clothes off. People will only be able to inhale the blend of milky tobacco, earthy sandalwood, suede, and musky tonka if they get super close. The heady mixture simply smells like a night in bed, and I knew it would get Miles going.

I was in the mood to be extra cheeky for this date — I was heading straight to his apartment, after all — so I misted a touch of Kayali Vanilla 28 on my hip bones, too. In Fino’s words, this is a “beastmode” vanilla that acts as an insidious love potion. (I’ve recommended this scent to friends who say their boyfriends can’t control themselves when they wear it.) The bewitching perfume combines a trifecta of seductive notes — vanilla orchid, tonka bean, and amber — with a jolt of brown sugar to turn you into a dazzling sweet treat.

This perfume combo? Absolutely lethal. Few words were exchanged on this date, and let’s just say Miles was buried in my neck, as well as down south, for over two hours.

My Rating: 10/10. These perfumes on their own immediately amplify confidence and attractiveness, but when paired together… let’s just say they become a potent love brew. No need to call an Etsy witch.

Date 3: An Earthy Vanilla Fragrance Got Me A Lukewarm Review

I couldn’t just test my perfumes on one person — what kind of experiment would this be without variable subjects? So I scheduled a date with John*, 31, who took me to a lavish seafood bar. This night, I spritzed on Mind Games Queening, another highly recommended pick from Fino. “This is sweet but has more of an earthiness to it,” he says, thanks to orris (the root of an iris flower), boozy rum, bright coconut, and our favorite vanilla.

I know what you’re thinking — earthy aromas smell like dirt, right? That’s not the case when blended with orris, which happens to be one of the most expensive ingredients in the world. This robust root leans powdery, sweet, and a little woody, and it manages to add a nuanced depth to fragrances. Knowing this, I really thought Queening would garner a reaction, but unfortunately, I got a lackluster response from John. “You smell nice,” was all he said. Sir, I smell ravishing, but OK. Will I see him again after that comment? Well, I have to, considering I lost an earring at his place.

My Rating: 6/10: While I adored this scent, it faded pretty quickly on me. I think it was because I had an itty bitty tester bottle, because when I spritzed from the full-sized bottle at Nordstrom it lasted for days! Long story short, the spraying device can make a major difference.

Date 4: A Tried-And-True Favorite Got No Reaction — But I Didn’t Mind

For my final date, I relied on one of my tried-and-true date night scents: 5 Sens In Too Deep. Close friends have told me this sparkling perfume smells like me. It’s uplifting, inviting, and makes me feel infinitely happier, courtesy of Tahitian vanilla that’s spun with sugar and grounded with creamy sandalwood. Without a doubt, this scent embodies the feeling of falling in love.

Once again, I was a bit disappointed with my date’s drab reaction. Peter*, 34, didn’t even acknowledge my perfume, and we talked about fragrances for a good 15 minutes. I know I smelled incredible, especially since four colleagues stopped to ask me what I was wearing earlier in the day. Major womp. I won’t be seeing Peter again. Not because he didn’t tell me I smelled nice — although, could you blame me if that was the reason? — I just didn’t get romantic vibes from him.

My Rating: 9/10 This affordable scent rivals some of my most expensive perfumes. Smelling it immediately wraps me in a veil of calmness and makes me feel cozy. Plus, I always get compliments from others, not just men.

Some scents may scientifically make you more irresistible, but you can’t go wrong with what makes you feel the best. “As long as you’re not wearing a polarizing scent — like something with oud or patchouli — you’re going to smell attractive,” Fino says.

As for me, I found some new go-to date night perfumes I’ll be keeping in rotation. Plus, I now know smelling like a sexy bake shop will always have the evening playing out in my favor.

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*Name has been changed.