As if dating weren’t already enough of a gamble, a new trend has some men skipping their usual hygiene routines before meeting a prospective partner.
So-called “pheromone-maxxing” is a viral TikTok trend primarily associated with teen boys and young men that involves skipping showers and deodorant before a date. Some proponents go so far as to wear unwashed shirts or drink their own urine in an effort to “sweat out toxins,” VICE reported.
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Pheromones are chemical compounds that transmit signals between members of the same species. They are well documented in insects and other animals, and some pheromones do not have a discernible scent, Scientific American explained.
The theory behind pheromone-maxxing is that the stronger a man’s natural musk, the more sexually attractive he is.
The scientific evidence behind that idea, however, is inconclusive.
Researchers have found evidence that human body odors and secretions can influence physiological or psychological responses in other people.
“But there is no evidence of a consistent and strong behavioral response to any human-produced chemical cue,” Scientific American reported. “To date, scientists have collected evidence for possible pheromone effects but have not definitively identified a single human pheromone.”
One of the best-known experiments examining scent and attraction was a 1995 study commonly called the “sweaty t-shirt study.”
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Male participants wore the same T-shirt for two consecutive nights, after which female participants were asked to rate the odors of six shirts.
Women generally rated the body odors of men whose MHC (major histocompatibility complex) genes differed from their own as more pleasant than those of men with more similar MHC genes. The MHC is a group of genes that plays a key role in the immune system and may also influence individual body odor.
Among women taking oral contraceptives, however, that preference was reversed.
Later research has produced mixed results.
A 2019 study of 883 couples found that people from the Netherlands and Northern Europe were more likely to choose partners with different MHC genes. Researchers did not find the same pattern among Israeli couples and suggested a history of arranged marriages in some groups could help explain why.
A 2020 analysis of previous studies, however, found no strong evidence that people prefer partners with different MHC genes or find their body odor more attractive.
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Pheromone-maxxing is tied to the broader “looksmaxxing” movement, in which social-media users attempt to optimize their appearance and attractiveness, sometimes through extreme measures such as cosmetic procedures and drastic diets.
Pheromone-maxxing has been making recent headlines, but the concept has circulated online since at least 2024.
A thread that year in the r/TikTokCringe subreddit drew a largely repulsed response.
“And how are those natural pheromones helping him in real life human social interactions?” one Redditor wondered.
“I am confused,” commented another. “Does he think that bathing means you no longer make pheromones? Is nobody able to teach him?”
“There’s no way in hell I would let my child go to school or even in my house smelling stinky,” another user wrote. “It’s actually sad that no one in his life has taught him the importance of cleanliness.”
Discussing the trend on Fox News’ “The Five,” co-host Jesse Watters said, “I’m anti-cologne.”
He recommended a simple pre-date shower with bar soap and shampoo.
Panelist Tyrus agreed and urged men to use unscented deodorant.
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“If men put too much cologne on, you’re a creep,” he said. “You’re sending the wrong message. You don’t want to smell like gym class, but you also don’t want to smell like you’re cheap.”
