The guys say: Cinnamon, fireball, Red Hots
Pizza may not have been a winner, but science says pumpkin pie should be: A 2011 study conducted by the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research foundation found that the smell of pumpkin pie aroused men. With our testers, it wasn't quite love at first sniff. "It's not offensive, but it's weird," said one Crave staffer. Most of our testers quickly picked up on the fact that they were sniffing something inspired by a food, comparing it to Fireball whisky and Red Hot candies. "It's not human," said another tester.
Okay, we get it. Baked goods aren't the turn-on we'd hoped they'd be. On to more traditional perfumes...
Photo courtesy of Demeter
The guys say: Overwhelming, soapy, doctor's office
As one might expect, this musky Victoria's Secret fragrance totally screamed sex to us. But not loudly enough for this group of guys, apparently. Crave staffers found it overpowering. "This smelled like straight-up hand soap," said one reviewer. For another tester, it summoned the image of a doctor's office. Not so sexy.
Photo courtesy of Victoria's Secret
The guys say: Tangy, sharp, teacher, grandma
Made with floral notes found in wedding bouquets, this "sophisticated" fragrance is meant to evoke the "flush of new love." And, indeed, the sophistication of this perfume certainly comes across -- perhaps a little too clearly. Crave staffers say Love Story was reminiscent of an "unhip grandmother" and something a teacher would wear. "It's not for young people," said another tester. "You'd have to be elegant to pull this off." In other words, it'd be a hit at grandpa's nursing home.
Photo courtesy of Chloé
The guys say: Heavy, sweet, department store
This Indiegogo-funded unisex fragrance aims to replicate the 0.2-second endorphin rush that accompanies love at first sight with its full-bodied and earthy scent. For our testers, it didn't quite conjure up that loving feeling. "Substitute teacher popped in my mind," said one Crave staffer. "I didn't like it much," he clarified, ruling out the chance that this fragrance had a "Hot for Teacher" effect.
Photo courtesy of 0.2
The guys say: Spring breeze, bath bubbles, old lady
Marc Jacobs' fruity fragrance boasts notes of blackberry, grapefruit, pear and jasmine to capture "the boundless spirit of daisies and blue skies." Though this female editor was immediately won over by the adorable flower-adorned bottle, the male reviews were mixed on the scent. One Crave staffer who rated Daisy Dream highly compared it to a "spring breeze" and "bath bubbles." But several other testers said that it smelled old-lady-like and too strong. Consider our bubble burst.
Photo courtesy of Marc Jacobs
