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We Found Out What Men Really Think of Your Perfume

Is your signature scent a turn-off? Real guys gave us some real talk about women's fragrances
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When you hit the town, chances are you want to smell as enticing as you look. But even if you love your favorite perfume, the object of your affection or significant other might not feel the same way. In fact, a study from the Smell and Taste Treatment Center in Chicago found that the musky scent of so-called sexy perfumes was more likely to arouse women than men. Turns out, men were most turned on by the smell of lavender and pumpkin pie.

To get some answers, we enlisted a few good men from our brother site, CraveOnline.com and asked them to sniff their way through the newest, most popular and most tantalizing-sounding perfumes on the market to find out what they really think. Here, the scents that put them in an amorous mood -- and the ones that most definitely did not -- ranked from worst to best.

Photo: Pinterest

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No. 10: Demeter Fragrance Library Pizza, $20
The label says: Tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, touch of oregano

The guys say: Cheetos dust, rotten cheese

In my experience, guys love pizza. Logically, it would seem that Demeter's cheese- and sauce-laced fragrance would be a slam-dunk. Not quite. Turns out, some delicacies are better left on the plate. "Just no," said one Crave staffer of Demeter's imaginative scent. Between groans, another compared it to -- there's no way to put this lightly -- farts. "Who would want to take pizza and rub it on their neck," another tester wondered. Though they all agreed it would make a great prank or gag gift (emphasis on the gag, apparently).

Photo courtesy of Demeter

The label says: Pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves

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 label says: Cause a stir with this enticing blend of Bulgarian rose, amber, musk and heliotrope.

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

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No. 7: Chloé Love Story, $105
The label says: A floral love story, fresh and sensual. An unforgettable essence of seduction.

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

BY MARY SQUILLACE | JUN 5, 2015 | SHARES
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