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Ciara De Rosa
Ms. Segall
Chemistry I Honors
2 March 2016
Senses of Attraction
The chemistry of senses is ceaselessly perplexing. What humans smell and what they
taste coincide frequently, but aromas and flavors have their own distinct roles when it comes to
their reactions within the body. Olfactory systems, or those of scent, and gustatory systems, or
those of taste, have been the primary factor in many manmade developments. Two of these
contingencies are assorted foods, known as aphrodisiacs, and scented sprays such as perfumes
and colognes. Perfumes, as well as aphrodisiacs, contain unique chemicals that send the brain
signals and contribute to the emotional perspective of the human mind.
Common, everyday life consists of a plethora of fragrances. Perfumes are made of
different chemicals that give them their signature scents, including acetone, benzaldehyde,
benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, camphor, ethanol, ethyl acetate and a few more, many of which
are catalogued in the EPA Hazardous Waste List, classifying them as potentially detrimental
toxins in regard to our environment and our bodies (Kendall). Chemical aromas that are used in
concocting perfumes are known for their likely dangerous characteristics, endangering the
consumer as well as those he or she is surrounded by. Most people are unaware of the fact that
these fragrances contain multiple sensitizers and hormone disrupters, which can bring to a person
asthma attacks and other allergic reactions, and instable hormone distribution (EWG). On

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average, around 17 hidden chemicals are found in hundreds of thousands of disparate perfume
and cologne brands.
When seeking an applicable scent, one usually doesnt look at the science of the scent,
but simply notices which one is the most pleasant. Contained within a perfume are essential oils.
Usually to create a reasonably priced and convenient fragrance, three essential oils, or essences,
will be mixed together. The idea behind perfume usually consists of developing a long lasting
aroma that matches that of a natural one. However, one cannot rub roses on themselves and
expect to smell like one all day. Chemists of today are aware of the chemical nature of essential
oils, thus allowing them to synthetically extend their lifespan to create a wearable blend (Human
Touch of Chemistry).
For years scientists have known that ovulating female animals use pheromones
(chemical signals with the power to modify biology and behavior when exchanged between
individuals of the same species) to attract males (Stamelman 2). In essence, perfumes do the
same thing. There have been claims that certain perfumes contain pheromones, though scientists
do not know enough about them to state if this is true or false. However, psychologically,
perfumes (for females, which are more involved chemical combinations) and fragrances (for
males, simpler in formula) do strengthen personal confidence and thus others attraction to the
scent-wearer. This could quite possibly be a placebo effect, but no matter the cause, it generally
increases the lust and attraction shared between two people.
Without scent perceivers, humans wouldnt be able to detect different aromas at all. To
activate the bodily machinery used in distinguishing scent, the molecule must be volatile (easily
evaporated in the air), water soluble, to pass through the mucus inside the nostrils and reach the

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olfactory cells, [and] capable of attaching to the surface of receptor cells (Brynie 40). There are
many contributing factors to the way a scent is perceived. The eighteenth century scientist, Carl
Linnaeus suggested six unique categories of smell: camphor, musk, floral, minty, pungent, putrid,
and ether. Also, depending on the variation of the amount, the odorant can differ, for example,
indole in small amounts smells like flowers. In high concentrations, it smells putrid (Brynie 40).
Fragrances create nerve impulses within the reactants of the body, which travel the cell bodies of
neurons to gather what the scent will finally indentify as.
Establishing bottled scent is only made possible at a price. However, the price does not
usually require some otherworldly income. According to one Los Angeles fragrance expert,
even the most expensive ingredients in the world--such as pure jasmine and attar of rose--do not
raise the price to three figures (Calistro). For a substantial portion of liquid aroma, one only
needs one to two dollars. But, the money does not stop there. The real cost in the perfume
industry is the advertising and the bottling. Depending on the quantity, this can cost anywhere
between hundreds to millions of dollars. Like most things, the consumer prices of perfumes and
colognes vary depending on the type bottling, advertisement means, endorsement means, and
etc. A perfumes price varies upon manufacturing and publication.
Generally speaking, one could concoct a love potion from an aroma in that the chemicals
within a perfume can attract others to its user or simply give to said user an attractive confidence.
The pheromones in certain perfumes, like Paris Hiltons line claims, have been said to attract the
opposite sex. Other chemicals have also been noted, but this is not necessarily regarded as
scientifically proven. The world of perfume is more so psychologically compelling than
pathologically, and with the continual wafting of chemically formulated masterpieces to and fro,

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love is bound to blossom. Love does not only blossom by olfactory means, but by gustatory
means as well.
Gustatory means work altogether differently from that of olfactory. Gustatory senses, or
that of taste, consider different chemicals and reactions than that of olfactory, or that of scent.
All of our favorite foods have unknown physiological and neurobiological explanations as to
why we prefer them and why they have endured as best sellers over the years (Witherly 7), thus
making it possible to become addicted or allow us to feel an emotion similar to that of love. An
aphrodisiac is a food, drink, or drug that prompts or increases sexual desire. Chocolate, one of
the most infamous aphrodisiacs and comfort foods, contains a chemical called phenethylamine,
better known as PEA, which is also released during sexual arousal. PEA acts similarly to
amphetamines in the brain, which triggers a release of hormones called norepinephrine and
dopamine which give to a consumer feelings equivalent to euphoria (Freeman). Chocolate also
contains pharmacological ingredients that are similar to those of marijuana, which is a plant that
when smoked or ingested can give a user the same euphoric high as previously mentioned
(Witherly 100).
Professor Witherly, in his book Why Humans Like Junk Food goes in depth on the
chemical composition of chocolate and what it does to entice its consumers. He suggests it is
likely a combination of gustatory reaction, calories, theobromine, or cocoa psychoactive
compounds (100). Chocolate is said to contain certain psychoactive chemicals such as
phenylethylamine(s), anandamide precursors, anandamide breakdown inhibitors (Nacylethanolamines), serotonin, tyramine, tryptamine, methylxanthines (theobromine and
caffeine), tetrahydro-beta-carbolines and casomorphins, which are all known for giving to people
feelings of euphoria or other pleasantly-inclusive emotions. These euphoric, pleasurable

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emotions contribute to not only the consumption of chocolate, but the feeling of love, and that is
why the term comfort food was generally formed: because, in all actuality, these foods feed to
a consumer chemicals that actually have a tendency to comfort.
Research has been done to prove that different reactions occur when one consumes
chocolate and one does not. The regular intake of chocolate can increase and decrease certain
emotions and chemicals within the brain, causing a person to psychologically change. In an
experiment performed on fifty-eight female college students, it is recognized that those without
an inclination for chocolate had significantly less anxiety than those who did when they are
separated from it. Those who consumed chocolate regularly previous to the experiment felt
notably anxious and bored throughout the day, whereas those who normally didnt care for it
were continually calm. Also, independent of chocolate deprivation, chocolate-lovers were
generally greater in BMI and exemplified a more negative mood.
This experiment, done by researchers Silvia Moreno-Dominguez, Sonia Rodrguez-Ruiz,
Mara Martn, Cortney S. Warren contradicts most of the concepts previously considered by
other scientists and chemists in the aphrodisiac. This, though, is inevitable in that just like other
comfort foods, the sweet contains high amounts of sucrose, fat, and calories which will do
more harm to the body than good. Dark chocolates are known to be healthier, as a Zurich-based
company has publicized certain cardiovascular benefits in regard to its dark chocolate. It is said
to contain certain levels of antioxidants that aid in maintaining elasticity of blood vessels and
normal blood flow, as well as other positive health factors (Mayo Clinic Health Letter).
Stereotyping has lead to the notoriously known gift of chocolate. On days like Valentines
Day and other holidays that one shares presents to exemplify their love for another, chocolate is a

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large contributor. This is because humankind has a soft spot. Chocolate is a known aphrodisiac,
and is thus known for its euphoric tendencies and the elation that might come from its
consumption. Accumulating popularity, purchasing chocolate for loved ones on holidays and
special occasions has become a commercialized, common event across this generation of
mankind, and feeling love is an almost inexorable, palpable feeling.
Love is everything. Love is intertwined in daily life in immeasurable ways, including that
of science. Chemicals can be tasted and smelt, and through them people can find love. Olfactory
and gustatory senses contribute to a vast part of life, in more ways than just pathological
comprehension. Through chemical induction, one can feel and express emotions they might not
have been able to before having grasped the food or fragrance. Humankind can feel
unfathomable, infeasible emotions through the chemicals in their perfumes and in their foods,
and the science behind it is really quite elementary.

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Works Cited
Brynie, Faith Hickman. Brain Sense: The Science Of The Senses And How We Process The
World Around Us. New York: AMACOM, 2009. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web.
12 Feb. 2016.
Calistro, Paddy. "$150 for $1.50 Worth of Perfume." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times,
1988. Web. 9 Feb. 2016.
EWG. "Hidden Chemicals in Perfume and Cologne." EWG. May 2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2016.
Freeman, Shanna. "Is Chocolate an Aphrodisiac?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com. Web.
10 Feb. 2016.
Kendall, Julia. "Twenty Most Common Chemicals in Thirty-one Fragrance Products." Our Little
Place. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
"Obesity Surgery. New Approaches." Mayo Clinic Health Letter (English Ed.) 32.2 (2014): 4-5.
MEDLINE with Full Text. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.
Stamelman, Richard. "The Eros--And Thanatos--Of Scents." Sites: Journal Of The TwentiethCentury/Contemporary French Studies 6.1 (2002): 79. Academic Search Complete. Web.
10 Feb. 2016.
"What Makes Perfumes Smell Nice?" Everyday Chemistry. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Witherly, Steven Anthony. Why Humans like Junk Food. New York: IUniverse, 2007. Print.

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The Chemistry of Love:
An Annotated Bibliography
Brynie, Faith Hickman. Brain Sense: The Science Of The Senses And How We Process The
World Around Us. New York: AMACOM, 2009. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web.
12 Feb. 2016.
This eBook by Faith H. Brynie goes in depth on all the senses and in part two,
explores scent: and how the brain connects to different olfactory reactions and what
exactly defines a good scent or a bad one. This will be useful in the further
comprehension of scents and what they do for humans in chemical means. Brynie extends
on the science behind scent and what reactions occur when a human smells a pleasant
perfume or unpleasant odor. To activate the nose/smell brain machinery, a molecule must
constitute for certain characteristics. The eBook discusses the different sensory receptors
and how they react to different odorants, and how one can emotionally connect to a scent.
Calistro, Paddy. "$150 for $1.50 Worth of Perfume." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times,
1988. Web. 9 Feb. 2016.
The average bottle of perfume, as stated in this article by Paddy Calistro, costs
about $1.50 to produce. The actual chemicals inside the liquid scent that perfumers and
consumers so often revere are rather inexpensive to accumulate. However, the packaging,
for one, triples and even quadruples the price of the actual product. There is also the
constituent advertising; the actual manufacturing of a commercial can become more
expensive. Also, with a commercial coincides an advertisement and camera crew. This
article answers the proposed question referring to profit made of perfume.

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EWG. "Hidden Chemicals in Perfume and Cologne." EWG. May 2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2016.
This online news article considers the potential toxins within perfume and the
awareness people lack when they are perfume shopping. The article states that in average
fragrance product around fourteen chemicals are unaccounted for in the ingredients
labels. It also elaborates on the different affects these mysterious ingredients such as
sperm damage and harmful effects on human fat tissue and breast milk. This is essential
in studies because it produces clarity behind the potential insecurities of perfume. The
chemicals in perfume have been associated with toxicity to the endocrine system and
many other abuses.
Freeman, Shanna. "Is Chocolate an Aphrodisiac?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com. Web.
10 Feb. 2016.
Freeman describes the chemical endorphins within chocolate that has labeled it an
aphrodisiac. Chocolate contains a chemical called phenethylamine, better known as PEA,
which is also released during sexual arousal. PEA acts similarly to amphetamines in the
brain, which triggers a release of hormones called norepinephrine and dopamine which
give to a consumer feelings equivalent to euphoria. This is useful in describing the way
PEA works and chocolate as an aphrodisiac. Other foods have been labeled as
aphrodisiacs, but chocolate is the most common. The article goes in depth on all accounts
of the chemical makeup of pleasurable senses in chocolate, and what the brain receives
from these ingredients.
Kendall, Julia. "Twenty Most Common Chemicals in Thirty-one Fragrance Products." Our Little
Place. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.

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During this article, Kendall lists and describes twenty different chemicals that are
found within fragrance products. Of these twenty, majority are of the dangerous variety
and can be potentially toxic to a persons skin or other bodily functions. This may cause
certain health risks to the person wearing the perfume or the people this person surrounds
him or herself by. This is useful in extending to the audience an example of the dangers
of perfume, and why it might not be the universal choice of deodorizing. It emphasizes
on the cons of fragrance, and how what might be labeled as natural, may not be truly
natural.
Moreno-Dominguez, Silvia, Sonia Rodrguez-Ruiz, Mara Martn, and Cortney S. Warren.
"Experimental Effects of Chocolate Deprivation on Cravings, Mood, and Consumption in
High and Low Chocolate-cravers." Appetite 58.1 (2012): 111-16. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
This is a Lab Report discussing the different reactions between 58 female students
who are depraved of chocolate. Half are chocolate lovers and half are not. It is recognized
that those without an inclination for chocolate have significantly less anxiety than those
who do when they are separated from it. Chocolate-lovers feel notably anxious and bored
throughout the day, whereas those who dont care for it are continually calm. Also,
independent of chocolate deprivation, chocolate-lovers were generally greater in BMI
and showed a more negative mood.
"Obesity Surgery. New Approaches." Mayo Clinic Health Letter (English Ed.) 32.2 (2014): 4-5.
MEDLINE with Full Text. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.
In this article, there is a subpiece that distinguishes the healthy status Europeans
give their handcrafted chocolate. Its a dark chocolate, and with this it aids in research

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referring to the assistance of the cocoa in life. The article suggests that their Zurichproduced chocolate contains higher levels of antioxidants. These antioxidants are high
enough to aid in maintaining elasticity of blood vessels and normal blood flow. Research
has also shown that dark chocolate improves cholesterol levels and decreased blood
pressure. The article will help me to clarify the positive health aspects of chocolate and
what it can do to make a person generally feel better.
Stamelman, Richard. "The Eros--And Thanatos--Of Scents." Sites: Journal Of The TwentiethCentury/Contemporary French Studies 6.1 (2002): 79. Academic Search Complete. Web.
10 Feb. 2016.
Stamelmans journal is useful in my research because it depicts the mental and
physical attraction to scents and why consumers are so intrigued by different scents. Its
written in an esoteric format depicting the artistry behind perfume, not just the science.
The journal contributes to many different areas of scent-reaction: such as the differences
between males and females and etc. He discusses a mental connection to perfumes, and
how their names will already connect a certain emotion to the scent or just the bottle
itself. He talks about how perfumes are represented in society, and how their allure can
entice a buyer.
"What Makes Perfumes Smell Nice?" Everyday Chemistry. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
This webpage article helped me in gaining an understanding of the manufacturing
of perfume and what exactly the production of fragrance entails. It elaborates on the
different ingredients needed in different scents, and how to compose colognes of musk
and fragrances of the sweeter variety. Depicted are the differences between fragrance and

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perfume and the essential oils needed to create a long lasting and pleasant scent. This
applied to my essay in that I gained better knowledge of the background of perfume and
all its complexities. I then took that knowledge and contributed it to my essay, further
explaining the chemical makeup of different aromas.
Witherly, Steven Anthony. Why Humans like Junk Food. New York: IUniverse, 2007. Print.
This book written by Steven Anthony Witherly was one of the most useful as well
as influential pieces in my essay in that it allowed me to intuitively depict the ongoing
reaction of chocolate in the body, and why humans crave it. It was easily understandable
and thus easily referable, and it was a strong baseline for me to elaborate on other
information gained from disparate resources. The introduction and the chapter
specifically on chocolate helped me the most, both giving me the ability to contribute the
information researched in the book into my own essay. The book explained and
exemplified the reasoning for almost all the questions I had on chocolate and why it
works as it does and its consideration as an aphrodisiac. Witherlys book was also
eloquently written, so even when he was explaining different chemical compositions and
complex formatting, it was easy to catch on.