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World / Fri, 04 Sep 2026 The Times of India

Pheromone maxxing: Why some Gen Z men are skipping showers before dates, and what science really says

What if the secret to winning a date is not an expensive perfume, carefully styled hair, or a perfectly chosen outfit, but not showering at all? That is the rather pungent logic behind the latest social-media dating trend, “pheromone maxxing”, which has been gaining attention among some Gen Z men online. “Pheromone maxxing” is exactly what it sounds like: some Gen Z guys are trying to boost their dating lives not by suiting up, but by skipping the shower. The basic idea behind the trend: ditch the soap, deodorant, and sometimes even clean clothes, all for the sake of ‘natural scent.’ Supposedly, all those bottled-up pheromones will do the flirting for you, making you utterly irresistible on a date.

What if the secret to winning a date is not an expensive perfume, carefully styled hair, or a perfectly chosen outfit, but not showering at all? That is the rather pungent logic behind the latest social-media dating trend, “pheromone maxxing”, which has been gaining attention among some Gen Z men online.

“Pheromone maxxing” is exactly what it sounds like: some Gen Z guys are trying to boost their dating lives not by suiting up, but by skipping the shower. The basic idea behind the trend: ditch the soap, deodorant, and sometimes even clean clothes, all for the sake of ‘natural scent.’ Supposedly, all those bottled-up pheromones will do the flirting for you, making you utterly irresistible on a date.

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