{
  "id": 12408850,
  "title": "Skipping showers before a date? What's behind 'pheromone maxxing' trend",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/skipping-showers-before-a-date-whats-behind-pheromone-maxxing-trend-12408850",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-06T15:37:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/health/20261007/skipping-showers-before-a-date-whats-behind-pheromone-maxxing-trend"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In recent months, an unusual trend known as \"pheromone maxxing\" has gained traction on social media, particularly among young men. This practice involves deliberately avoiding showers and scented products, with the belief that preserving one's natural body odor could make them more attractive to potential partners.\n\nAt the heart of this trend is the concept of pheromones, chemical signals emitted by an individual that can influence the behavior of other members of the same species. While pheromones are well-documented in many animals, including insects like female silkworm moths, which release a sex pheromone called bombykol that attracts males even at very low concentrations, the phenomenon in humans is less understood.\n\nMice, too, utilize chemical cues present in urine and other secretions to gather information about other animals, including their sex. However, the extent to which humans consciously manipulate their body odor to influence attraction remains a topic of intrigue and debate. For some, pheromone maxxing represents a bold experiment in personal attraction, while for others, it may be rooted in a desire for authenticity or a fascination with evolutionary biology.",
  "summary": "com. For most people, getting ready for a date means taking a shower and perhaps putting on deodorant or perfume. But some are doing the opposite, deliberately avoiding showers and scented products in the belief that preserving their natural body odor could make them more attractive. The practice, known as \"pheromone maxxing,\" has recently gained attention…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Skipping showers before a date? What's behind 'pheromone maxxing' trend",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/skipping-showers-before-a-date-whats-behind-pheromone-maxxing-trend",
        "published": "2026-10-06T15:17:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}