"Pheromone"-infused body wash to lure the ladies: Pretty fucking stupid bit of pseudoscience, honestly. But the New York Times will turn this city upside down to find a lady seduced by pheromones' sexy powers!

The NYT "Skin Deep" story on pheromones and how guys are suckered into paying for them quotes only one person who is not a scientist or a pheromone-seller: Michelle Hotaling, a 24 year-old who took part in an experiment where she was blindfolded and decided how attractive a fella was based solely on his smell. She chose a pheromone-wearer!

"In appearance and personality he was not someone I would otherwise be convinced to go out with," she said, once her blindfold came off. "But his scent was a factor that would push my decision to say, ‘Yes.' "

"I always thought my first mention in the Times would be more scandalous!" Michelle blogs. "Then again, I am photographed with a blindfold and a man in a robe." [Just so her NYT debut doesn't go to waste: Michelle is a self-published author and aspiring singer and big fan of Bette Midler and Stevie Nicks, read all about her here!]

Meanwhile all the scientists are like "Yea, who knows if this shit works really?" So guys, if you expect your Dial for Men Magnetic Attraction Enhancing Body Wash to get you a date, you might want to focus on Michelle.
[NYT]

Send an email to Hamilton Nolan, the author of this post, at Hamilton@gawker.com.