What pheromones are in pheromone perfumes?

All 29 ingredients, compared

Formulas, molar masses and CAS numbers are verified against PubChem. Copulins and synthetic musks are mixtures, so neither has a single formula or CAS. For a layer-by-layer walk through what else is in the bottle — the fragrance base and the carrier — read pheromone perfume ingredients explained.

Every ingredient, explained

• Androstadienone

  A steroid derivative of testosterone found in male sweat and semen — the molecule with the strongest research signal for affecting women's mood and attention, though the strength of the effect remains debated.

• Androstenol

  A 16-androstene steroid found in male sweat and saliva — historically marketed as the 'friendliness pheromone' for its association with social-approach behavior, though the evidence base is older and thinner than for androstadienone.

• Androstenone

  A steroid molecule found in male sweat, saliva, and urine — used in pheromone perfumes as a dominance and attraction signal.

• Copulins

  A mix of short-chain aliphatic fatty acids found in female vaginal secretions, used in women's pheromone perfumes as an attraction signal.

• Estratetraenol

  An estrogen-derived steroid found in female urine — proposed as the female counterpart to androstadienone in human chemosignal research, with similarly contested evidence for behavioral effects on men.

• Iso E Super

  A synthetic fragrance ingredient with a velvety, woody-skin scent that smells distinctly 'pheromone-like' to many people — though it is NOT a pheromone, it's a perfumery aromachemical patented by IFF.

• Synthetic Musks

  A family of synthetic aromachemicals that produce 'clean skin/musk' scent — they are NOT pheromones, they are perfumery base notes used to extend wear time and create the perception of sensual skin scent.

• Oxytocin Sprays

  Sprayable formulations containing synthetic oxytocin, the 'trust/bonding hormone' — marketed as a confidence-boosting alternative to androgen-based pheromone perfumes, with a much weaker and more contested mechanistic story.

• Allopregnanolone

  A potent GABA-A neurosteroid (the drug brexanolone) that reaches pheromone lists as a mood/calm molecule via internal action, not as a chemosignal.

• Alpha-Androstadienol

  The 3α-hydroxyl isomer of androstadienol — a trace 16-androstene precursor distinguished from the common 3β form only by the orientation of its hydroxyl, and with no assigned CAS number.

• Androstadienol

  A 16-androstene steroid in human sweat that acts as the chemical precursor to androstadienone, androstenone, and androstenol — the molecules pheromone research actually studies.

• Androstanone

  The fully saturated analogue of androstenone (5α-androstan-3-one) that the pheromone community rates as a dominance-and-charm molecule.

• Androstatrione

  A community-named "visual brightener" pheromone whose exact chemical identity and CAS are not standardized — most plausibly an androstane trione.

• Androstenetrione

  A synthetic androstene trione best known as the aromatase inhibitor "6-OXO" — a supplement compound, not a worn pheromone.

• Androsterone

  A weak-androgen metabolite present in human sweat and urine that the community rates highly as a "respect and status" pheromone.

• Androsterone Sulfate

  The sulfated storage form of androsterone, described in the community as a mood-elevating, warm and social molecule.

• Beta-Androstadienol

  The 3β-hydroxyl isomer of androstadienol and the form nearly all references mean — the sweat-borne 16-androstene precursor to androstadienone, androstenone and androstenol.

• Beta-Androstanol

  A fully saturated androstane alcohol and testosterone metabolite — the faint, saturated counterpart to the musky androstenols.

• Beta-Androstenol

  The 3β isomer of androstenol — a genuine 16-androstene sweat pheromone with a sandalwood-leaning odour and, unlike the alpha form, no GABA-A neuroactivity.

• DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)

  The most abundant steroid hormone the adrenal glands make and the precursor to testosterone and estrogen — an endocrine hormone, not a spray-on pheromone, despite showing up on molecule lists.

• DHEA-S (DHEA Sulfate)

  The sulfated storage form of DHEA and the most abundant steroid in human blood — carried in pheromone blends on the same precursor-reservoir logic as DHEA.

• Epiallopregnanolone

  The 3β epimer of allopregnanolone — notably lacking allopregnanolone’s GABA-A activity, which makes its presence here mostly structural.

• Epiandrosterone

  The 3β epimer of androsterone, a DHT-pathway metabolite the community rates as a likability and charm molecule.

• Estratetraenol Acetate

  The acetate ester of estratetraenol — a synthetic prodrug meant to hydrolyze on skin back to the female-signal estratetraenol; no verifiable CAS.

• Methoxyestratetraenol (MEO-EST)

  The methyl ether of estratetraenol, a community-favored "social buffer" molecule — despite the name, it has no free hydroxyl.

• Methoxyestratetraenone (MEO-EST-ONE)

  A disputed-identity "ketone" estratetraene that's reportedly just equilin — a horse estrogen. The running joke of the pheromone-molecule list, and one to skip.

• Pregnenolone

  The "mother" steroid hormone every other steroid is built from — an endocrine and neurosteroid precursor, not a topical pheromone.

• Pregnenolone Sulfate

  The sulfated form of pregnenolone — an excitatory neurosteroid and precursor reservoir, on the list via the same indirect logic as pregnenolone.

• THDOC (Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone)

  A stress-responsive GABA-A neurosteroid related to allopregnanolone — a mood/calm molecule by internal action, with an isomer-dependent identity.