Retailers looking to broaden their sexual cosmetics sections may wish to reach out to Pherolec Global, which offers a selection of pheromone products, including one aimed at gay men…
The word ‘pheromone’ first appeared in 1959 in an article by Peter Karlson and Martin Lüscher in the scientific journal Nature. Called ‘Pheromones: a new term for a class of biologically active substances’, the authors coined the term – which is based on the Greek φερω pheroo (‘I carry’) and ὁρμων hormon (‘stimulating’) – to describe substances in insects which are employed outside the body to eventually lead to a state of ‘copulative readiness’ [the article can still be found online at https://www.nature.com/articles/183055a0].
Although that was the first recorded use of the word, the substance it described – and the behavioural changes it induced – had previously been studied by a number of eminent scientists, including French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre, American entomologist Joseph A. Lintner, German biochemist Adolf Butenandt, and ethologist Karl von Frisch [Thank you Wikipedia.]
Pheromones in nature are not restricted to just attracting a mate: when attacked by a predator, some insects release a chemical which can trigger either a flight or fight response in members of the same species, while cats and dogs mark their territory with substances in their urine. And it’s due to the release of pheromones that mice are able to avoid inbreeding with their close relatives (who, to be fair, are visually probably pretty indistinguishable).
Pheromone products, in spray, cologne, candle, and even bath salts form, have been available over the counter since – actually, we haven’t been able to find a year, but it pre-dates ETO – and they have one purpose: to make the wearer more sexually attractive.
And do they? Well, ask Google this question and you’ll get quite a mixed response. But the fact that there are many different products available, from the biggest names in retail, suggests they must – unless the dabbing of them onto wrists, neck, and behind the ears merely induces an increased feeling of self-confidence in the wearer.
And if that is the case, let’s be honest, that’s quite a selling point in itself.
Julia Ferdek-Guzik, owner of Pherolec Global, is, as you might expect, firmly in the believer camp. She has a background in the perfumery business and explains: “Years of work and experience led me to observe that there is a shortage of pheromones on the market, and I decided to expand the perfume market with pheromones. My main aim was to create pheromones of high-quality ingredients and unique design.”
The firm, which was formed in 2017, has two flagship products: Androstenonum (for men) and Copulinol (for women). Said to contain highly concentrated essences of synthetic pheromones, with properties similar to the real thing, these lines became so successful in the UK, Europe – particularly Germany – and the US that Julia went on to create a new version aimed at gay men.
“The pheromones that I introduced for heterosexual women and men turned out to be a huge success,” says Julia. “Androstenonum and Copulinol have won the hearts of customers all over the world. My approach in the perfumery business is to bring innovation and uniqueness and thinking outside of the box, supporting all sexes and their needs. The demand that I received from customers asking if my company is manufacturing pheromones for gay men prompted me to expand my offer. This is how PheroCode CopulinAndrone – a specialised pheromone for gay men – was born.”
Julia says that PheroCode CopulinAndrone became an instant success as soon as it entered the market, and she has received a great deal of positive feedback about the product: “The feedback was that the customers have more positive encounters and that they feel more confident in their life,” she says. “Also, they really like the scent of this pheromone. It is a very effective product with an original fragrance and a very good composition. Plus PheroCode CopulinAndrone and other products have been dermatologically tested, which means that customers can feel safe when using them.”
Julia is now looking for other outlets for her company’s products, particularly retailers, and is inviting interested parties to get in touch. “We have a wide range of products, our offer of pheromones is extremely attractive, and we are constantly developing so our business partners will never be bored,” she says.
Your reporter was sent a selection of samples to try and although time constraints prevented a scientific experiment along the lines of wearing a different one each night while leaning against the bar in a trendy nightspot, a selection of people who were invited to take in the fragrances at close quarters all commented favourably on their scents.
Prices of Pherolec Global products for trade customers will depend on individual circumstances and the size of any order, as Julia explains: “Is it an online business or a shop? The selling price to retailers would be settled individually depending on the size of the order and type of the business. We can offer competitive prices that will suit buyers and I believe that the estimated profit margin could be in a range between 30% to 40%.”
Although there is no minimum order value, initial orders for new customers would need to be paid for in advance, and buyers from companies outside of the UK will need to pay any import duties that may be required. Once there is a trading history then terms and conditions could be renegotiated, and Julia is not ruling out offering different terms to begin with, depending on the outcome of initial discussions.
There is one additional stipulation that we suspect might please retailers: the resale price cannot be lower than Pherolec Global’s RRP.
Pherolec Global:
