Can a Perfume Help You Lose Weight?

COURTESY OF VELD'S
COURTESY OF VELD'S

Renee Trilivas,Allure magazine

The scent of peppermint can help wake you up in the morning and lavender is good for dozing off at night. But is there a perfume that can help you lose weight?

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A new French fragrance called Prends-Moi (translation: take me) smells of bergamot, jasmine, and vanilla and comes with just such a claim. According to Britain's Daily Mail, more than 6,000 people have put their names on the waiting list for the miraculous scent, which contains betaphroline-a substance that allegedly triggers the release of beta-endorphins, which make the wearer feel content and, thus, less likely to overeat.

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Sounds almost too good to be true. We contacted cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson to see if this new potion might possibly slim our silhouette, and he says he'll need to see more testing than currently exists to determine whether there's truth to the claims. "Betaphroline is a neurocosmetic, which means it only has an effect on the skin or body if your mind is tricked into thinking it will have that effect," he says. Prends-Moi also contains caffeine and carnitine to break down fat, spirulina algae extract to firm saggy skin, and soy isoflavone to help stimulate collagen production. (What doesn't this perfume do?) "These ingredients have a proven track record of visible results when it comes to softening the look of cellulite," Robinson says. But they won't cause you to lose weight, he emphasises-it may just appear that way.


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