Are you single af and sick of trying to find someone to smash genitals with based on outdated things like looks, personality, or common interests? Well guess what. You're not really in luck because you'll probably die alone, gradually liquifying into your couch as you are eaten by your own cats. But MAYBE there's some hope: now you can date people just based on their smell.
Smell Dating is an experimental dating service from the artists Tega Brain and Sam Lavigne of Useless Press (a jokey, fun, experimental, digital art group). Daters exchange smelly worn t-shirts, and chose matches based purely on the smell of the shirts.
For $25 (a pittance when you are considering the possibility of true love and/or dying alone) daters receive a t-shirt in the mail, along with instructions to wear it for three days. Smell Dating recommends its clients avoid deodorant or perfume because these mask natural smells, but it's fine to get the shirt smelly with other things that indicate lifestyle choices — like cigarette smoke or a campfire.
After three days, mail back your funky shirt, and you will receive 10 other people's shirts in the mail. Take a strong whiff, and pick the one that gets your motor running. If it's a mutual match, you'll be given each other's phone numbers.
Yes, this is mostly a stunt-y gag. But there is science behind the connection between our sense of smell and our romantic attractions. The Smell Dating team spoke with scientists who study scents, and cite several academic studies as part of their inspiration.
Smell Dating asks for almost no personal info of its daters, not even gender or sexual preference. This is purposely to let your nose guide you. "It's about trusting subconscious intuition and not falling back on inevitable preconceptions and prejudices," Tega Brain told BuzzFeed News. "You can't control what you like the taste or smell of, you have to trust your sensory system."
For now, Smell Dating is limited to 100 people (35 have signed up so far), and is only available in New York City. So, if you're horny, smell terrible, and live by yourself in the one of the most expensive cities in the world, things are looking up for you.
