Baseball Players' Favorite Victoria's Secret Scents Revealed

Baseball players have a variety of pre-game rituals and superstitions, and one of the more unusual ones is the use of perfume or cologne. It may seem odd, but many baseball players swear by a heavy dose of fragrance before they take the field, and one of the most popular brands is Victoria's Secret. The brand has a wide range of perfumes and colognes, and baseball players have been known to use them for a variety of reasons, from insect repellent to performance enhancement. So, the next time you're watching a baseball game and detect a hint of Amber Romance or Bombshell Diamonds, you'll know that it's not just about smelling good—it could be a secret weapon for success on the field.

Why baseball players wear Victoria's Secret perfume

Baseball players are known for their unique pre-game rituals, and one of the more unusual traditions involves wearing perfume or cologne before stepping onto the field. While it may seem odd that baseball players would want to mask the scent of their gear and sweat, there are several reasons why some players have taken to wearing Victoria's Secret perfume in particular.

Tradition and Superstition

Baseball is a sport steeped in tradition and superstition, and many players are reluctant to change their routines if they believe it may affect their performance. The practice of wearing perfume before a game began as a joke between teammates Salvador Pérez and Alcides Escobar of the Kansas City Royals. Escobar sprayed Pérez with Victoria's Secret perfume, and that same game, Pérez collected four hits. From then on, Pérez made it part of his pre-game ritual, believing it brought him good luck.

Repelling Insects

In addition to its potential performance-enhancing effects, perfume can also serve a more practical purpose for baseball players. LSU baseball players, for example, have taken to wearing Victoria's Secret "Amber Romance" perfume to repel mosquitoes and gnats. The perfume contains vanilla, which is known to be effective at keeping insects at bay.

Confidence and Focus

The sense of smell is closely linked to emotion and memory, and wearing a particular fragrance can help athletes feel more confident and focused during competition. Salvador Pérez, for instance, has said that wearing Victoria's Secret perfume makes him feel more confident on the pitch. Similarly, Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel has stated that wearing cologne or perfume is part of his job and helps him feel ready to perform.

Social Norms

Wearing perfume or cologne is also a way for baseball players, particularly those from Latin America, to conform to social norms. As Yuli Gurriel has explained, "When people go to work—man or woman—they get ready and dress up. I see it like that: this is my job, and I like to look good, and I like to smell good, too."

In conclusion, while it may seem unusual, there are several reasons why baseball players might choose to wear Victoria's Secret perfume before taking the field. From tradition and superstition to practical considerations and psychological benefits, the scent of Victoria's Secret has become an unlikely performance enhancer in the world of baseball.

The best-smelling MLB bullpens

It may come as a surprise that Major League Baseball stars wear women's fragrances on the pitch. But it's true! Baseball players have their reasons for doing so, and one of them is to not smell bad when they sweat. Another reason is that the emotions attached to their fragrances—special occasions, a specific frame of mind, positive vibes—are helpful reminders during tense competitions.

The Cubs' Bullpen

The Cubs' bullpen is known to be the best-smelling in the MLB. Even after a hard game in the blazing sun, Cubs players still smell great. This can be attributed to the thought process of Salvador Pérez, a catcher for the Kansas City Royals, who started the trend of wearing women's perfume on the pitch. Pérez was initially sprayed with perfume by his teammate, Alcides Escobar, as a joke. However, in that same game, Pérez managed to collect four hits, and from then on, he began spraying himself with the same Victoria's Secret perfume before every game. He even purchased every Victoria's Secret fragrance he could get his hands on!

LSU Baseball Team

The LSU baseball team is another group of players who have taken a liking to Victoria's Secret perfume, specifically the "Amber Romance" scent. The players use the perfume to repel insects, especially mosquitoes and gnats, which are common near their stadium. The perfume contains vanilla, which is known to be effective in repelling insects. The LSU players also enjoy the pleasant scent of the perfume and how it makes them feel good and more confident.

Other MLB Players

Other MLB players who incorporate fragrance into their pre-game rituals include Yuri Gurriel, the Cuban-born first baseman for the Houston Astros, who has stated that he likes to look and smell good when he goes to work, just like anyone else in their job. Alex Manoah, also Cuban, sprays himself with the same cologne that his grandmother gives him as a present every Christmas. Eugenio Suarez, from Venezuela, feels strange if he doesn't apply cologne; missing a spritz makes him feel abnormal and dirty, wrecking his confidence.

So, while it may seem unusual, wearing fragrance on the pitch has become a common practice for many MLB players, and it's all about boosting their confidence and performance.

The science behind scent conditioning

Our olfactory bulb, a small but crucial structure in our brain, is responsible for processing complex chemical signals that we interpret as smells. When we inhale, odour molecules travel through our nasal passages and bind to olfactory receptors, which then send signals to the olfactory bulb. This acts as a relay station, passing information to other brain regions for interpretation.

What sets olfaction apart from our other senses is that olfactory information bypasses the thalamus and has a direct line to the limbic system, which governs emotions and memory. This unique neural pathway explains why scents can evoke such potent emotional responses and vivid memories. The phenomenon, known as "olfactory-evoked recall," highlights the intimate link between our sense of smell and our emotional experiences.

Scent conditioning, a form of classical conditioning, involves pairing a neutral scent with an existing stimulus to create a new association. For example, the LSU baseball team's use of Victoria's Secret "Amber Romance" perfume is a form of scent conditioning. The players paired the scent with positive emotions and experiences, such as repelling insects, enhancing their performance, and creating a pleasant fragrance. Over time, the perfume became associated with success and comfort for the team.

Additionally, the science of scent conditioning has practical applications in various industries, such as automotive and marketing. Car manufacturers like Nissan pay close attention to the new car smell to ensure a comfortable and memorable experience for their customers. They employ smellmasters like Ryunosuke Ino to check the aroma of new vehicles and ensure a positive olfactory experience for passengers.

In marketing, a practice known as scent marketing or olfactory marketing involves using specific fragrances to create positive associations with a brand. For instance, Singapore Airlines created a patented scent, "Stefan Floridian Waters," used in their hot towels, flight attendants' perfume, and aircraft interiors. This consistent olfactory branding enhances brand loyalty and recognition.

The different types of Victoria's Secret fragrances

Victoria's Secret is an American fashion house that offers lingerie, accessories, and cosmetic products. The company was started in 1977 in San Francisco by Roy Raymond. In 1989, the company launched its earliest perfume, "Victoria". Since then, Victoria's Secret has expanded its fragrance collection to include numerous perfumes and colognes, with 794 perfumes in its fragrance base as of 2024.

The Victoria's Secret fragrance collection includes a range of perfumes, colognes, scented mists, lotions, and body care products. The company's perfumes are often named for its clothing lines or feature romantic and lingerie-themed names. Some of the perfumes in the collection include:

• Dream Angels: This line was launched in 2000 and is regularly updated with limited editions and flankers. The Dream Angels collection includes a variety of fragrances such as "Blush", "Forever", "Heavenly", and "Kiss".
• Bombshell: This collection features fragrances such as "Celebration", "Diamonds", "Eau de Parfum", and "Paradise".
• Angel: The Angel collection includes fragrances like "Italian Bergamot", "Dream", "Gold", and "Beach Angel".
• Bare: This collection includes fragrances with names like "Vanilla Starlit", "Vanilla Cashmere", and "Vanilla Crystal".
• Dark Romantics: The Dark Romantics collection features fragrances with names like "Vanilla Daydream", "Vanilla Decadent", and "Velvet Petals Decadent".
• Amber Romance: Marketed as "Deep Amber. Sugar Kisses. Chasing Sunsets", this fragrance is described as "a warm and alluring blend of black cherry, crème anglaise, vanilla, and sandalwood."

In addition to these collections, Victoria's Secret also offers body care products with botanical themes, such as Pear Glace, and fragrances with more romantic or fantasy-inspired names, such as "Love is Heavenly" and "Forbidden".

The history of Victoria's Secret fragrances

Victoria's Secret is an American fashion house for lingerie, accessories, and cosmetic products. The company was founded in 1977 by Roy Raymond, a Stanford graduate, and his wife, Gaye Raymond, in San Francisco. The company's earliest perfume, 'Victoria', was launched in 1989, and since then, Victoria's Secret has released 794 perfumes.

In the late 1980s, the company made a more formal venture into the perfume market. In 1991, they introduced their own line of fragrances, and in 1998, they entered the billion-dollar cosmetics market. The company's perfumes and colognes are named for its clothing lines, as well as other romance-themed and lingerie-themed fragrance collections. The very successful Dream Angels line was launched in 2000 and is regularly updated with limited editions and flankers.

The company offers fragrances and perfumed body care products, including scented mists, moisturizing lotions, body washes, and exfoliating scrubs. Some of their perfumes include Bombshell Eau de Parfum, Tease Eau de Parfum, and Heavenly Eau de Parfum.

Victoria's Secret has a strong association with fashion shows and supermodels, which has helped to promote its brand and products. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, held annually from 1995 to 2018, featured top models known as "Runway Angels" sporting lingerie and clothing collections. The show helped to establish Victoria's Secret as a prominent player in the lingerie and fragrance markets.

The brand has also been associated with baseball players, particularly the LSU baseball team, who have used the "Amber Romance" perfume to repel insects and leave a pleasant scent. The perfume contains vanilla, which is known to be effective in keeping insects away. This unique use of the fragrance showcases the versatility and popularity of Victoria's Secret's fragrance line.

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