Millions of dollars are spent each year on cosmetics and fragrance marketing. According to reports, more work may need to be done since genes play a role in the kind of fragrances people choose. This arises from a study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science.

According to the author of the study, August Hammerlich, MHC genes influence the kinds of scents that people are drawn to. While packaging and celebrity endorsements are big influences, Hammerlich said, “Our idea was to bring biology into this question and ask: Can we determine what perfume scents a person would like based on their genotype.”

This latest study support earlier research on the topic. The study determined that people with similar MHC genes found the other person’s scent more appealing than that of people with different genes.