I suspect that it works because she is your wife. BO works a lot better on your 101st date than it does on your 1st date. It is not about your armpits having an alluring scent, but the fact that the scent reminds your wife of times she got you all sweaty and stinky. It calls back to driving home after a long hike or snuggling with you on a cold winter day. It is a scent that she is used to smelling when she is looking at someone she loves.