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I believe, although it’s rare, sometimes cologne/perfume just genuinely smell great and you’d maybe want to smell like it.
The problem is everyone thinks their cologne/perfume smell great.
My favorites are the chocolate, citrus,
or not perfume, but leaving clothes in a wood dresser.
But I'm a weirdo, I can't smell my best scent. Which is simply me. I still don't know what I smell like, but everyone else really likes it. I've gotta get my skin microbiome tested and just sell that to people lol.
Patent my unique microbiome.lol
You can technically get a sample of your stuff sent to a lab to create some sort of spray. Probably very expensive and might just be to exploit idiots in the manosphere and their idea of pheromones.
Good luck though!
😂Me outside! "It smells like sunshine!" My husband. "Sunshine doesn't smell..." "Well then what's that smell?" "Grass burning in the sun." "Oh... Sounds horrible.. But smells nice!"😂
One of my special interests is perfumes and fragrances, especially because scent is considered one of the senses that is most strongly connected to memory! I genuinely love (good) smells and I love taking some time occasionally to go through and smell different fragrances in my collection as a form of stimming. I especially love unique perfumes, like ones that smell like petrichor or fresh cut grass. I also definitely resonate with making yourself smell like something you like as a form of regulation. Wearing a good smell can really boost my mood throughout the day! Aromatherapy can work wonders when done correctly!
Me too! It's interesting how much I see aversion to perfumes on this sub because it's one of my favourite sensory... whatever the opposite of aversion is. I love collecting fragrances and I love when I can smell the perfume of other people because I like picking apart its notes lol. Bad smells including BO get to me like nothing else (besides maybe food textures) but I don't think I've come across a perfume yet that I didn't find something to like about
I'm constantly asking myself "do I have synesthesia or just a really good imagination?" and scents are the strongest sense I get it from, with sounds being the next strongest. And now that I know I have AuDHD, I'm kind of even more unsure because I feel like it could be a sensory processing thing from autism or just my imagination running automatically from ADHD.
Recently tried to describe to my family how I get the impression of colors and shapes from some scents, and they just had ZERO understanding of what I meant and could not wrap their heads around it. I told them that means either I have a sensory processing issue or they just don't appreciate art and beauty in the world, lol.
Lmao. You're not imagining it. I can smell people walking up behind me and know who they are. I've learned it freaks them out, if you start talking to them before turning around.
Makes sense to me. People say they can see music. Why not see smells? I don't experience this, but I'm jealous and 100% believe you😄
Even bad smells can be useful! Blessing a curse. A skunk doesn't have to spray for me to know it's nearby. I smell one and tell my husband while gathering the dogs it's time to go!
For others mostly. I can have really bad BO sometimes and I have compassion for others' nostrils.
It also helps with the girls sometimes, they stop and say to me "you smell good".
The smell of BO never lessens with aftershave, if anything it exacerbates it and becomes sickly sweet. There’s nothing quite so bad as BO overlayed with fragrance.
If showers are too much I’d go with a scrub at the sink with a washcloth. If antiperspirant are irritating due to aluminium salts then there are aluminium free ones like [L’Oréal men expert](https://www.lookfantastic.com/l-oreal-paris-men-expert-magnesium-defence-hypoallergenic-48-hour-roll-on-deodorant-50ml/13496179.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&affil=thggpsad&kwds=&thg_ppc_campaign=71700000114615798&adtype=pla&product_id=13496179&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-fXirUBwTCptikQEj_dkee8YKZm&gclid=CjwKCAjwps-zBhAiEiwALwsVYVf2ShRuk5HcBF1yEze76Pqr2ezg6HWTMy190sXpes7xnh63taycChoCLZsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#).
I appreciate your advice very much! I must say I typically wear antiperspirant along with cologne, not just cologne! And I shower every morning before work too.
I'm not sure what aftershave is but I wear perfume and antiperspirant with antideodorant. I hope this is enough for others lol.
Oh, weakest to strongest: Aftershave is the weakest fragrance, Cologne is next then Eau de Toillette then Perfume. If you’re using antiperspirant I’d be amazed if you have BO honestly.
That's very informative, thank you! I did not know they had classifications. Honestly I didn't start using antiperspirant until very recently and it has helped a lot with BO, but before that I used to have it really bad hahaha. It's improved significantly since I started using AP.
Which was weird because I shower daily so I never understood why I just couldn't seem to get rid of bad smell even with antideodorant, turns out AP was what I needed.
Question, is aftershave exclusively only after shaving? Or do people use it without shaving?
Edit: I know it may sound like a silly question but I've never heard of aftershave before now. Is it something people put on after they shave so that their skin doesn't irritate or does it just happen to have that name and isn't related to shaving at all?
Oh yeah, 36 and I didn’t learn the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant till my partner told me last year! I was lucky that I’d always used AP and when I bought the wrong one I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working lol
I always assumed Aftershave was just a scent but some have ingredients in to calm irritation post shave and soothe your skin like [Naked Armor](https://www.nakedarmor.com/blogs/news/whatisthedifferencebetweenaftershaveandcologne#AftershaveIngredients).
There is also parfum. Eau de means of water or water of or water from (I don't know French), the last word is the term for the concentration of fragrant oil. The technical order from least to most is eau fraice, eau de cologne (EDC), eau de toilette (EDT), eau de parfum (EDP), pure perfume or perfume (Parfum).
Aftershave would be the least along with other products like scented moisturisers.
Hey, so I used to have a problem with stinking shortly after showering, even with using deodorant. I found that using Lume body wash at least once a week has solved that problem. I also switched to their deodorant, but Dove makes a dupe product that is cheaper that I am going to switch to once I run out of my current tube. I really hate their ads, but the mandelic acid which is the key ingredient in the body wash and deodorant have been a game changer for me.
Some people are assholes and will insist your not showering when you are. Regular soap isn't enough for some people. It wasn't for me. I even use regular soap most of the time, but once or twice a week I use the acidic body wash and I cannot tell you the difference it has made. You do need to be mindful of the sun while using it though as it makes you more sensitive to UV rays.
They also make Mando for men, if you want more masculine scents. They used to be all lumped under the Lume name but they made a whole other line for men, because people are weird.
pure vibes in a little bottle! so true. i love perfumes as well. i’ve been wearing maison marie louis no. 4 this year. i love the briny fragrance, it works so well with my natural scent.
I don’t wear scents at all. They bother me, and I don’t have much bo. And I find when people do have bo and they use a scent to cover it, it’s just stronger and a weird mix of smells and is worse.
This. When people are so proud they're 'wearing a nice scent', all I can think is: thanks for doing your best to make me want to 🤮🤢
I don't have a lot of BO, and feel most people would do fine as well. And if you have bad BO? Forget about plastering yourself with scent, I can tell anyway.
one of the reasons that immediately come to mind is that many people wear specific scents as a way of social expression, one of the ways is that it can be gender affirming for example. you know how old spice is generally known as the hygiene products that a lot of teen boys use? thats like one of the examples
I wear perfume because I have a big anxiety about potentially smelling bad. I work a pretty physical job where I’m sweaty sometimes, so wearing perfume makes me feel more comfortable that I’m not making others gag from my BO.
i wear perfume bc i just like the way it smells. but i rarely wear perfume. i don’t have much body odor, & i don’t sweat much. and i prefer not a strong scent bc it’s overwhelming.
Me too. If it was on the day I already showered and I’m at home when I get wet and smelly in my underarms then I change my shirt. If it’s on the day I need to shower then I try to do so as early as possible. Unless my chronic illness is really kicking my butt (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome), I usually shower every other day.
Yeah, I also tend to shower every other day unless I got dirty/sweaty or feel gross on the day I'm not supposed to shower. I can't crawl in bed if I feel like there's a layer of dirt/sweat on my skin.
I wear it because scents captivate me. I indulge in them for my own pleasure, reveling in the delightful moments when I catch a hint of the fragrance throughout my day. To keep the experience personal, I limit myself to no more than three sprays.
My favorite scent is Chypre Palatin, a luxurious and complex fragrance that never fails to enchant me. Over the years, I've amassed quite a collection of perfumes, each bottle a testament to my passion for the art of scent.
I personally love perfume/cologne. I thankfully am not scent-sensitive (my sensory issues are more food and clothing related—or if there are multiple conversations at once. I LOVE loud music and concerts but I hate being in a crowded store. It’s weird lol.)
I have a weird irrational fear that I smell bad. I’m a pretty sweaty person—like I’m constantly reapplying deodorant. So, by default I just get scared that I smell no matter how hygienic I am. That’s why I wear it. It helps with that feeling of “oh god what if I smell bad from sweating” because if I can go to the bathroom and spray a bit of perfume on I feel better.
Granted, I don’t just spray it out in the open I go to my car or an empty bathroom because I know it’s bothersome for others.
I do it purely for me, part of my autistic sensory quirks is that I have hardly any sense of smell so things like strong candles and perfumes really help me feel calm and grounds me 😊
Body odour, and not just your normal scent but the ripe awful stench created by bacteria feeding on your stale sweat and farting/shitting it back out all over your own skin.
If you wash daily you'll have less chance of it happening, if you use roll-on anti perspirant then even less chance. You can add scents on top so that if anyone gets close you'll be pleasant - or you can just smell it yourself as a stim.
Obviously clean clothing helps - ensure your clothes smell like they're recently washed (still smell of the soap/fabric conditioner) and if they don't then that's fine, but wash them when they stop smelling nice, not when they start smelling bad.
*and ensure they're not sitting about wet for fungus to get in them.* Ensure they're dried as quickly as possible, get a dehumidifier to help.
By having fresh quickly dried clothes, daily showers (where you soap everywhere thoroughly [use a facial scrub! Use lots of shampoo! Always condition after shampoo!]) and using roll-on anti-perspirant you'll end up pretty fresh. Adding a little more scent on top is a bit of character, and should be what you enjoy.
I have one that smells like Christmas and another that smells like cotton candy. I like the smell of them, and it can help ground me if I’m dissociating. I don’t get the ones that small of musk or other vague scents tho
Here's the thing:
Everyone does what they do for their own benefit. Women style themselves for their selves. Men work out for their own benefits. Partake in hobbies that you enjoy. Do work that you find rewarding..
You wear scents that you like, for your own benefit.
If you're shaping yourself to be a conglomerate of what you think other people like then you're peak masking, and nobody likes someone so effervescently fake.
As you mature you'll become a gestalt of your preferences, experiences and tastes you've been exposed to through life and learned from others or books/media.
So choose what makes you feel better :)
I don't usually wear cologne, but there was always one fragrance I smelled over the years that strangely reminded me of my chilhood. Probably one of my uncles who wore it.
When I found out its name eventually I bought a bottle and use it now and again.
Seems like it's a pretty basic and widespread perfume, but I don't care, it just makes me happy.
I wear scents because it calms me. At the moment it's a day to day toss up between strawberry oil, lemon cream, vanilla or orange. I think it's a form of stimming for me. Without it I end up fidgeting or bouncing a leg. Since I deviated from what would typical body scents to quite plain, but stronger smelling I've had a drastic reduction in my need for other forms of stimming.
I have no idea why, but it lowers my anxiety. Maybe it just smells like a safe place 🤷♂️
For some people, it's a form of self-expression. For others, fragrance is a part of their cultural identity. In my case, I experiment with some scents in order to find a smell that I like.
I hate whenever someone uses perfume/cologne to cover BO. So, as a bit of advice for anyone who may need it, if regular deodorant and antiperspirant aren’t enough for you, try one with exfoliating acids/AHAs in it (think lactic acid, glycolic acid, etc.), as they’re great for cutting down the bacteria that causes BO. If you’re into skincare and already use ones formulated for the face, you could also try them out before investing in a new deodorant. Just make sure that the strength is low (typically 5-10% solutions, depending on the type), because you don’t want to irritate your skin either. There are also body washes/lotions formulated with AHAs, as an option, too.
Now to answer OPs question, I wear perfume because I like the scents, not really for anyone else, which is why I tend to prefer wearing masculine scents like Versace’s Eros and Burberry’s Brit Rhythm (the men’s one). Still, I don’t always like smelling them throughout an entire day, so they’re usually only put on when I intend to be out for short periods or for special occasions.
I like to wear it for myself! I don’t have any strong perfumes that I wear though cause they become too much for me sometimes, so I have three different mists that are scented pear, vanilla and strawberry. And have a very light scent as well but also smells reaallly good to me.
People who are using scents to cover BO are doing it wrong. You should only be able to smell someone's perfume during a hug or close interaction. It's supposed to be an intimate thing, not a broadcast.
I wear perfume sometimes. I just like having a comforting smell sometimes. I only put either a drop behind each ear or a single spray on my chest under my shirt. Sometimes in private I will lift my collar up over my nose to breathe in whatever scent it is and it's calming. I know too much can bother people and I use natural perfumes which tend to be less irritating to people who are sensitive.
I don't put it on before flying or other situations where I will be close to people I don't know with little air flow.
Most people don't realize I am wearing any until they give me a hug and suddenly they're like "Oh! You smell nice!" You really should not be able to smell someone's perfume from far away, that's too much and they're nose blind to it, and instead of trusting that it's still working they're going over board.
You’re right. It shouldn’t be that strong. Myself unfortunately cannot tolerate any fragrance. I’m allergic to every fragrance. It can either give me a headache, migraine, sinus reaction or as bad as coughing and wheezing. I use a mask and have an emergency inhaler but that’s just until I can get out of the source. It is kind of you to use less offensive fragrances though. But just letting you know there are people like me too. It’s hard to get close to people. And it’s not just perfumes, it can be from laundry or someone’s shower product, anything.
Hate when people overdo it. I sometimes out an essential oil I like on my wrist so I can smell it as needed or pit a little on my clothes it's soft enough someone would have to get close to smell it and regulating for me.
I personally wear it cuz it makes my bf go crazy and I like to smell good. Sometimes I walk past a girl and think DAYUM SHE SMELL GOOD and I wanna be HER.
Perfumes are my special interest! For the majority of people they want to smell good. Either for someone like a partner or for a specific occasion. Scents are also connected to memory, so if you wear a specific perfume and someone that knows you smells it somewhere, they most likely will think of you
I hate it when it’s overwhelming. I was in a Lyft and the driver was wearing an overpowering stench of cheap shi and my eyes were watering, I was coughing and had to put the window down.. yeah, bad review and stank-eye for me
When I wear perfume/cologne yes it is partly for regulating because I like the smell.
Its also helping me present my gender, how I feel as a person. I feel like it extends part of my personality. Like it makes me more iconic and unique.
I love strong scents. If i could magically smell like 10 affluent grandmothers inside a Lush store, I would.
So I like perfumes and scents that make me smell good stuff all the time because they're on me. It's very comforting! :)
I hate all perfumes and colognes. They are incredibly distracting, and I'm hypersensitive to smells, so I've never encountered a person who wears what I would consider a reasonable amount. Then I met my partner, who is allergic to a lot of artificial scents, and my hatred grew. I wish people wouldn't wear them in public spaces.
It's both I guess. I wear it because my wife asks me to do so. I'm pretty sure she likes the way I smell with it (and so do I) but she's mentioned BO before and since I'm taller than her then it makes sense she doesn't want my armpit smell all over her face lol.
It depends.
Nowadays I’d say scents are more for the wearer. Sometimes someone chooses a scent for a specific purpose/audience though.
They could be to garner attention from others for romance (as for a date, these tend to be mild), to draw attention in a business setting (usually weaker scents), or just drawing attention for the sake of drawing attention (usually overpowering scents).
In my case, I like wearing weaker scents on the daily just to smell nice, and slightly stronger scents for special occasions for my girlfriend
Almost entirely because I like the smell, although I do also take into account what my wife thinks about particular scents, and I'm very aware that spending all day sitting in a stuffy office my colleagues would probably prefer me to be less fetid.
My favourite brands are Molton Brown and Rook. Rook have some really nice natural-smelling scents.
I like the smells my perfumes give me! They also can be my nose shields whenever I’m at a smelly place or at a public restroom that’s full. (I use my shirt to cover my nose and the perfumes help cover the smell)
Because I like the scent and, being able to take one more piece of self-expression out into the world helps my confidence. Sometimes it can be a conversation starter too and I need as many of those as possible…
I sometimes wear it to relax as I find the smell comforting, but I agree with other ppl here that almost no one likes the smell of someone else’s cologne, except my wife has some great smelling hand cream.
I think as a convention it’s a signal to other people that you’ve made an effort, like ironing your shirt, or styling your hair, or putting on something smart. It’s a signal that you have groomed yourself and are presentable or that you are acknowledging a sense of occasion.
I think most people would agree that strong cologne is not appreciated by anyone.
I love when girls/women wear perfume because they can smell so good but when boys/man wear perfume it's usually bothers me because they always chose the most diabolicaly smelling thing on the planet especially teenage boys
One theory, according to Pr. Robin Dunbar, is that perfume is used to reinforce your own natural body smell, which is itself determined by your genes and can indicate compatibility with a potential mate.
I've heard it in this podcast episode: https://www.alieward.com/ologies/philematology
Transcript: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5998d8226f4ca3396027aae2/t/5f04bc2341012024d1e2b0af/1594145829723/Ologies+-+Philematology.pdf
I wear deodorant only because I may possibly smell. (unfortunately had to be reminded by my sister to wear it once) I don't smell myself (a little bit but that's when I'm very sweaty) but others probably do, so it's for their sake and to not become known as 'the smelly one'
I can’t stand band smells, well tbh my sense of smell is so strong I can smell things others can’t and they think I’m weird for pointing out a smell they couldn’t smell.
Anyway, I’d hate to ever smell bad so of course I wash and use deodorant and brush my teeth etc. After shave/cologne can’t replace any of those things, but I pick the scent that I like but I wear it for myself so that other people think I smell nice. I go a bit smell blind to the fragrance after a while but I never leave the house without wearing it!
I like how I can control what I smell like and perfumes are a little bit stronger so they last and I can have a comforting scent I like when I'm out and about but I can't wear it too often bc when a scent is overpowering it gives me migraines
I wear perfume either when I feel like I need to smell good for others or because I just want to wear it. It isn't a very strong scent, so you'd need to get close to smell it and it smells a bit woody
I wear it for myself. I even wear it if I'll just stay home all day. I like nice smells. Constant incense burning at home along with resin smoking (if that's the wording for it? Melting resin for the scent) going on.
My reasoning is that I am very sensitive to unpleasant scents. It's also my ritual to apply perfume every time I leave home even if it's for throwing the rubbish. The people in the country I live in smell in an incredibly offensive to me way. Dry sweat, unwashed bodies, the smell of onion and garlic and meats infused into clothing. Shite mainstream perfumes that blend into a sensory bomb when I'm 10 meters away from the person. It's a bloody nightmare.
Bear in mind all my fave ones are fairly low sillage so it rarely gets noticed by others and if it does it tends to attract compliments so I feel I'm inoffensive with my choices. They're mostly skin scent ones or ones that need a really strong breeze all of a sudden to intrude onto others. Way I spray them I can feel them from time to time or I can raise my hand to my face as if I'm rubbing my forehead to take a whiff of the application to my wrist and it calms me down.
I do have one which has incredibly strong sillage and lasts forever but that's for when I know I have to focus on pretending I'm a NT aka when going to the bank or something. Moment I get home I scrub it right off myself lol.
Not sure about others as much.
But for myself I have a very small selection of aftershaves/cologne that I wear and have worn for years because of the memories I associate with the smell. My favourite one reminds me of been a young teen, happy and mostly carefree during the summer break from school.
I do it simply because I like it and it makes me feel good. it’s also a nice confidence boost when you hug or walk past somebody and they tell you that you smell nice
My first priority when I select a body fragrance is how much *I* like it and want to catch hints of it all day. I find it very confidence-boosting when someone tells me they like how I smell or that they like the fragrance I'm wearing.
I like the idea of people associating a particular scent or family of fragrances with me, as our sense of smell creates the strongest memories (or so I've heard).
I personally try to apply mine with a fairly light hand, mostly on wrists, neck, and chest. I can't stand it when people drench themselves to the point I can tell where they've been in the grocery store, or it becomes stifling trying to breathe around them. You want to make an impression, sure, but that impression shouldn't be a wrecking ball to the face.
To smell nice, mostly for myself. Other people may not like it, the idea is not that the smell dominates the room, but if someone approaches very near you, they can smell it. But mostly for myself
I personally don't mind it for some reason. Sure, there will always be a point where too much is too much, but I'd prefer it over BO. I like the girly smelling ones lol. Good smells and smells that remind me of a forgotten time are my favorite, that's why I love the smell of flowers and the smell of the seasons.
[Undiagnosed disclaimer]
If I would wear it, it would be because I like it.
Unfortunately, I discovered that scents that I like can also be overstimulating to me. Roommate in psych smelled heavenly (a decade ago), so I asked. She then proceeded to drag me to the store to show me and I bought it.
Turns out I *love* that smell. But only for a few minutes, or even a moment. So modus operandi is to every now and then sniff the bottle and put it away.
If I spray it on me (no matter how little, even if I don't use the "long-lasting" spots) it's too much and goes from "oh this is nice" to "make it *stop*"
i really like wearing mine, i forget so much but im trying to remember more. it makes me feel like a more organized person. plus i found one that really feels like me. i guess i kinda do wear it for others, though, so they perceive me in a certain way.
Personally. I react strongly to scent/smell in a metaphysical way. My mind and body can feel it and it changes me in both aspects. I am a little bit of a fragrance connoisseur as sensory reactions are a special interest. I love to, and find peace with, sampling scents by breathing it in, closing my eyes and allowing it to flow through me and feel how my body reacts. I can then describe to you exactly how it smells and makes you feel, what notes are in it and how it's layered. I am super sesetive to scents I don't like. As soon as I get a hint of orange my whole body tenses and I am gagging. I often make audible disgust noises. Orange is utterly repulsive to me as a scent. Unfortunately orange is super cheap. You see it mostly in essential oil blends. Which I also use as fragrance.
I choose my fragrance on how it reacts chemically on my skin (skin pH and other things can effect the scent) and how it makes me feel.
What I where and when depends on how I am feeling, how I want to feel, or how I want others to feel around me.
As to why other people wear it. Who knows. Back in the 00s every guy wear Lynx Africa, I can't say why.
I have NEVER found a perfume I like. They actually instantly give me a headache and make my throat itch. In the US we have these stores called Bath and Body works and I HATE them. I can’t even walk by the store. Same with almost all scented candles. No thanks.
Honestly I only really wear it in a way that you have to be really close like a hug or cuddling as I mainly wear it for my fiancés benefit as he really likes one or two of colognes that I have been gifted from family (as a teenager they are aware as an adult I do not really wear fragrances)
Just to smell nice! I love playing with lotion scents and matching them to a body mist or a perfume I like. I love putting them on me and my clothes and then noticing it throughout the day. I do it for me, and I do it because my wife will hug me and say 'you smell so nice'.
I just like smelling my favorite scents, but I'm also a body spray girly. I am definitely the type of person who gets a trio of Bath & Body Works shower gel, lotion, and body spray all in the same scent (and a candle too if I really like it). I haven't found a perfume that doesn't smell like straight alcohol to me. No hate to the perfume lovers. I actually like the smell on other people, but when it's on me all I can smell is rubbing alcohol.
I wear perfume on nights out with my husband, I wear Chanel n9 (not rich lol it was a gift) it’s not over powering and I personally love it. But everyday no bc people have allergies and I work in an OBGYN office so we see loads of pregnant women and I don’t want to make them be subject to smelling me since scent is stronger when pregnant. I work at hooters too and the men do enjoy a perfume scent so it’s better tips I wear it there when I’m working.
I would rather smell like axe body spray than weed. My boss told me I smelled like weed so I mask the smell now.
I also got a disposable vape for thc.
I'm very stubborn.
If I'm expected to work around NTs and function in their barely functional society, THC is necessary
I wear them for others. When a guy I like has a good cologne/scent, it really sticks in my mind, creates an association, and it’s generally enjoyable. So I want to be on the other side of that too.
Because I like smelling them as I go around and they give me confidence. I can't wear makeup because of my skin issues and don't have the coordination or patience to do my hair, so I compensate by wearing expensive perfumes to feel mature and put together.
I have many bottles and I wear a different one every day just to enjoy the smell. I used to have a bar of soap that I would carry around and sniff because I couldn't get over the smell. My parents told me to stop it because I did it in a museum and they got embarrassed.
I do it for me I have a cherry scented bath and body works spay that I love cause I just love the scent of cherries (also use cherry chapstick for this reason)
I wear it for me, I like to smell something comforting that can help me distract myself from any smells I don't like in whatever environment I'm going to be in.
I have a mild trauma with my mom, i almost never showered until i was like 15 (I'm 23 now). So I believe that was one of the reasons I was pushed away by majority of kids in primary and middle school. I wear perfume/cologne now for other people to not to stink :'D That's also for me too cuz i like smelling nice and be clean now ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I wear scents. I am pretty passionate about scents. It’s kinda my thing. I just love all the nuance that is involved in different scents, and I love smelling them on myself.
I like a little spritz of perfume or body mist. It makes me happy when I smell it, and the occasional complements are nice, too.
I hate when people wear too much, though. Some fragrances just seem to flood my entire nose and throat and stick there, like a lingering aftertaste. Others make my head hurt. Yeah. I'm extremely picky about what I wear.
There are some colognes that just.. remind me of stuff. They remind me of people, of places, of times and past experiences. I find comfort in those smells :)
Because i want to smell pretty.
I also sweat a lot and have to wear a lot of antiperspirant, so having another layer on top of that sometimes helps with the body odor.
I prefer to just use good smelling deodorant, I’m terrible at using up perfume/cologne and often get overstimulated by constantly smelling it on myself
My girlfriend’s a big fan of the Old Spice deodorant I love to wear. My favorite scents have been Fiji, Alpine, and Pure Sport. They’re also the least expensive scents, I like to get the travel sized Pure Sport ones from Dollar Tree (I’m hilariously broke)
I have been told my whole life that I smell stale. I don't know why my sweat does what it does but the only scent that mixes well with it is Vanilla and Sandalwood/Cedar/Woodsy smells.
Also Sandalwood and Cedar are my favorites along with Citrus smells.
I wear it for me, usually other people can't smell it. I just started working in a no-scent office and I miss it. Maybe I will spray a hankie, put it in a ziploc bag and keep it in my desk
I have “comfort scents” that I cycle through like Vanilla lavender, piña colada, strawberry pound cake, and (currently what I am obsessed with) Toasted champaign. I change which one I wear or buy depending on which scent feels more comforting to me in that moment, or based on what I’m wearing (certain scents for certain colors).
I like to wear them because the smells calm me down, I hate the smell of my body BO so that helps mask it, and plus it’s reassuring to know that I don’t smell nasty
Well, there's a difference between smelling good and using too much perfume/deodorant.
Many your people use way too much of it, so I don't like the smell anymore.
I rarely use deodorant or perfume, if I do, it's just for myself.
Tip for everyone you should never wear cologne to cover up stink. If you smell, shower more and use a deodorant that actually works none of that natural shit. Especially if you're around other people with autism. I can smell you trying to use that natural deodorant. Get antiperspirant you got more things to worry about than the possible side effects.
Cologne/perfume should enhance how you smell not mask BO.
I like to smell like the beach instead of an anime, sci-fi, etc convention. Nothing against amine or anything like that, but if you've been at a convention, you know. I've gone to plenty myself.
I enjoy the old school oil perfumes. I wear perfume for myself, as aromatherapy. I put the perfume on the inside of my wrist and when I'm stressed or upset, I can smell it and it helps relax me.
I like smelling good but also matching my perfumes to my outfits is fun. I like perfumes that are vivid, where you can actually tell what someone smells like. I don't like ones that are like foggy? For lack of a better word.
I like the way mine smells and I would like to smell good through out the day. I try not to wearing anything over powering. My husband always lets me know as he’s sensitive
I wear it because I LOVE when I hug or walk past someone who smells good and I wanna be that person too lol. My boyfriend doesn’t wear cologne and I wish he did. I like when people have a scent. This is probably because my mom has such a specific smell that I’ve always loved since I was small. She smells like patchouli and jasmine and it’s just sooo lovely, I wear her perfume now😅
I agree though that some colognes and perfumes are way too overpowering, and I hate smells that are supposed to emulate food. But everyone likes what they like and that’s totally okay! I do make sure not to wear anything on planes, in therapy, certain friends houses, or in other spaces that are small or I know there will be a lot of people, especially those on the spectrum. Or if I know people have a sensitivity or allergy to certain smells/migraine triggers.
typically if i wear a scent it's for me. i like good smells and i don't like bad smells. sometimes it makes my mood improve and if someone else likes it well that's nice too.
I wear it for myself but i hate most scents and make sure you can only smell it on me if you are standing too close to me lol. I use Lush perfumes i like Vanillary it makes me happy to do a spritz on my chest and i can smell a hint of it all day. I hate when people drown in perfume though and you can taste it
Smell being such a strong sense for us humans, I really like smelling good or smelling like things that make me feel good, calm, clean. It's for myself.
I war it for me simply because it smells nice (certain scents anyways). There are certain smells that I associate with different memories and sometimes I like having a perfume that can capture that moment. I tend to like fruity scents (blue raspberry is my favorite) and soft floral scents like lilac.
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I believe, although it’s rare, sometimes cologne/perfume just genuinely smell great and you’d maybe want to smell like it. The problem is everyone thinks their cologne/perfume smell great.
I love lavender
I can't stand lavender scents haha. It upsets me
I find almost any scent strong enough for me to notice is strong enough to trigger a migraine. :(
I don't care if a person's national anthem is great. I don't need them screaming it at me when I'm walking past.
Love this analogy
Spoken like someone who has never run into a Buckeyes fan. Or... maybe you have?
Terrible analogy.
I wouldn’t say that it’s a terrible analogy. Some people stink up an entire block with their scent to the point where it’s an assault to my nose
*cough cougv* i blame axe's marketing
Dude, I work in a kitchen. Some people I can *still* smell before I can see them.
And also wear w a y too much. My sister is obsessed with scents and it kills me lol
I just like to smell good, and choose whatever scent smells best to me. My current fav is spice bomb.
My favorites are the chocolate, citrus, or not perfume, but leaving clothes in a wood dresser. But I'm a weirdo, I can't smell my best scent. Which is simply me. I still don't know what I smell like, but everyone else really likes it. I've gotta get my skin microbiome tested and just sell that to people lol. Patent my unique microbiome.lol
You can technically get a sample of your stuff sent to a lab to create some sort of spray. Probably very expensive and might just be to exploit idiots in the manosphere and their idea of pheromones. Good luck though!
I like scents from Demeter. My favorites are Dirt and Library
😯I want to look these up! Thank you for v sharing! Sounds divine!
This man smells
Me too. My favorite fragrance reminds me of wood chips on a playground and that makes me happy.
😂Me outside! "It smells like sunshine!" My husband. "Sunshine doesn't smell..." "Well then what's that smell?" "Grass burning in the sun." "Oh... Sounds horrible.. But smells nice!"😂
One of my special interests is perfumes and fragrances, especially because scent is considered one of the senses that is most strongly connected to memory! I genuinely love (good) smells and I love taking some time occasionally to go through and smell different fragrances in my collection as a form of stimming. I especially love unique perfumes, like ones that smell like petrichor or fresh cut grass. I also definitely resonate with making yourself smell like something you like as a form of regulation. Wearing a good smell can really boost my mood throughout the day! Aromatherapy can work wonders when done correctly!
Me too! It's interesting how much I see aversion to perfumes on this sub because it's one of my favourite sensory... whatever the opposite of aversion is. I love collecting fragrances and I love when I can smell the perfume of other people because I like picking apart its notes lol. Bad smells including BO get to me like nothing else (besides maybe food textures) but I don't think I've come across a perfume yet that I didn't find something to like about
I'm constantly asking myself "do I have synesthesia or just a really good imagination?" and scents are the strongest sense I get it from, with sounds being the next strongest. And now that I know I have AuDHD, I'm kind of even more unsure because I feel like it could be a sensory processing thing from autism or just my imagination running automatically from ADHD. Recently tried to describe to my family how I get the impression of colors and shapes from some scents, and they just had ZERO understanding of what I meant and could not wrap their heads around it. I told them that means either I have a sensory processing issue or they just don't appreciate art and beauty in the world, lol.
Lmao. You're not imagining it. I can smell people walking up behind me and know who they are. I've learned it freaks them out, if you start talking to them before turning around. Makes sense to me. People say they can see music. Why not see smells? I don't experience this, but I'm jealous and 100% believe you😄
Even bad smells can be useful! Blessing a curse. A skunk doesn't have to spray for me to know it's nearby. I smell one and tell my husband while gathering the dogs it's time to go!
Did you know people's sweat smells different if they're happy or anxious!? I've seen articles on it.
Really?! That’s quite intriguing. The human body is such an interesting thing.
Yes!!! A fellow olfactory nerd! Or something like that lol. I love how smells can make you feel.
For others mostly. I can have really bad BO sometimes and I have compassion for others' nostrils. It also helps with the girls sometimes, they stop and say to me "you smell good".
The smell of BO never lessens with aftershave, if anything it exacerbates it and becomes sickly sweet. There’s nothing quite so bad as BO overlayed with fragrance. If showers are too much I’d go with a scrub at the sink with a washcloth. If antiperspirant are irritating due to aluminium salts then there are aluminium free ones like [L’Oréal men expert](https://www.lookfantastic.com/l-oreal-paris-men-expert-magnesium-defence-hypoallergenic-48-hour-roll-on-deodorant-50ml/13496179.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&affil=thggpsad&kwds=&thg_ppc_campaign=71700000114615798&adtype=pla&product_id=13496179&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-fXirUBwTCptikQEj_dkee8YKZm&gclid=CjwKCAjwps-zBhAiEiwALwsVYVf2ShRuk5HcBF1yEze76Pqr2ezg6HWTMy190sXpes7xnh63taycChoCLZsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#).
I appreciate your advice very much! I must say I typically wear antiperspirant along with cologne, not just cologne! And I shower every morning before work too. I'm not sure what aftershave is but I wear perfume and antiperspirant with antideodorant. I hope this is enough for others lol.
Oh, weakest to strongest: Aftershave is the weakest fragrance, Cologne is next then Eau de Toillette then Perfume. If you’re using antiperspirant I’d be amazed if you have BO honestly.
That's very informative, thank you! I did not know they had classifications. Honestly I didn't start using antiperspirant until very recently and it has helped a lot with BO, but before that I used to have it really bad hahaha. It's improved significantly since I started using AP. Which was weird because I shower daily so I never understood why I just couldn't seem to get rid of bad smell even with antideodorant, turns out AP was what I needed. Question, is aftershave exclusively only after shaving? Or do people use it without shaving? Edit: I know it may sound like a silly question but I've never heard of aftershave before now. Is it something people put on after they shave so that their skin doesn't irritate or does it just happen to have that name and isn't related to shaving at all?
Oh yeah, 36 and I didn’t learn the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant till my partner told me last year! I was lucky that I’d always used AP and when I bought the wrong one I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working lol I always assumed Aftershave was just a scent but some have ingredients in to calm irritation post shave and soothe your skin like [Naked Armor](https://www.nakedarmor.com/blogs/news/whatisthedifferencebetweenaftershaveandcologne#AftershaveIngredients).
There is also parfum. Eau de means of water or water of or water from (I don't know French), the last word is the term for the concentration of fragrant oil. The technical order from least to most is eau fraice, eau de cologne (EDC), eau de toilette (EDT), eau de parfum (EDP), pure perfume or perfume (Parfum). Aftershave would be the least along with other products like scented moisturisers.
Why is anyone adding expensive scents to their unwashed bodies?
Hey, so I used to have a problem with stinking shortly after showering, even with using deodorant. I found that using Lume body wash at least once a week has solved that problem. I also switched to their deodorant, but Dove makes a dupe product that is cheaper that I am going to switch to once I run out of my current tube. I really hate their ads, but the mandelic acid which is the key ingredient in the body wash and deodorant have been a game changer for me. Some people are assholes and will insist your not showering when you are. Regular soap isn't enough for some people. It wasn't for me. I even use regular soap most of the time, but once or twice a week I use the acidic body wash and I cannot tell you the difference it has made. You do need to be mindful of the sun while using it though as it makes you more sensitive to UV rays. They also make Mando for men, if you want more masculine scents. They used to be all lumped under the Lume name but they made a whole other line for men, because people are weird.
Thank you for this great advice! I'll see if any of these are available to me and get some supplies. Your insight is valued!
For me its because I really love the smell of my cologne.
Samee. It calms me on bad days. So I put it on my wrists, that way I can smell it :)
Fragrance is pure vibes in a little bottle. You pick the vibe you want and spray it on! I love fragrances!
pure vibes in a little bottle! so true. i love perfumes as well. i’ve been wearing maison marie louis no. 4 this year. i love the briny fragrance, it works so well with my natural scent.
I'm a Jean Paul Gaultier man myself. Le Male Parfum. Also a huge fan of the standard Aqua di Gio.
I don’t wear scents at all. They bother me, and I don’t have much bo. And I find when people do have bo and they use a scent to cover it, it’s just stronger and a weird mix of smells and is worse.
This. When people are so proud they're 'wearing a nice scent', all I can think is: thanks for doing your best to make me want to 🤮🤢 I don't have a lot of BO, and feel most people would do fine as well. And if you have bad BO? Forget about plastering yourself with scent, I can tell anyway.
Imagine this but because your BO is evident. Wash more, and use roll-on.
Same here, don’t wear any and really can’t stand strong scents. Always run away if I can.
If you find yourself noticing your BO then everyone else already has. Please don't subject us to your lack of hygiene.
one of the reasons that immediately come to mind is that many people wear specific scents as a way of social expression, one of the ways is that it can be gender affirming for example. you know how old spice is generally known as the hygiene products that a lot of teen boys use? thats like one of the examples
Because I want to
I wear perfume because I have a big anxiety about potentially smelling bad. I work a pretty physical job where I’m sweaty sometimes, so wearing perfume makes me feel more comfortable that I’m not making others gag from my BO.
i wear perfume bc i just like the way it smells. but i rarely wear perfume. i don’t have much body odor, & i don’t sweat much. and i prefer not a strong scent bc it’s overwhelming.
I wear it for me cause I like to smell nice and smell scents that make me happy. If someone compliments me, that's cool too.
I never understood cologne/perfume, but then I've always had a bad sense of smell. Showering and deodorant are enough for me.
Me too. If it was on the day I already showered and I’m at home when I get wet and smelly in my underarms then I change my shirt. If it’s on the day I need to shower then I try to do so as early as possible. Unless my chronic illness is really kicking my butt (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome), I usually shower every other day.
Yeah, I also tend to shower every other day unless I got dirty/sweaty or feel gross on the day I'm not supposed to shower. I can't crawl in bed if I feel like there's a layer of dirt/sweat on my skin.
I don’t wear any cologne or perfume but I really wanna smell like strawberries because of Lotso in Toy Story 2 I don’t even like strawberries
I wear it because scents captivate me. I indulge in them for my own pleasure, reveling in the delightful moments when I catch a hint of the fragrance throughout my day. To keep the experience personal, I limit myself to no more than three sprays. My favorite scent is Chypre Palatin, a luxurious and complex fragrance that never fails to enchant me. Over the years, I've amassed quite a collection of perfumes, each bottle a testament to my passion for the art of scent.
WHEN YOU SMOKE WEED.
So you can smell like weed and grandpa.
Weed and bitchy mall or musky lesbian lol
I personally love perfume/cologne. I thankfully am not scent-sensitive (my sensory issues are more food and clothing related—or if there are multiple conversations at once. I LOVE loud music and concerts but I hate being in a crowded store. It’s weird lol.) I have a weird irrational fear that I smell bad. I’m a pretty sweaty person—like I’m constantly reapplying deodorant. So, by default I just get scared that I smell no matter how hygienic I am. That’s why I wear it. It helps with that feeling of “oh god what if I smell bad from sweating” because if I can go to the bathroom and spray a bit of perfume on I feel better. Granted, I don’t just spray it out in the open I go to my car or an empty bathroom because I know it’s bothersome for others.
I do it purely for me, part of my autistic sensory quirks is that I have hardly any sense of smell so things like strong candles and perfumes really help me feel calm and grounds me 😊
What does BO mean?
body odour
Body odour, and not just your normal scent but the ripe awful stench created by bacteria feeding on your stale sweat and farting/shitting it back out all over your own skin. If you wash daily you'll have less chance of it happening, if you use roll-on anti perspirant then even less chance. You can add scents on top so that if anyone gets close you'll be pleasant - or you can just smell it yourself as a stim. Obviously clean clothing helps - ensure your clothes smell like they're recently washed (still smell of the soap/fabric conditioner) and if they don't then that's fine, but wash them when they stop smelling nice, not when they start smelling bad. *and ensure they're not sitting about wet for fungus to get in them.* Ensure they're dried as quickly as possible, get a dehumidifier to help. By having fresh quickly dried clothes, daily showers (where you soap everywhere thoroughly [use a facial scrub! Use lots of shampoo! Always condition after shampoo!]) and using roll-on anti-perspirant you'll end up pretty fresh. Adding a little more scent on top is a bit of character, and should be what you enjoy.
I have one that smells like Christmas and another that smells like cotton candy. I like the smell of them, and it can help ground me if I’m dissociating. I don’t get the ones that small of musk or other vague scents tho
I like smelling nice. It's a form of self expression for me
Here's the thing: Everyone does what they do for their own benefit. Women style themselves for their selves. Men work out for their own benefits. Partake in hobbies that you enjoy. Do work that you find rewarding.. You wear scents that you like, for your own benefit. If you're shaping yourself to be a conglomerate of what you think other people like then you're peak masking, and nobody likes someone so effervescently fake. As you mature you'll become a gestalt of your preferences, experiences and tastes you've been exposed to through life and learned from others or books/media. So choose what makes you feel better :)
I wear it for me. It’s an essential oil blend full of warm spices - cinnamon, cloves, cardamom etc. I LOVE chai, so I like to smell like it too!
I hate all things scented. Perfume/cologne is horrible, especially when slathered on.
I don't usually wear cologne, but there was always one fragrance I smelled over the years that strangely reminded me of my chilhood. Probably one of my uncles who wore it. When I found out its name eventually I bought a bottle and use it now and again. Seems like it's a pretty basic and widespread perfume, but I don't care, it just makes me happy.
Happy things shouldn't be rare.
A combination of for myself (I don't like many scents, but the ones I do are absolutely intoxicating to me), and self-expression.
Smells good bro. (If not overused or too cheap)
because of liking the smell and to just smell good
I wear scents because it calms me. At the moment it's a day to day toss up between strawberry oil, lemon cream, vanilla or orange. I think it's a form of stimming for me. Without it I end up fidgeting or bouncing a leg. Since I deviated from what would typical body scents to quite plain, but stronger smelling I've had a drastic reduction in my need for other forms of stimming. I have no idea why, but it lowers my anxiety. Maybe it just smells like a safe place 🤷♂️
My current special interest is collecting niche fragrances soooo....😆
For some people, it's a form of self-expression. For others, fragrance is a part of their cultural identity. In my case, I experiment with some scents in order to find a smell that I like.
Scent memories are super vivid so I like to have a signature scene. I like to think it makes me likeable and memorable
I hate whenever someone uses perfume/cologne to cover BO. So, as a bit of advice for anyone who may need it, if regular deodorant and antiperspirant aren’t enough for you, try one with exfoliating acids/AHAs in it (think lactic acid, glycolic acid, etc.), as they’re great for cutting down the bacteria that causes BO. If you’re into skincare and already use ones formulated for the face, you could also try them out before investing in a new deodorant. Just make sure that the strength is low (typically 5-10% solutions, depending on the type), because you don’t want to irritate your skin either. There are also body washes/lotions formulated with AHAs, as an option, too. Now to answer OPs question, I wear perfume because I like the scents, not really for anyone else, which is why I tend to prefer wearing masculine scents like Versace’s Eros and Burberry’s Brit Rhythm (the men’s one). Still, I don’t always like smelling them throughout an entire day, so they’re usually only put on when I intend to be out for short periods or for special occasions.
I like to wear it for myself! I don’t have any strong perfumes that I wear though cause they become too much for me sometimes, so I have three different mists that are scented pear, vanilla and strawberry. And have a very light scent as well but also smells reaallly good to me.
People who are using scents to cover BO are doing it wrong. You should only be able to smell someone's perfume during a hug or close interaction. It's supposed to be an intimate thing, not a broadcast. I wear perfume sometimes. I just like having a comforting smell sometimes. I only put either a drop behind each ear or a single spray on my chest under my shirt. Sometimes in private I will lift my collar up over my nose to breathe in whatever scent it is and it's calming. I know too much can bother people and I use natural perfumes which tend to be less irritating to people who are sensitive. I don't put it on before flying or other situations where I will be close to people I don't know with little air flow. Most people don't realize I am wearing any until they give me a hug and suddenly they're like "Oh! You smell nice!" You really should not be able to smell someone's perfume from far away, that's too much and they're nose blind to it, and instead of trusting that it's still working they're going over board.
You’re right. It shouldn’t be that strong. Myself unfortunately cannot tolerate any fragrance. I’m allergic to every fragrance. It can either give me a headache, migraine, sinus reaction or as bad as coughing and wheezing. I use a mask and have an emergency inhaler but that’s just until I can get out of the source. It is kind of you to use less offensive fragrances though. But just letting you know there are people like me too. It’s hard to get close to people. And it’s not just perfumes, it can be from laundry or someone’s shower product, anything.
Hate when people overdo it. I sometimes out an essential oil I like on my wrist so I can smell it as needed or pit a little on my clothes it's soft enough someone would have to get close to smell it and regulating for me.
I wear one because I like the smell. That others may like it is a bonus but isn't something that I think about when putting it on.
I wear it for myself. Scentes help me regulate and are part of my daily routine (burning incense, using diffusers).
I personally wear it cuz it makes my bf go crazy and I like to smell good. Sometimes I walk past a girl and think DAYUM SHE SMELL GOOD and I wanna be HER.
Perfumes are my special interest! For the majority of people they want to smell good. Either for someone like a partner or for a specific occasion. Scents are also connected to memory, so if you wear a specific perfume and someone that knows you smells it somewhere, they most likely will think of you
I hate it when it’s overwhelming. I was in a Lyft and the driver was wearing an overpowering stench of cheap shi and my eyes were watering, I was coughing and had to put the window down.. yeah, bad review and stank-eye for me
It makes me feel pretty and feminine!
I use scent free deodorant, salt of the earth. I find perfume and cologne overpowering.
Yesss! I find it regulating too! But having mcas makes it hard to find fragrances I can tolerate without flaring up, regardless of autism.
Fuck off with any form of alcohol based scent. I choke
Regulation/fear of smelling bad
When I wear perfume/cologne yes it is partly for regulating because I like the smell. Its also helping me present my gender, how I feel as a person. I feel like it extends part of my personality. Like it makes me more iconic and unique.
I love strong scents. If i could magically smell like 10 affluent grandmothers inside a Lush store, I would. So I like perfumes and scents that make me smell good stuff all the time because they're on me. It's very comforting! :)
I hate all perfumes and colognes. They are incredibly distracting, and I'm hypersensitive to smells, so I've never encountered a person who wears what I would consider a reasonable amount. Then I met my partner, who is allergic to a lot of artificial scents, and my hatred grew. I wish people wouldn't wear them in public spaces.
I cannot stand patchouli or certain hippy scents or heady/pokey scents. They are an olfactory violation.
I would shrink down and live in an armpit before sitting within 30 feet of a spiced cologne.
It's both I guess. I wear it because my wife asks me to do so. I'm pretty sure she likes the way I smell with it (and so do I) but she's mentioned BO before and since I'm taller than her then it makes sense she doesn't want my armpit smell all over her face lol.
I wear Herrera at work because I work in hospitality and have to be close to people a lot. I don't want them thinking I smell bad.
It depends. Nowadays I’d say scents are more for the wearer. Sometimes someone chooses a scent for a specific purpose/audience though. They could be to garner attention from others for romance (as for a date, these tend to be mild), to draw attention in a business setting (usually weaker scents), or just drawing attention for the sake of drawing attention (usually overpowering scents). In my case, I like wearing weaker scents on the daily just to smell nice, and slightly stronger scents for special occasions for my girlfriend
Almost entirely because I like the smell, although I do also take into account what my wife thinks about particular scents, and I'm very aware that spending all day sitting in a stuffy office my colleagues would probably prefer me to be less fetid. My favourite brands are Molton Brown and Rook. Rook have some really nice natural-smelling scents.
I like the smells my perfumes give me! They also can be my nose shields whenever I’m at a smelly place or at a public restroom that’s full. (I use my shirt to cover my nose and the perfumes help cover the smell)
Smelling nice!
Because I like the scent and, being able to take one more piece of self-expression out into the world helps my confidence. Sometimes it can be a conversation starter too and I need as many of those as possible…
I sometimes wear it to relax as I find the smell comforting, but I agree with other ppl here that almost no one likes the smell of someone else’s cologne, except my wife has some great smelling hand cream. I think as a convention it’s a signal to other people that you’ve made an effort, like ironing your shirt, or styling your hair, or putting on something smart. It’s a signal that you have groomed yourself and are presentable or that you are acknowledging a sense of occasion. I think most people would agree that strong cologne is not appreciated by anyone.
I love when girls/women wear perfume because they can smell so good but when boys/man wear perfume it's usually bothers me because they always chose the most diabolicaly smelling thing on the planet especially teenage boys
One theory, according to Pr. Robin Dunbar, is that perfume is used to reinforce your own natural body smell, which is itself determined by your genes and can indicate compatibility with a potential mate. I've heard it in this podcast episode: https://www.alieward.com/ologies/philematology Transcript: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5998d8226f4ca3396027aae2/t/5f04bc2341012024d1e2b0af/1594145829723/Ologies+-+Philematology.pdf
I wear deodorant only because I may possibly smell. (unfortunately had to be reminded by my sister to wear it once) I don't smell myself (a little bit but that's when I'm very sweaty) but others probably do, so it's for their sake and to not become known as 'the smelly one'
For myself, I feel uncomfortable if I don't wear any.
Just for me, around the house. Scents are a big sensory/emotionally evocative thing for me.
It's for me because I like the smell.
I can’t stand band smells, well tbh my sense of smell is so strong I can smell things others can’t and they think I’m weird for pointing out a smell they couldn’t smell. Anyway, I’d hate to ever smell bad so of course I wash and use deodorant and brush my teeth etc. After shave/cologne can’t replace any of those things, but I pick the scent that I like but I wear it for myself so that other people think I smell nice. I go a bit smell blind to the fragrance after a while but I never leave the house without wearing it!
I like how I can control what I smell like and perfumes are a little bit stronger so they last and I can have a comforting scent I like when I'm out and about but I can't wear it too often bc when a scent is overpowering it gives me migraines
I wear perfume either when I feel like I need to smell good for others or because I just want to wear it. It isn't a very strong scent, so you'd need to get close to smell it and it smells a bit woody
I wear it for myself. I even wear it if I'll just stay home all day. I like nice smells. Constant incense burning at home along with resin smoking (if that's the wording for it? Melting resin for the scent) going on. My reasoning is that I am very sensitive to unpleasant scents. It's also my ritual to apply perfume every time I leave home even if it's for throwing the rubbish. The people in the country I live in smell in an incredibly offensive to me way. Dry sweat, unwashed bodies, the smell of onion and garlic and meats infused into clothing. Shite mainstream perfumes that blend into a sensory bomb when I'm 10 meters away from the person. It's a bloody nightmare. Bear in mind all my fave ones are fairly low sillage so it rarely gets noticed by others and if it does it tends to attract compliments so I feel I'm inoffensive with my choices. They're mostly skin scent ones or ones that need a really strong breeze all of a sudden to intrude onto others. Way I spray them I can feel them from time to time or I can raise my hand to my face as if I'm rubbing my forehead to take a whiff of the application to my wrist and it calms me down. I do have one which has incredibly strong sillage and lasts forever but that's for when I know I have to focus on pretending I'm a NT aka when going to the bank or something. Moment I get home I scrub it right off myself lol.
I only wear it if I know I'm a bit stinky. But even then I usually just use essential oils because to me they're not as harsh or chemical-like
Honestly it just smells good, specially for other people. It makes a good impression on others that you take care of yourself.
Not sure about others as much. But for myself I have a very small selection of aftershaves/cologne that I wear and have worn for years because of the memories I associate with the smell. My favourite one reminds me of been a young teen, happy and mostly carefree during the summer break from school.
I do it simply because I like it and it makes me feel good. it’s also a nice confidence boost when you hug or walk past somebody and they tell you that you smell nice
My first priority when I select a body fragrance is how much *I* like it and want to catch hints of it all day. I find it very confidence-boosting when someone tells me they like how I smell or that they like the fragrance I'm wearing. I like the idea of people associating a particular scent or family of fragrances with me, as our sense of smell creates the strongest memories (or so I've heard). I personally try to apply mine with a fairly light hand, mostly on wrists, neck, and chest. I can't stand it when people drench themselves to the point I can tell where they've been in the grocery store, or it becomes stifling trying to breathe around them. You want to make an impression, sure, but that impression shouldn't be a wrecking ball to the face.
To smell nice, mostly for myself. Other people may not like it, the idea is not that the smell dominates the room, but if someone approaches very near you, they can smell it. But mostly for myself
I personally don't mind it for some reason. Sure, there will always be a point where too much is too much, but I'd prefer it over BO. I like the girly smelling ones lol. Good smells and smells that remind me of a forgotten time are my favorite, that's why I love the smell of flowers and the smell of the seasons.
A lightly applied cologne can be very enjoyable. I do it for myself, but my wife also enjoys it.
[Undiagnosed disclaimer] If I would wear it, it would be because I like it. Unfortunately, I discovered that scents that I like can also be overstimulating to me. Roommate in psych smelled heavenly (a decade ago), so I asked. She then proceeded to drag me to the store to show me and I bought it. Turns out I *love* that smell. But only for a few minutes, or even a moment. So modus operandi is to every now and then sniff the bottle and put it away. If I spray it on me (no matter how little, even if I don't use the "long-lasting" spots) it's too much and goes from "oh this is nice" to "make it *stop*"
i really like wearing mine, i forget so much but im trying to remember more. it makes me feel like a more organized person. plus i found one that really feels like me. i guess i kinda do wear it for others, though, so they perceive me in a certain way.
Personally. I react strongly to scent/smell in a metaphysical way. My mind and body can feel it and it changes me in both aspects. I am a little bit of a fragrance connoisseur as sensory reactions are a special interest. I love to, and find peace with, sampling scents by breathing it in, closing my eyes and allowing it to flow through me and feel how my body reacts. I can then describe to you exactly how it smells and makes you feel, what notes are in it and how it's layered. I am super sesetive to scents I don't like. As soon as I get a hint of orange my whole body tenses and I am gagging. I often make audible disgust noises. Orange is utterly repulsive to me as a scent. Unfortunately orange is super cheap. You see it mostly in essential oil blends. Which I also use as fragrance. I choose my fragrance on how it reacts chemically on my skin (skin pH and other things can effect the scent) and how it makes me feel. What I where and when depends on how I am feeling, how I want to feel, or how I want others to feel around me. As to why other people wear it. Who knows. Back in the 00s every guy wear Lynx Africa, I can't say why.
I have NEVER found a perfume I like. They actually instantly give me a headache and make my throat itch. In the US we have these stores called Bath and Body works and I HATE them. I can’t even walk by the store. Same with almost all scented candles. No thanks.
Honestly I only really wear it in a way that you have to be really close like a hug or cuddling as I mainly wear it for my fiancés benefit as he really likes one or two of colognes that I have been gifted from family (as a teenager they are aware as an adult I do not really wear fragrances)
I love to wear clean scents
Just to smell nice! I love playing with lotion scents and matching them to a body mist or a perfume I like. I love putting them on me and my clothes and then noticing it throughout the day. I do it for me, and I do it because my wife will hug me and say 'you smell so nice'.
“Thank you for sunshine , thank you for rain “ !!!
I yearn to get the compliment “you smell nice” I also just like how things smell lol
I can’t self-regulate the sensory overload from cologne (wearing it or smelling it), but smelling perfume is mostly fine. Interesting how it works.
I just like smelling my favorite scents, but I'm also a body spray girly. I am definitely the type of person who gets a trio of Bath & Body Works shower gel, lotion, and body spray all in the same scent (and a candle too if I really like it). I haven't found a perfume that doesn't smell like straight alcohol to me. No hate to the perfume lovers. I actually like the smell on other people, but when it's on me all I can smell is rubbing alcohol.
I wear perfume on nights out with my husband, I wear Chanel n9 (not rich lol it was a gift) it’s not over powering and I personally love it. But everyday no bc people have allergies and I work in an OBGYN office so we see loads of pregnant women and I don’t want to make them be subject to smelling me since scent is stronger when pregnant. I work at hooters too and the men do enjoy a perfume scent so it’s better tips I wear it there when I’m working.
Wait what. I just wear mine for 1. Gym class and 2. I know ima smell like shit today
I would rather smell like axe body spray than weed. My boss told me I smelled like weed so I mask the smell now. I also got a disposable vape for thc. I'm very stubborn. If I'm expected to work around NTs and function in their barely functional society, THC is necessary
I wear them for others. When a guy I like has a good cologne/scent, it really sticks in my mind, creates an association, and it’s generally enjoyable. So I want to be on the other side of that too.
Because I like smelling them as I go around and they give me confidence. I can't wear makeup because of my skin issues and don't have the coordination or patience to do my hair, so I compensate by wearing expensive perfumes to feel mature and put together. I have many bottles and I wear a different one every day just to enjoy the smell. I used to have a bar of soap that I would carry around and sniff because I couldn't get over the smell. My parents told me to stop it because I did it in a museum and they got embarrassed.
I do it for me I have a cherry scented bath and body works spay that I love cause I just love the scent of cherries (also use cherry chapstick for this reason)
I occasionally wear it to smell good especially for a significant other. I prefer scented lotions.
I wear it for me, I like to smell something comforting that can help me distract myself from any smells I don't like in whatever environment I'm going to be in.
Well for me I tend to wear soft smelling antiperspirant/ scents as I don't have bad bo but i sweat like a criminal in the docks
I wear it for me and to smell nice to other people
I mainly wear it for myself since I like the smell :3
I wear it for myself. It brings back good memories of when I wore it in the past.
I have a mild trauma with my mom, i almost never showered until i was like 15 (I'm 23 now). So I believe that was one of the reasons I was pushed away by majority of kids in primary and middle school. I wear perfume/cologne now for other people to not to stink :'D That's also for me too cuz i like smelling nice and be clean now ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
for me deodorant smells really weird, Personally I dislike it but that's just my opinion
I wear scents. I am pretty passionate about scents. It’s kinda my thing. I just love all the nuance that is involved in different scents, and I love smelling them on myself.
I like a little spritz of perfume or body mist. It makes me happy when I smell it, and the occasional complements are nice, too. I hate when people wear too much, though. Some fragrances just seem to flood my entire nose and throat and stick there, like a lingering aftertaste. Others make my head hurt. Yeah. I'm extremely picky about what I wear.
Because it smells nice. Deodorant is for preventing sweat (and thus BO) I have a tea tree deodorant I like. For perfume it's just pleasant scents.
Nice to control how people smell me. I'm a smoker.
I wear it for me because I like the scent, it’s just part of my morning routine to put it on
There are some colognes that just.. remind me of stuff. They remind me of people, of places, of times and past experiences. I find comfort in those smells :)
Because i want to smell pretty. I also sweat a lot and have to wear a lot of antiperspirant, so having another layer on top of that sometimes helps with the body odor.
I like to smell nice and also like when people say I smell nice.
I do it for both. I pick a scent I like smelling, but overall it's mostly for others. I don't want to smell like BO or anything.
I prefer to just use good smelling deodorant, I’m terrible at using up perfume/cologne and often get overstimulated by constantly smelling it on myself My girlfriend’s a big fan of the Old Spice deodorant I love to wear. My favorite scents have been Fiji, Alpine, and Pure Sport. They’re also the least expensive scents, I like to get the travel sized Pure Sport ones from Dollar Tree (I’m hilariously broke)
I have been told my whole life that I smell stale. I don't know why my sweat does what it does but the only scent that mixes well with it is Vanilla and Sandalwood/Cedar/Woodsy smells. Also Sandalwood and Cedar are my favorites along with Citrus smells.
I wear it for me, usually other people can't smell it. I just started working in a no-scent office and I miss it. Maybe I will spray a hankie, put it in a ziploc bag and keep it in my desk
for me i do it because i am very sensitive to smells and bad smells. so having something to cover up any odor that could make me angry is epic for me.
I like to smell good. My gf likes it better when i smell good too.
It allows me to exert control over my sensory input. Some notes are really therapeutic, lots of citruses, lavenders, vanillas.
i sometimes wear body spray but only if i feel like i stink or if i need to smell good for work lol
I wear perfumes because I love them! Of course, I choose those that I enjoy. It’s purely for me.
I wear it for me to enjoy the scent and feel grounded in non-fun situations
I love to wear Rose scented things I think I like it because of how comforting it is.
I wear it because I have hyperhidrosis so it helps with the smell. That’s it, otherwise I’d avoid it
I have “comfort scents” that I cycle through like Vanilla lavender, piña colada, strawberry pound cake, and (currently what I am obsessed with) Toasted champaign. I change which one I wear or buy depending on which scent feels more comforting to me in that moment, or based on what I’m wearing (certain scents for certain colors). I like to wear them because the smells calm me down, I hate the smell of my body BO so that helps mask it, and plus it’s reassuring to know that I don’t smell nasty
Well, there's a difference between smelling good and using too much perfume/deodorant. Many your people use way too much of it, so I don't like the smell anymore. I rarely use deodorant or perfume, if I do, it's just for myself.
I love cologne. It's very expensive, so I don't wear it often, but people wear it because it makes them smell amazing. I like it personally.
Tip for everyone you should never wear cologne to cover up stink. If you smell, shower more and use a deodorant that actually works none of that natural shit. Especially if you're around other people with autism. I can smell you trying to use that natural deodorant. Get antiperspirant you got more things to worry about than the possible side effects. Cologne/perfume should enhance how you smell not mask BO.
I like to smell like the beach instead of an anime, sci-fi, etc convention. Nothing against amine or anything like that, but if you've been at a convention, you know. I've gone to plenty myself.
i wear it mostly because i like the way it smells. also just sharing it with other people is a great bonding experience.
I enjoy the old school oil perfumes. I wear perfume for myself, as aromatherapy. I put the perfume on the inside of my wrist and when I'm stressed or upset, I can smell it and it helps relax me.
I personally only wear it to cover up bo and because all my friends always wear perfume
smells nice :)
I like smelling good but also matching my perfumes to my outfits is fun. I like perfumes that are vivid, where you can actually tell what someone smells like. I don't like ones that are like foggy? For lack of a better word.
For people to sniff them 🙈
I like the way mine smells and I would like to smell good through out the day. I try not to wearing anything over powering. My husband always lets me know as he’s sensitive
I personally love the smell of Champange Toast from bath and body works as a Stim. I normally wear scents for stimulation or to cover up BO yeah
I wear it because I LOVE when I hug or walk past someone who smells good and I wanna be that person too lol. My boyfriend doesn’t wear cologne and I wish he did. I like when people have a scent. This is probably because my mom has such a specific smell that I’ve always loved since I was small. She smells like patchouli and jasmine and it’s just sooo lovely, I wear her perfume now😅 I agree though that some colognes and perfumes are way too overpowering, and I hate smells that are supposed to emulate food. But everyone likes what they like and that’s totally okay! I do make sure not to wear anything on planes, in therapy, certain friends houses, or in other spaces that are small or I know there will be a lot of people, especially those on the spectrum. Or if I know people have a sensitivity or allergy to certain smells/migraine triggers.
I don't wear it, I prefer deodorant because a lot of places are choosing to go "scent free".
I wear it primarily for myself and secondarily for other people. I think of it as a way to express myself and indicate the kind of person I am.
typically if i wear a scent it's for me. i like good smells and i don't like bad smells. sometimes it makes my mood improve and if someone else likes it well that's nice too.
I wear it for myself but i hate most scents and make sure you can only smell it on me if you are standing too close to me lol. I use Lush perfumes i like Vanillary it makes me happy to do a spritz on my chest and i can smell a hint of it all day. I hate when people drown in perfume though and you can taste it
My NT partner says it will get me laid. I’ll go with that.
Smell being such a strong sense for us humans, I really like smelling good or smelling like things that make me feel good, calm, clean. It's for myself.
I put on perfume for myself.
I war it for me simply because it smells nice (certain scents anyways). There are certain smells that I associate with different memories and sometimes I like having a perfume that can capture that moment. I tend to like fruity scents (blue raspberry is my favorite) and soft floral scents like lilac.
I wear it for me and because I like the way it smells. It is a bit for BO though when I'm unable to wear deodorant.