Men, women, and smell

[GunnyFreedom]

LOL the topic title will probably get some attention even if what I am posting is relatively boring. Nevertheless, the title is accurate.

So, men and women have dramatically different olfactory senses. Women's sense of smell is something like twice as sensitive as men's on average, but even for the rare man who has an extremely sensitive proboscis, I believe the sense has to be different in quality as well as quantity.

What I am getting at in particular is stuff like cologne and perfume.

I got a new shower soap, Nivea for men. Not that anybody cares about that, but it has a distinct cologne that I have smelled before and it got my brain gears turning.

Some of the cologne smells that women seem to like the best, to me they smell like Off insect repellant. It kind of boggles my mind, actually. I have no doubt that it doesn't smell anything like Off insect repellant to women, because why on Earth would anybody find that attractive?

Main reason I am posting, is to ask 2 questions.

1) Are there any other men for whom certain (particularly popular) colognes smell to them like Off Insect Repellant (or some other bizarre inexplicable smell), but for some reason women seem to like it?

and

2) Are there women's perfumes that might be quite popular with men, but smell frankly bizarre to women?

My hypothesis is that the quality (quality in a scientific sense) of the olfactory sense is different between men and women, and not just the quantity alone. The place where this will show up the most is in cologne/perfume. My hypothesis would assume that a particular given odor smells qualitatively different between men and women. For instance, the men's colognes that seem to be most popular with women, smell like insect repellant to me.

(I doubt I would have bought the Nivea body wash if I knew it had this smell. It's not overpowering and gross like Axe, but it just reminded me of a question I've had about this for decades)

Just mildly curious is all.

[William Tell]

As the great Derry Brownfield once pointed out. Why do women use perfumes that smell like roses and stuff, why not smells men like and associate with pleasure? Alfalfa hay, saddle grease, hamburger, hunting dogs, gun powder...

[Suzanimal]

2) Are there women's perfumes that might be quite popular with men, but smell frankly bizarre to women?

A friend of mine used to wear Ralph Lauren Safari, I thought it smelled revolting but every time we went out men would tell her she smelled good.

[pessimist]

LOL the topic title will probably get some attention even if what I am posting is relatively boring. Nevertheless, the title is accurate.

So, men and women have dramatically different olfactory senses. Women's sense of smell is something like twice as sensitive as men's on average, but even for the rare man who has an extremely sensitive proboscis, I believe the sense has to be different in quality as well as quantity.

What I am getting at in particular is stuff like cologne and perfume.

I got a new shower soap, Nivea for men. Not that anybody cares about that, but it has a distinct cologne that I have smelled before and it got my brain gears turning.

Some of the cologne smells that women seem to like the best, to me they smell like Off insect repellant. It kind of boggles my mind, actually. I have no doubt that it doesn't smell anything like Off insect repellant to women, because why on Earth would anybody find that attractive?

Main reason I am posting, is to ask 2 questions.

1) Are there any other men for whom certain (particularly popular) colognes smell to them like Off Insect Repellant (or some other bizarre inexplicable smell), but for some reason women seem to like it?

and

2) Are there women's perfumes that might be quite popular with men, but smell frankly bizarre to women?

My hypothesis is that the quality (quality in a scientific sense) of the olfactory sense is different between men and women, and not just the quantity alone. The place where this will show up the most is in cologne/perfume. My hypothesis would assume that a particular given odor smells qualitatively different between men and women. For instance, the men's colognes that seem to be most popular with women, smell like insect repellant to me.

(I doubt I would have bought the Nivea body wash if I knew it had this smell. It's not overpowering and gross like Axe, but it just reminded me of a question I've had about this for decades)

Just mildly curious is all.

Yikes! I might be a woman.

[Deborah K]

My husband uses, at my request, Nautica Voyage. Men, you cannot go wrong with this scent. Just beware of imposters. There is no way this cologne can be confused with bug spray. You will get compliments every where you go.

[William Tell]

Yikes! I might be a woman.

They keep telling you...
Not saying they are right.

[GunnyFreedom]

A friend of mine used to wear Ralph Lauren Safari, I thought it smelled revolting but every time we went out men would tell her she smelled good.

See, I find this intriguing. The fact that women have a more sensitive sense of smell is pretty much a given, but the fact that they may be qualitatively different I find fascinating. I'm going to have to find some local woman to sniff this stuff what smells to me like bug spray, and ask her to describe the smell.

Also, it would be interesting if I could find a woman who wears this Ralph Lauren Safari and see what it smells like to me.

[GunnyFreedom]

As the great Derry Brownfield once pointed out. Why do women use perfumes that smell like roses and stuff, why not smells men like and associate with pleasure? Alfalfa hay, saddle grease, hamburger, hunting dogs, gun powder...

I think a lot of what women do is designed to replicate flowers. Dresses, for instance. Turns them into one big upside down walking flower.

[Deborah K]

A friend of mine used to wear Ralph Lauren Safari, I thought it smelled revolting but every time we went out men would tell her she smelled good.

Did she like it? Or did she just wear it because the dudes like it? I feel this way about Cinnabar. yuk.

[GunnyFreedom]

My husband uses, at my request, Nautica Voyage. Men, you cannot go wrong with this scent. Just beware of imposters. There is no way this cologne can be confused with bug spray. You will get compliments every where you go.

I rarely use cologne, but when I do it's either Cool Water, or Burberry Touch for Men. Both are pretty subtle. Especially the Burberry.

[Brian4Liberty]

Anyone who thinks that Patchouli Oil smells good needs their head examined. That is all.

[William Tell]

See, I find this intriguing. The fact that women have a more sensitive sense of smell is pretty much a given, but the fact that they may be qualitatively different I find fascinating.I'm going to have to find some local woman to sniff this stuff what smells to me like bug spray, and ask her to describe the smell.

Also, it would be interesting if I could find a woman who wears this Ralph Lauren Safari and see what it smells like to me.

You do that Gunny, sniffin' around each other like a pack of blood hounds.

[Suzanimal]

Did she like it? Or did she just wear it because the dudes like it? I feel this way about Cinnabar. yuk.

She loved it.

I don't like cologne or perfume in general, it makes my nose burn, but I found that stuff particularly offensive.

[pessimist]

Do women even like AXE body spray?

The dude who goes to the gym and stands in front of the mirror flexing his massive biceps, while his bros look on astonished and perhaps even aroused by his throbbing pectorals, likes to drown himself in AXE body spray after a shower, before hitting up the club looking to hook up with a hot chick.

question: is AXE body spray the mating scent that even attracts women? Or are the dudes who wear it subconsciously trying to lure another demographic?

Edit: I suck at typing.

[Suzanimal]

See, I find this intriguing. The fact that women have a more sensitive sense of smell is pretty much a given, but the fact that they may be qualitatively different I find fascinating. I'm going to have to find some local woman to sniff this stuff what smells to me like bug spray, and ask her to describe the smell.

Also, it would be interesting if I could find a woman who wears this Ralph Lauren Safari and see what it smells like to me.

Go to the make up counter at Macys and ask the sales girl to spray herself and let you sniff her.

[Deborah K]

Anyone who thinks that Patchouli Oil smells good needs their head examined. That is all.

Patchouli Oil used to smell good back in the 70s. They've since bastardized it. Not the same at all anymore.

[GunnyFreedom]

Do women even like AXE body spray?

The dude who goes to the gym and stands in front of the mirror flexing his massive biceps, while his bros look on astonished and perhaps even aroused by his throbbing pectorals, likes to drown himself in AXE body spray after a shower, before hitting up the club looking to hook up with a hot chick.

question: is AXE body spray the mating scent that even attracts women? Or are the dudes who wear it subconsciously trying to lure another demographic?

Edit: I suck at typing.

I've always been under the impression that Axe body spray was invented by a woman in order to identify the douche bags.

[pcosmar]

This thread is just an excuse to go around sniffing people.

[GunnyFreedom]

Go to the make up counter at Macys and ask the sales girl to spray herself and let you sniff her.

Ha! That would make me feel like a creepy old man, and then I would have to buy something I didn't actually want in order to assuage my guilt.

[Anti Federalist]

Anyone who thinks that Patchouli Oil smells good needs their head examined. That is all.

Smells like the bad earth of a corrupted tomb, if you ask me.

And that's a pretty bad smell.

Should rename that crap "Lesbian Lighthouse".

[FloralScent]

A friend of mine used to wear Ralph Lauren Safari, I thought it smelled revolting but every time we went out men would tell her she smelled good.

Did she look good? Yeah? That's why.

[GunnyFreedom]

So far as I have understood it, the purpose of patchouli is not to smell good, but to mask a different, dank smell.

[Anti Federalist]

I do not care for perfumes or artificial scents.

I like the scent of a woman, and a bunch of perfume and chemicals just masks and ruins that.

[Suzanimal]

So far as I have understood it, the purpose of patchouli is not to smell good, but to mask a different, dank smell.

If patchouli's an improvement on your current smell, you need to see a doctor.

[navy-vet]

Scent is in the nose of the sniffer.

[Anti Federalist]

If patchouli's an improvement on your current smell, you need to see a doctor.

Karl - "Cough cough...Homer, you should see a doctor. I don't think a healthy man can make a smell like that."

[Deborah K]

Smells like the bad earth of a corrupted tomb, if you ask me.

And that's a pretty bad smell.

Should rename that crap "Lesbian Lighthouse".

Oh Lord!! Well, back in the day, it had a nice woodsy, musky smell, which was all the rage for the hippie girls, of which I was one.



Can ya tell? lol.

[Deborah K]

I do not care for perfumes or artificial scents.

I like the scent of a woman, and a bunch of perfume and chemicals just masks and ruins that.

Perfumes or artificial scents definitely should mix well with the chemistry of the person wearing them. When they don't, it's awful. When they do, it's heaven. I love good smells of all kinds.

[GunnyFreedom]

If patchouli's an improvement on your current smell, you need to see a doctor.

LOL! I'm actually talking about patchouli masking a much different, more skunk-like smell that comes from stuff people carry, not from their bodies. Haha!

I was told that patchouli first became popular in the '60s because it completely masked the smell of cannabis. No idea if this is true or not.

[Deborah K]

LOL! I'm actually talking about patchouli masking a much different, more skunk-like smell that comes from stuff people carry, not from their bodies. Haha!

I was told that patchouli first became popular in the '60s because it completely masked the smell of cannabis. No idea if this is true or not.

Tis true! Fooled the folks pretty well!