Are women more sensitive to scent than men are?

Question

I ask this because personally, I like wearing good-smelling stuff, and in addition to deodorant, always wear aftershave and cologne. I'm just not complete without it.

Apparently, though, what I think smells good is considered by my girlfriend to be in excess. She has frequently told me that I'm killing her with all the scent, but I don't think I wear too much. I've asked my male friends, and they don't think it's too much, either. I have, however, had two female friends who, upon being asked, stated that yes, they thought I wore too much, but also said that most men do.

I find this curious, and am wondering if women just are more sensitive to scent. What has been your experience(whether you are male or female) and do you think that perhaps what simply smells good to a man is in the opinion of women far too much?

This scented question has been brought to you courtesy of Jack

Ah, yes, Hugo Boss is my particular choice. ;)

Answer 1

I prefer the smell of revenge. For us there is no spring, just the wind that smells fresh before the storm.

I sometimes enjoy the smell of flowers though. Do flowers grow around here?

I have an appointment with a certain princess and the temple guards at the mountain of power.

I'll be back...

CROM!!!

Answer 2

If it's good stuff, then a little goes a long way. You have deodorant, aftershave, and cologne. That's three different smells (maybe). Even in small amounts, it can be too much.

My fiance wears deodorant, but I usually can't smell it. He doesn't wear an aftershave, but he does wear cologne. And when I'm close to him, I can smell it, and it drives me wild. (No, it isn't Axe.) And as far as I'm concerned, I'm the only one who should be close enough to smell it to be driven wild, so he doesn't need it to be stronger than what it is.

Is it that K.W. doesn't like that particular scent, maybe?

But otherwise, yes, I agree that most men wear too much. They usually put it on in several different areas when just two squirts should do it.

Answer 3

Women are definitely more sensitive to scent than guys. Think about it, we leave a load in the toilet and we can hardly notice the awful stench. Put a girl in with you and she will probably pass out.

I'm kidding, but i knew a girl who was very sensitive to smell, and I've never met any guys who claimed they have. I cant smell very good either, so maybe we're in the same boat.

But did you know about pheromones and how perfumes and scents can mask a natural smell that believe it or not attracts the opposite sex? So maybe your girlfriend's natural response is being masked by the cologne, and not getting used to the artificial scent.

This sniffling answer has been conjured by Alex

Answer 4

You know, I don't think I've ever noticed a guy wearing too much smelly stuff, but I've noticed women seriously overdoing it. Of course, I think people just smell fine if they wash regularly, and nobody really needs perfumes.

Edited to add: You know, I think that different people are more sensitive to different smells. There are some chemicals I use in the lab that make everybody else gag and they won't even open them except under a fume hood, not because they're dangerous, but because they are stinky. They don't bug me. When people complain about skunks, I usually can't smell a thing. However, when it comes to smelling cookies, my nose is as good as anyone's. So maybe as well as asking whether women are more sensitive to smell in general, it's worth asking whether men and women are sensitive to different smells in some kind of systematic way.

Answer 5

Whew! Perhaps women are more sensitive to smell than men, and unconsciously prefer the natural male smell to strong perfume on a man? Most men certainly respond to perfume. I still remember what my mother wore when I was small, and the perfume of a great love of 50 years ago. I've always found I can smell and distinguish more odors, and distinguish more flavors in food than any woman I know, or any other man. So I reckon it's an individual thing. My son didn't like my after shave - my lady loved it (Royal Copenhagen - real thing no longer available). So there you go. The trick is to know who you're wearing it for, and cut your cloth accordingly.

Answer 6

Most guys do tend to overdo it since they layer it
(soap, ap, aftershave AND cologne) usually if a woman does layer her scents she ends with a light body spray or just wears perfume. Funny tho most of the guys who usually reek are those that wear the kind that really smells horrible to start with. You have better taste than to wear that kind. I know this by how well you take care of your hair LOL. If a man is wearing "classy" scents it is usually a real turn on

Answer 7

I think men use scents with a lot of gusto, so to speak - a little too liberally. Women are more socialized to take it easy usually, thus the chasm of aromatic perception. However, as we all know, there are exceptions. Some women wear WAY too much perfume.

Thanks, Jack for the good question.

Answer 8

I think we all are attracted to each others natural BODY odour & if you drown it all out with too much false scent it may not be good
what i think smells nice about my husband may plain be BO to others haha but seriously its true so just ask your girl she will tell ya she loves the smell of your skin etc edit i cant say who is more sensitive but i can smell more since i quit smoking 12 months ago & thats a fact

Answer 9

I have to use a deoderant otherwise I smell myfunky self in cycle class.... and so, unfortunately does the pretty little thing in the bike pants next to me!

Well, as I understand it, you are supposed to spray those Hugo Boss colognes into the air and "walk throught them". I don't use the atomiser kind (Drakkar Noir) though so I dab a finger on the end of teh bottle and rub that onto the nape of my neck and just one dab near my *navel*. Love that word don't you, sailor?

That's a total of three one finger dabs... like a scout. Yes, I thik women are sensitive to smell. For me however, my sense of smell is definitely an errogenous zone. Consequently I can't wait until they fully develop sniff-email. Smell you later Jack.

Answer 10

In my experience, generally speaking, women seem more sensitive to scents than men. However....there have been a few times when I've been on public transportation and a woman will sit next to me and her fragrance will be overpowering. It's obvious she overdid the scent mixing--soap or body wash, lotions, hair shampoo and conditioners, hand creams, perfume. Why these particular women did not pick up on their unpleasant scent and I did is a mystery to me.