5 cases when you can’t use perfume: expert opinion

“Perfume says more about a woman than her handwriting,” Coco Chanel once said. However, there are times when a perfume speaks only of ignorance of the label: these are the cases in which it is better to do without your favorite perfume.

Etiquette coach Estenia Goodridge advises ditching perfume when going to the doctor. “In healthcare facilities, people often have to sit next to each other, and in a hospital, you might come across someone who is allergic to certain smells,” she explains. And label consultant Jody Smith adds, “Your favorite scent can be a potential irritant to other people who are already nervous about being sick.”

Scientists have not yet reached a consensus on why girls have an increased sense of smell during pregnancy, but this fact itself has long been known to everyone. Fashion blogger and stylist Shantel Hartman Malarki advises against using perfume if you need to communicate with your expectant mother – you don’t want to make her sick, do you?

According to etiquette expert Lisa Grotts, no one wants to draw attention to themselves on such a dark day. In addition, she says, if the farewell to the deceased takes place in a small room, the smell can cause a migraine or other unpleasant sensations in someone, and a person will not be able to go out in such a situation – this is a manifestation of disrespect towards the deceased and his relatives.

“Sweat and perfume are incompatible,” says Grotts. During fitness classes, she advises using deodorant, which will destroy the smell of sweat and not interfere with it – all other gym-goers will be only grateful.

Goodridge points out that this also applies to outdoor activities: “The summer heat makes the flavors even stronger.” However, she thinks that using eau de toilette with a slight inconspicuous smell is acceptable – it will quickly disappear and cause no inconvenience to anyone.

Read also: How to make a perfume lingering, luminous and sillage: 16 tips for professional life