Once in a while, we start wondering if perfume is going out of fashion, or whether people stopped wearing it altogether. But honestly, I don’t see that happening unless there is a zombie attack, and we are living in a post-apocalyptic world where people have almost forgotten about the art of perfumery. Or, a virus like COVID has killed our sense of smell.
But even in the present times, without any apocalypse, some people just don’t wear perfumes. And honestly, to them it’s normal, and they may even think, ‘Why do people wear perfume?’
And we wonder why don’t more people wear perfumes, and this is what I am going to talk about today. Take a look at these 8 insightful reasons why don’t more people wear fragrance.
- Cultural or Religious Background
Culture and cultural background have a lot to do with wearing perfumes, which is why perfumers should consider cultural background while designing their next masterpiece.
One of the beliefs in some cultures is still true is that only the elites in the society wear perfumes. For example, in India, some working-class people wouldn’t even buy a new shirt or dress unless the old ones have outlived their usefulness, let alone buy fashionable clothes and luxury items like perfumes.
Even when perfumes would sell cheaper than average, perfumes by belief would still be associated with luxuries. Because the belief has never been updated in their minds.
I also believe that wearing perfume is a form of expressing oneself, especially if you are choosing your perfume and not wearing something random that is lying around in your house. And some conservative families discourage their members from wearing perfumes. In some more backwards parts of the world, perfume-wearing is also associated with prostitutes and these beliefs haven’t changed or updated.
Even in some religions, wearing perfumes is discouraged as it can be seen as drawing attention.
- It’s For Women!
When we think about most people not wearing fragrances, we find it easier to think about men in our families or friend circles.
No, truly. You might have a friend’s circle or men in the family that wear perfumes, and when you hang around in perfume-related internet groups, forums or subreddits, you might have more men than women, but in general, most men don’t care about perfumes as much as women do.
This is because even though so many designer perfumes are being marketed towards men, perfume can still be seen as an art only appreciated by women, and as a women’s accessory.
I wonder if this is one of the reasons why they market fragrances for women and men differently, in order to make more men go for perfumes and not be threatened by peers’ criticism about wearing perfumes, which is supposed to be for women. This way, they can now defend themselves, ‘But this is for men!’
- It’s Not A Necessity
When has perfume ever been a need? If you are smelling bad, take a bath. If you smell bad while sweating, you can wear a deo, or a better choice would be an antiperspirant. If your home is smelling bad, get a room spray, for some Indian families, burn an incense stick. But perfumes – they have no need.
It’s because perfumes are a form of art, and people have to be ready to appreciate art.
- They Are Not Into Style
Some people are extremely stylish, they have a personality and they wear perfume as a form of expression. But this is not the same for all people.
Most people aren’t even into self-care or fashionable clothes, and wearing perfumes is a step beyond taking care of oneself.
I believe there are also people out there who want to wear perfumes and are into scents, but they are not bold enough to wear them.
- They Weren’t Exposed To It
I have heard multiple tales of people talking about perfumes of how their grandparents or their parents used to wear them. This says that they have been introduced to the wearing of perfumes or that it’s something you can consider wearing in their childhood.
But not all people had that. Since they weren’t exposed to it and lived their lives without it, they don’t see why they should suddenly start getting one for themselves. Again, I believe, this is a case of being bold enough to get something like a perfume for themselves and start wearing it suddenly.
- They Have Allergies
Whether natural or synthetic, scent can trigger allergies in some people. The first spray of a scent, no matter how expensive, may trigger sneezing. Sometimes scents can be the sole reason for your headache.
Perfumes also used to trigger skin allergies due to their presence of some allergens, which are now banned.
- Perfumes Are Expensive
Now this is not a surprising reason but I still wanted to put it out there because I guess it might give a good insight too.
An average working-class man would think twice before spending their money on a perfume that they might end up not liking. Or not wearing it. Perfume testing is not a piece of common knowledge, and hardly few among us know the availability of decants. Some others don’t even have easy access to stores with perfume testers.
- They Don’t Have Anywhere to Wear to
You might not convinced right away, but I have actually asked one of my friends one time when we were in discussion about perfumes. I asked her if she would like to wear or explore perfumes if given a chance, to which she replied, ‘I don’t know. Where would I wear it to?’
Understandable.
Sometimes people are not outgoing(me, I am one of the people), and their work environment is not always welcoming of scents, which makes sense. So, they wouldn’t have much place to wear it to, and wearing perfumes at home is not for everyone.
Takeaway
I personally believe more people should wear perfumes. This is no way to change people’s way of thinking or their choice of not wearing them, but if you are someone who doesn’t wear them because you just haven’t ever, you should consider getting into the world of perfumes.
I always encourage testing first before buying.
