Is Wearing Perfume Wrong?

[Tiffany_M_S]

I didn’t know where to put this, so I figured that, if I put it in a forum discussing morals, that someone here might have an answer for me.

Most of my young-adult/adult life, I have enjoyed looking sexy. I used to wear very risqué clothing, and I didn’t always put my make-up on correctly. I have since stopped this practice: I wear nice clothes as opposed to revealing articles of clothing, and I put my make-up on right. However, I still enjoy being sexy. Therefore, though I try to wear conservative clothing, I also enjoy wearing perfume. I don’t usually wear it in Church. Is wearing perfume for this reason wrong?

 

[Prophesy]

I didn’t know where to put this, so I figured that, if I put it in a forum discussing morals, that someone here might have an answer for me.

Most of my young-adult/adult life, I have enjoyed looking sexy. I used to wear very risqué clothing, and I didn’t always put my make-up on correctly. I have since stopped this practice: I wear nice clothes as opposed to revealing articles of clothing, and I put my make-up on right. However, I still enjoy being sexy. Therefore, though I try to wear conservative clothing, I also enjoy wearing perfume. I don’t usually wear it in Church. Is wearing perfume for this reason wrong?

Depends on what you’re trying to do with it. If you’re doing it to be ‘sexy’, are you purposefully trying to entice men to lust?

-Prophecy

 

[doanli]

Depends on what you’re trying to do with it. If you’re doing it to be ‘sexy’, are you purposefully trying to entice men to lust?

-Prophecy

Agree.

I love perfume a lot too.

Like most things, Perfume is not evil in and of itself–it’s what you do with it.

I just like good smells. It sometimes puts me in a better mood.

Of course you may wear too much of it and others will sin by saying mean things about you.

 

[doanli]

Agree.

I love perfume a lot too.

Like most things, Perfume is not evil in and of itself–it’s what you do with it.

I just like good smells. It sometimes puts me in a better mood.

Of course you may wear too much of it and others will sin by saying mean things about you.

I’m joking in the last line, btw!

 

[teachccd]

I didn’t know where to put this, so I figured that, if I put it in a forum discussing morals, that someone here might have an answer for me.

Most of my young-adult/adult life, I have enjoyed looking sexy. I used to wear very risqué clothing, and I didn’t always put my make-up on correctly. I have since stopped this practice: I wear nice clothes as opposed to revealing articles of clothing, and I put my make-up on right. However, I still enjoy being sexy. Therefore, though I try to wear conservative clothing, I also enjoy wearing perfume. I don’t usually wear it in Church. Is wearing perfume for this reason wrong?

Yes, I agree with the previous poster… Your statement, " I still enjoy being sexy" is vague. If it’s to be understood as one who feels good about themselves and just wants to smell nice for those around them then there should be no problem. But if your perfume is just a substitute (in your intentions) for the risque clothing that you used to wear then I think that you know the answer. Are you hoping that your perfume will entice men?

I wear cologne because I want people around me to think that I take care of myself and so that I don’t stink around others. Some people are actually very sensitive to different scents so we must take that into consideration as well. But, anyway, you know what I am saying. If you are trying to provoke lust then it is wrong and that goes for whatever it is that we wear, say or how we act… teachccd

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m an older, married guy, so maybe I have no place in this conversation. However, I used to be a young, single guy, so maybe I have some right to talk.

I have never had the slightest problem with women looking as attractive as they can manage, short of being obscene or grotesque. I actually appreciate it when young women look good in church, and perfume, if it isn’t overpowering, is of the same nature.

I guess I’m kind of a matchmaker at heart. I see these young women in church, and some young men, and I sometimes wish I could go up and introduce them to each other. I have a large family. My children are grown and all but one are married (and I could pound him sometimes for NOT introducing himself to some young woman exiting the church…well, he is dating a fine young lady right now, so maybe I shouldn’t be this way). I find myself sometimes thinking “You young people in here, look around you. You young men, see how pretty some of these girls are. You young women, that guy over there looks like a steady sort of fellow to me. Look at his arms! Well muscled. He could hold a baby indefinitely or wash your car in no time. Get married. Have a family.”

It has always seemed to me that women have an urge to “doll up”. Even little girls do that. It seems like it must be inherent. If it’s inherent, it no doubt has a purpose in God’s plan, and it seems to me it’s surely intended by God to get all the dumb guys (and you know how dumb we are) to notice the girls.

I’m for it.

 

[DexUK]

I see nothing wrong in perfume.

Neither did Jesus, for that matter, when Mary anointed his feet with the oil of purest Nard while Martha fussed about the house and complained that Mary wasn’t helping - and Judas complained that it was a needless luxury too, but Jesus rebuked them saying Mary had chosen the better part.

Nard, it should be noted, is an aromatic oil and would have been very expensive in the time of Jesus (Mary used such quantities that would have come to the equivalent of a year’s wages - that’s generosity!)

In any case, smelling nice - whether you’re male or female - certainly isn’t a sin in and of itself. If one has a tendency to other less pleasant odours, then it’s certainly a good thing to do for the benefit of your companions’ noses!

I don’t think, on its own, a nice smell that you might wear would provoke thoughts of lust - that’s much more down to your behaviour and demeanour as well as your looks.

So, as one who has sensitive olfactory nerves, may I commend you for your desire for a nice scent. It always lifts my day to smell something nice, be it in the natural world or administered by another person.

 

[Newbie2]

It’s OK as long as you don’t bathe in it.

 

[doanli]

Little story:

My parents gave me the perfume “Charlie” for my Confirmation. I loved it!—we even named the new puppy Charlie.

My mom passed from this life last year.

While shopping at a store a few months ago, I found a bottle of it for sale! After all of these years— I haven’t seen it on sale for years… I figure now it was my Mom saying 'hi!" to me.

Perfume rocks!

 

[Edward_H]

I love these replies.

Perfume used to make life pleasant for others, without the lust intent, seems wonderful. The smell of flowers, incense, women, beautiful paintings.

If beauty stops shorts and only points to itself not to Beauty, not to God, then its potential to glorify God. If a beautiful woman, including scented well, can catch fish and direct conversation to the Substantial things in life, I see nothing wrong with it.

 

[Newbie2]

I love these replies.

Perfume used to make life pleasant for others, without the lust intent, seems wonderful. **The smell of flowers, incense, women, beautiful paintings. **

If beauty stops shorts and only points to itself not to Beauty, not to God, then its potential to glorify God. If a beautiful woman, including scented well, can catch fish and direct conversation to the Substantial things in life, I see nothing wrong with it.

Purfume, for me, means tons of snot, coughing, and inflammed sinuses.

 

[Edward_H]

Just perfume? If you walk into a florist do you have the reaction? An oriental food mart? Other locations? All types of perfume?

 

[sojo]

I, too, get quite ill from perfume and perfumed products. In answer to the previous poster - no, natural scents from food and flowers do not affect me, or at least it is very minor. It is unnatural chemical scents from perfumed candles and cosmetics that result in misery, and sometimes the need of a rescue inhaler.

I know folks who have far more serious reactions - chemical sensitivities is on the rise, along with auto-immune diseases. Medical science is aware and no longer doubting the phenomena, but they are unsure what is causing this.

I also move away from folks in theater or church who have doused themselves with perfume. Hair products can be awful too, but not as much.

I wish we could all be happy with the natural fresh scent of grass, earth, flowers and ocean, but alas, I have to live in a world of folks who like to drench themselves in fake or overly condensed natural scents. I don’t make a big deal of it - its my own problem. But it might be wise to know that what one person thinks make them “sexy” actually makes others want to retch.

 

[Ponyguy]

A pleasantly gentle light scent wafting across the room can usually be acceptable in polite civilized society. Unfortunately, some people follow their urge to take a good thing to extreme:

• Some is good.
• More is even better.
• Way too much is just right.

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[Edward_H]

Maybe it’s the amount and subtlety of perfume. Sometimes when I walk through that part of the department stores in malls, I feel like I am going to upchuck by the time I get though the danger zone. I don’t know how those ladies in white lab jackets can stand working their all day.

My wife is very natural, very rarely wears any make up…but every now and then she puts a drop of perfume on, in some place that I am apt to hug her or kiss her, and she knows what she’s doing.

 

[Tiffany_M_S]

For the most part, I wear perfume because I like to feel confident. Yes, I like to catch people’s attention, and even attract men. To insight pure lust? No. Not in Church, never in Church. I could go and do that in a bar, and I’m not normally into the bar-scene. When I go to a bar, I drink soda. Not too much into alcohol unless I’m having a wine-cooler at home with my family.

However, it would be really nice if, when my boyfriend visits from New York, he thinks that I’m sexy. Not “stripper” sexy. Just physically attractive. I don’t want my body to imply that I am an absolutely dog of a woman.

I hope that my remarks aren’t too biting. I’m just a little worried lately. I have this large collection of perfumes, and I really enjoy them. Some of the perfumes have a seductive scent, but I like that kind of smell. It’s rather enjoyable to me, and makes me want to breathe it in. Therefore I wear it. For instance: Cool Water for Women. It smells fresh and clean, as though I’ve just gotten out of a shower or a rainstorm. I really like that one. Or most kinds of musks: that sultry smell is not used by me to attract men. I really, really like it.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the word “sexy”? What I meant is, yes, to get a man’s attention, for single men to look and say, “Hmm, pretty.” Not to bring up lustful thoughts like, “I wonder what she’s like in bed?” “Pretty” or “Nice” is what I’m after.

Then again, I want this mostly from my boyfriend. I swear, we’ve only been dating for three months, and he lives all the way across the country, but one day, I’m going to marry that man.

 

[Newbie2]

Just perfume? If you walk into a florist do you have the reaction? An oriental food mart? Other locations? All types of perfume?

My body doesn’t like other odors too…scented candles, some flowers-particularly the highly fragrant ones, some scented soaps, lots of the hand creams and lotions (especially the ones my wife uses )

But cologne and perfumes jusk kill me. I cannot walk through those departments in the mall stores.

 

[budgie2]

I didn’t know where to put this, so I figured that, if I put it in a forum discussing morals, that someone here might have an answer for me.

Most of my young-adult/adult life, I have enjoyed looking sexy. I used to wear very risqué clothing, and I didn’t always put my make-up on correctly. I have since stopped this practice: I wear nice clothes as opposed to revealing articles of clothing, and I put my make-up on right. However, I still enjoy being sexy. Therefore, though I try to wear conservative clothing, I also enjoy wearing perfume. I don’t usually wear it in Church. Is wearing perfume for this reason wrong?

I don’t think perfume is that bad, especially if you’re at work and it’s hot and sweaty. However, Janet E Smith says that women produce pheromones around ovulation if they have a natural cycle which can make them attractive, a bit like a flower scent. You could produce a subtle odour, if you’ve got a natural cycle, and perfume could hide that. Some people may wear perfume or deodorant for hygiene reasons if they sweat a lot.

The chemistry of attraction:
catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0169.htm

 

[doanli]

For the most part, I wear perfume because I like to feel confident. Yes, I like to catch people’s attention, and even attract men. To insight pure lust? No. Not in Church, never in Church. I could go and do that in a bar, and I’m not normally into the bar-scene. When I go to a bar, I drink soda. Not too much into alcohol unless I’m having a wine-cooler at home with my family.

However, it would be really nice if, when my boyfriend visits from New York, he thinks that I’m sexy. Not “stripper” sexy. Just physically attractive. I don’t want my body to imply that I am an absolutely dog of a woman.

I hope that my remarks aren’t too biting. I’m just a little worried lately. I have this large collection of perfumes, and I really enjoy them. Some of the perfumes have a seductive scent, but I like that kind of smell. It’s rather enjoyable to me, and makes me want to breathe it in. Therefore I wear it. For instance: Cool Water for Women. It smells fresh and clean, as though I’ve just gotten out of a shower or a rainstorm. I really like that one. Or most kinds of musks: that sultry smell is not used by me to attract men. I really, really like it.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the word “sexy”? What I meant is, yes, to get a man’s attention, for single men to look and say, “Hmm, pretty.” Not to bring up lustful thoughts like, “I wonder what she’s like in bed?” “Pretty” or “Nice” is what I’m after.

Then again, I want this mostly from my boyfriend. I swear, we’ve only been dating for three months, and he lives all the way across the country, but one day, I’m going to marry that man.

I’m going to pray for you both; let us know when he pops the question!

I’ve got a large collection of perfumes and colognes as well, I even enjoy men’s colognes. I love my husband’s Cool Water and his Eau Savage (French cologne which I don’t think is sold here in the States–he bought it in England where he grew up.)

My favorites are Lauren’s “Romance” and Chanel’s Number 9 (classic oldie but goody)

 

[Purple_Junebug]

There is nothing wrong with wearing purfume. Even in bible times people would wear stuff similar to purfume scented with flowers or mhyr (I think thats how you spell it) It is just about hygene and smelling good. Also, it depends on what you mean by wanting to feel sexy. If you mean that you want to feel good about yourself and feel pretty by smelling nice that is okay. But if you want to feel seductive and get men’s attention in a bad way then its not. But purfume itself is okay, I wear purfume too