13 August 2009

Smelly-ness

Have you ever considered the cultural appropriateness of how you smell? I hadn't thought much about this until a professor mentioned that Westerners find it acceptable for a man to smell like old saddles whereas in India it is the norm for men to wear a rose sent. It got me to thinking - what about women? While I haven't looked into what other cultures think is the norm for how women should smell, I'm guessing that floral has always been acceptable worldwide. Taking a look through my toiletries confirmed, for America, this is true, and added fruit to the mixture. I guess women are supposed to smell good enough to eat! Of the various lotions, potions, and tinctures that clutter my shower and bathroom cabinet everyone is scented with either a flower, sometimes several, and/or a fruit. Lavender, vanilla, water blossom lotus, mimosa, jasmine, gardenia, honeysuckle, coconut & lime, cherry blossom (does that count as a flower or fruit?), etc. You get the point. But of my favorites I wash my hair with pink coral and white nectarine shampoo and condition with the same scent. I use a white ginger and nectarine body wash. After which I slather on peaches and cream lotion. So as to not sully the flavors with my own natural body odor I apply an anti-perspirant/deodorant of orange blossom & verbena. I guess I have fallen for the cultural norm hook, line and ... stone fruit.

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