Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
“What’s A Smell That Most People Consider To Be Good But You Find Repulsive?” (30 Answers)
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on humanity, forcing us to reconsider dozens and hundreds of things, from our attitude towards health and safety to the organization of remote work. And the coronavirus has also shown us how important smells really are in our lives.
Yes, only by losing and then regaining the ability to distinguish odors can one understand their importance for a full perception of the world around us. However, each of us has our own unique sense of smell - and some absolutely cannot stand some odors that are completely natural for the rest of humanity. And this viral thread in the AskReddit community is dedicated to just such examples.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Seafood. Easily the most revolting smell ever IMHO. Yes, even fresh seafood in a top notch restaurant makes me gag.
RELATED:
#2
Incense, it tends to give me a headache.
whineygingercat 6 months ago
Same here. I may be sensitive to it or straight up allergic. My sister burned that c**p as a teen in her room, right next to mine. All. The. Time.
#3
Those pine tree thingy air fresheners? they make me feel nauseous.
The great German writer Erich Maria Remarque once wrote: “It’s strange how easily everything is forgotten except smells,” and he was damn right. Except for one thing - literally the same smell can be perceived completely differently by different people. For some, let's say, an expensive cologne smells nice, but others begin to sneeze, wince - and generally admit that they can't stand the stench. No, it's absolutely true - one of my friends couldn't stand the smell of perfumes. Almost any perfumes, to be honest.
#4
Patchouli.
to old to care 6 months ago (edited)
I have another one - Lavender, can't stand that scent. (oops should have scrolled down farther.)
#5
Avon perfume from the 1970s that old women drench themselves in before heading to the grocery store.
Reset Game 6 months ago
Too much of any perfume or cologne. Hang your clothes up, give it a spray or two, take a shower, then put your clothes on. You won't need to spray yourself constantly throughout the day
In fact, the smells that some of us find unbearable are completely different, and often it can be the most harmless and common of them. The smell of chocolate, fresh bread, milk, coffee, apples, or that unique smell of a fresh book, repeatedly sung in numerous books (damn, isn't that a form of book self-promotion?..) - any of these scents may turn out to be just disgusting to some of us.
#7
That goddamn cucumber melon lotion that *every girl on earth* used in the early 2000's.
#8
Lavender. Someone gave me lavender flavored suckers when I was having horrible morning sickness during my first pregnancy. It made it so much worse. The smell still makes me gag.
#9
Bath and Body Works. Thanks for ruining this section of the mall a******s.
Lush gets an honorable mention. .
By the way, doctors say that this phenomenon is called hyperosmia, and that in fact it is a kind of disease that causes a person a lot of problems in everyday life. "People with hyperosmia can experience strong discomfort and even illness from certain smells. Exposure to chemical odors like synthetic fragrances, perfumes, and cleaning products can trigger mild to severe discomfort. Even the scent of certain shampoos can be too much," the Health Line dedicated article states.
Among the reasons that can cause hyperosmia, experts list pregnancy, migraines, Lyme disease, autoimmune diseases, as well as various neurological conditions. There are different treatments available - so if you have some common odor that you find unpleasant, perhaps you should see a doctor for a checkup?
#11
Vanilla scented candles and lotions etc. The winter holiday season is a plague on my senses. QQ.
#12
Coins and wet metal. It makes me shutter to even think about it.
Be that as it may, if a given feature doesn't cause serious problems for you or those around you (and doesn't harm your health) some people simply perceive it as a unique feature of their body. Well, everyone decides for themselves - but for now just feel free to scroll this list to the very end, and maybe share your own examples in the comments below. After all, a fascinating discussion is also good because it doesn't have any smell - neither pleasant nor unpleasant...
#13
Rose scented anything.
LadyRougarou 6 months ago
The fake rose fragrance is the worst imo I absolutely cannot stand it or lavender 🤮
#16
Air freshener in a bathroom! For the love of God, just turn on the fan or open the door or the window!
XanthippeⓐWulf🇨🇦️️🇬🇧 6 months ago
Just light a match. No one wants to smell "fresh summer breeze" & caca. Or, idk, maybe that's your jam, but we have a jar filled with matches in all our restrooms for this reason.
#17
Lillies smell like death to me.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 6 months ago
In Britain, they were considered a flower only for funerals. It was quite the insult to give someone lilies, especially if they were old.
#19
Baby powder. I legit gag.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 6 months ago
To be fair, some brands use very poor quality babies.
#20
Those damn cinnamon pinecones they put out at christmas. So overpowering. I was forced to stock them at work and maintain the christmas candle section one year and now I can't stand anything "christmas scented" They dump twice as much perfume into the seasonal candles, and its all too overwhelming.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 6 months ago
To me, Christmas scent was roast turkey and dressing, green bean casserole, etc.
#21
Any liquor smell tbh.
LizzieBoredom 6 months ago
Don't go to Lynchburg, Tennessee. The whole town smells like Jack Daniels.
#22
Truffles. They smell like hobo feet.
Serena Myers 6 months ago
Having never smelt the feet of a hobo, I wouldn't know, perhaps OP should clarify?
#23
Artificial grape. Most people I know love it, but it turns my stomach every time.
Edit, because this has a stupid amount of responses: Please quit telling me to try Concord grapes. I’ve had them. I don’t think they taste remotely similar. Also, this thread is about smells, not tastes.
And for those of you claiming no one likes that smell, this thread of full of people stating that they are also surrounded by people who love that smell. They literally make incense and air fresheners in that smell that sell out.
#24
Freshly cut grass. I'm super allergic to grass, so while others associate that smell with nostalgia, summer and sun, I associate it with headaches, sneezing and itchy eyes.
#25
Babies they smell like s**t.
Lil Miss Hobbit 6 months ago
Oh no! Have you ever held a freshly-bathed baby wrapped in a towel?! They smell amazing.
#26
Anything that smells too sweet tends to make me nauseous. Eating it usually isn’t a problem, though.
The Announcer 6 months ago
Sometimes the smell makes me gain 5 to 10 pounds. Yeah, that's my story.
#30
Cumin.
What do you think ?
DB 6 months ago
Weed. Especially when it gets into people's clothes, and they act like they can't smell it.
María Hermida 6 months ago
Actually, they can't smell it. Your nose "gets used" to a smell after a while, and you stop smelling it. That's the reason why some people stink of their favourite perfume. If they use it every day they can't smell it as much as the rest of us.
Load More Replies...
Trillian 6 months ago
Fried bacon. I really don't like bacon and the smell makes me queasy. I remember when I was pregnant with my youngest I was eating breakfast in a hotel and I sat next to the open kitchen door. I just glimpsed someone emptying a huge bowl of bacon into a pan before I grabbed my coffe and ran.
Mike F 6 months ago
You would have starved in our house growing up. Bacon was an every day breakfast food. And, there was a cup of bacon grease kept on the stove for making biscuits. Gosh I miss those days.
Load More Replies...
DB 6 months ago
Weed. Especially when it gets into people's clothes, and they act like they can't smell it.
María Hermida 6 months ago
Actually, they can't smell it. Your nose "gets used" to a smell after a while, and you stop smelling it. That's the reason why some people stink of their favourite perfume. If they use it every day they can't smell it as much as the rest of us.
Load More Replies... Trillian 6 months ago
Fried bacon. I really don't like bacon and the smell makes me queasy. I remember when I was pregnant with my youngest I was eating breakfast in a hotel and I sat next to the open kitchen door. I just glimpsed someone emptying a huge bowl of bacon into a pan before I grabbed my coffe and ran.
Mike F 6 months ago
You would have starved in our house growing up. Bacon was an every day breakfast food. And, there was a cup of bacon grease kept on the stove for making biscuits. Gosh I miss those days.
Load More Replies...
Related on Bored Panda
