Why Does My Perfume Smell Weird So Weird On Me Now? Is It Perimenopause?

I have been a citrus girl ever since I was 17 years old. Satsuma oil from The Body Shop specifically, but really anything that made my skin smell like an orange rind on Christmas morning. If you were standing close to me and I had just dipped my whole self into a vat of my favorite body oil, the air would smell like you had just peeled a fresh clementine. That was me before perimenopause.

Now when I apply my Satsuma body oil, it smells… acidic, like a rotted orange. And I'm trying not to make the dark connection there: rotted orange, rotting uterus. I keep trying to tell myself that I'm imagining this change in how my very skin holds onto scents that it's been soaking up for nearly three decades, but it seems I'm not wrong.

My partner, without looking me in the eye, nervously confirmed that my skin smells different these days. "Not worse, just different!" he corrected while doing what he always seems to do these days: backing slowly out of the room. Every moisturizer I try out seems to take on an especially pungent, aerosol-type smell to it, like I'm dousing myself in a giant can of Aquanet, my preferred hairspray from the '80s.

This smell is familiar to me. I think I used to call it "old lady smell," the smell of perfume I assumed must have been spritzed on with some sort of atomizer right before an old maid donned her wooly cardigan over a moth-eaten blouse. Except now I am that old lady, and I did not choose this smell, and I don't own a wooly cardigan or a moth-eaten blouse. I'm standing here in my old jeans and a Jaws t-shirt pretending I'm still young, but my smell is outing me time and again.

So, the real question is: Do women smell different when they're going through perimenopause? It turns out this is a fairly common concern, especially regarding body odor. According to Dr. Michelle Sands, bestselling author and founder of Glow Natural Wellness, hormonal fluctuations are likely to blame.

"Your body is basically a walking chemistry experiment, and hormones are the master conductors of that symphony," Sands tells Scary Mommy. "During perimenopause, estrogen, progesterone, and even testosterone levels fluctuate wildly, and those shifts can absolutely impact how perfume interacts with your skin."

She goes on to explain that these fluctuating hormones lead to things like changes in sebum production, metabolism, and skin chemistry, all of which further affect the way scents smell on our bodies.

"Estrogen helps regulate oil (sebum) production in the skin. As estrogen levels drop, your skin may become drier. Less oil means fragrances don't 'stick' the same way, which can make them fade faster or smell more powdery than before," Sands says, continuing, "Your metabolism slows slightly during perimenopause, which can impact how your body processes fragrance molecules. If your skin is drier or warmer than before, the scent may evaporate more quickly or develop differently."

And everyone's ~favorite~ perimenopause symptoms — hot flashes and night sweats — can contribute to this scent shift, too.

"Hormonal fluctuations lead to changes in body temperature and even skin pH, which can alter how a fragrance develops on your skin. Some notes may become stronger, while others might disappear altogether," says Sands. Of course, sweating is often accompanied by body odor, and spikes in testosterone produce a chemical called androstenol, which gives sweat a musky scent.

It isn't just the way our own bodies smell that goes through a sudden change during The Change; it's also the way we process smells. Points out Sands, "Many women in perimenopause experience heightened sensitivity to smells (thanks to fluctuating progesterone and histamine levels). That favorite floral scent you once adored? It might now smell overpowering or even irritating."

So not only does our own sense of smell shift, but the way our body smells also changes because of these hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause. This means our favorite perfumes and lotions and citrus-smelling body oils will smell different because our body chemistry is changing or our sweat smells different. And we aren't just sweating more; we're sweating out our extra stress. According to the National Library of Medicine, 25% of women report an uptick in their anxiety during perimenopause and menopause, and stress sweat tends to have a different smell to it than other kinds of perspiration, per Sweat Help.

The good news is these hormonal changes are temporary. Once our bodies start to regulate our hormonal fluctuations, body odors should return to normal. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do.

"First, make sure your skin is properly moisturized. Moisturizing keeps your skin barrier intact, which has the effect of making your perfume last longer and smell more evenly," suggests David Johnson, board-certified dermatologist and founder of RedliteX. "I also recommend using fragrance oils as opposed to alcohol sprays. Oils bind better to the skin and hold the scent longer."

Choosing the correct type of scent makes a difference as well. "Strong base scents like amber, musk, or vanilla linger with you, even when your skin chemistry changes. Citrus or flower notes might be less intense or change more rapidly because they're lighter weight," Johnson explains. And it goes without saying that using a high-quality deodorant or antiperspirant can help combat any uptick in sweat smells.

To some extent, perimenopause may just mean we'll have to make peace with smelling like a slightly rotting orange rind until our bodies regulate. There are worse things, right? Besides, it's comforting, at least, to know we're in this together.

"I've spent years as a professional in the field of skin health, and I've had more clients than I can count wondering why their signature perfume smells different all of a sudden," Johnson reassures us. "Perimenopause has that effect, changing the oil production and pH level of your skin, which in turn changes the way that fragrance wears on your skin. I know, it's maddening. You're not crazy — your body's just changing, and that's OK. Use it as a chance to experiment with new fragrances or layering methods until you discover something that suits your new skin. Your skin's narrative is changing, and so can your signature fragrance."