When a Man Tells a Woman She Smells Good (Here's What It Means)

Fragrance plays a crucial part in our world. It is important to most living organisms. A person can be identified by their fragrance. People often associate memories with certain fragrances. People use fragrances to fall in and out of love. It is one of the most important aspects of human existence.

A man can tell a woman that she smells good if he finds her attractive. One can get attracted to a person solely based on the way they smell. In this case, a woman’s unique fragrance can attract a man’s attention. This is pretty normal. A man can even just like the fragrance. He can be attracted to the smell and not the person.

However, things can take a creepy turn if the man starts making the woman uncomfortable. There is a huge difference between saying that she smells nice and hovering around her trying to get a whiff of her hair. Making her uncomfortable and objectifying her is not okay.

You must be wondering what goes on in a man’s mind when he tells a woman that she smells nice. Well, through this blog post, I will help you decode a man’s mind. I will also try to curate a few ways to deal with the issue. Read on.

Reasons why a man tells a woman she smells good

The most common reason behind this points to physical attraction. A man tells a woman she smells good when he is attracted to her. Fragrance plays an important role in this. A nice-smelling person often attracts the attention of people around them. Just as a man is attracted to a woman because of her smell, a woman could also get enticed by a man’s cologne.

However, there are other reasons too and some of them are not as simple as a bit of harmless attraction. Let’s dig deeper. Scroll down.

#1 He simply likes the fragrance

There is probably nothing to worry about when he simply likes a woman’s fragrance. The way the woman smells has enticed his olfactory receptors. He likes the perfume she is wearing. Chances are there that this is more about the smell than the person. He does not care about who the person is. However, sometimes affectionate feelings for the woman can make her extra attractive to a man.

A guy could tell a woman that she smells good when he likes her smell and wants to know if she is wearing perfume or not. This could happen if the man and the woman we are discussing are strangers or formal acquaintances. He probably wants to know the brand of perfume she is wearing. He could use the information to purchase a similar perfume for himself or someone he knows.

He could tell her that she smells good when her fragrance reminds him of fond memories. Some fragrances are nostalgic. He may have found her smell similar to a fragrance he was fond of in the past. This happens when the woman is wearing the same perfume as the man’s ex-lover. He could also relate the smell to an old friend or a deceased family member. The point is, that the fragrance he just appreciated reminded him of good times. It successfully took him down memory lane for a few moments.

#2 He associates the smell with a memory

Just as we were discussing, a man can tell a woman that she smells good when he associates her fragrance with a memory. The memory does not have to be a good one for him to associate a good fragrance with it. It may or may not remind him of happy days. The only truth here is that the woman’s fragrance makes him remember things. The smell spurs his memory.

Now, that has happened to most of us. Almost all of us have experienced that one beautiful smell that takes us to our happy place. It does not have to be lab-made perfumes for everyone. For some, it is the smell of freshly cut grass, for some, it can be the way nature smells after a good downpour after a dry spell (that is called “petrichor,” you guessed it right). Everyone has unique favorites when it comes to favorite fragrances.

Associating smells with memories is an age-old practice. It has a feel-good factor. A man can tell a woman that she smells good when her fragrance makes him feel good or nostalgic. Her smell takes him to his happy place. For example, most people have their favorite “high school” perfume. An adult might detest it but the teenager liked it.

We all had that favorite cheap perfume that we purchased off the shelf at the local supermarket at a discounted price. That perfume (mostly a deodorant) used to provide us with a unique identity. We smelled tacky, but we were happy. That is the reason why a similar smell entices us even when we grow up. It reminds a person of the good old days.

#3 He is attracted to the woman

When a man tells a woman that she smells nice, the first thing that comes to mind is the thought that he is attracted to her. The idea of attraction is tricky. It can be a fleeting attraction that lasts for a few seconds or minutes. It can also be a deeper kind of attraction that lasts longer. The attraction can be physical. It can also be platonic. It can be an infatuation. It can also be love.

• He wants something serious

The woman’s smell attracted the man. Her fragrance has enticed him. He likes her now, and that is why he said “You smell good.” This is not a fleeting attraction. It is a serious one. He has felt a connection with this woman and therefore, wants to be in a relationship with her.

The woman’s fragrance intoxicates him so much that he wants to be with her for a long time. As we have discussed earlier, fragrance plays a significant role in making people fall for each other. Fragrance is the most important aspect of the woman that makes the man fall in love with her. He has focused all his attention on the way she smells (and he never wants to let her go).

• He just wants to get physical

There is nothing wrong with wanting to get physical with someone. Tons of people step into physical relationships with no strings attached. The man who compliments a woman for the way she smells might be interested in a carnal affair. He likes her fragrance and wants to “explore” her in more ways.

A strictly physical relationship is not a problem when both parties are okay with it. The idea of consent is important here. The man we are discussing should always talk to the woman about the kind of relationship he wants with her. He should not make her feel uncomfortable with his words or actions.

It is all in the way he compliments her. One should try to notice the man’s tone when he tells a woman she smells nice. When he wants a physical relationship or even a fling, his tone and facial expressions are supposed to be full of relevant innuendos. A respectful or platonic compliment can be identified easily. The most important thing about situations like this is that the person on the receiving end should depend on intuitions. The gut feeling is mostly right every time.

#4 He is trying to impress her with compliments

He is using clever compliments to impress her. One of these compliments focuses on the way she smells. In this case, he may or may not actually like the smell. A man can compliment a woman when he likes her fragrance. It can be a natural one, or a perfume she is wearing. The man we are discussing is attracted to the woman and he has found the right way to arrest her information (that is by focusing on a pretty truth about her). Her enticing fragrance has given him a way to start a conversation with her.

This is possible when a man has known the woman for a while. He is clearly into her and so far, he has been trying to find a way to talk to her. Perfumes and fragrances are great conversation starters. Conversations like these are formal, yet they have a personal touch. With the right (tasteful) questions, these conversations can lead to something beautiful.

People wear perfumes for compliments. That is why products like this are expensive. Perfumes are a symbol of affluence in most societies. Just think about something: Why would someone spend loads of money on small bottles of fragrant liquids just to smell a certain way? There is a one-word answer for this ─ validation.

People (especially people these days) need a lot of validation from friends and strangers alike to survive. It gives them a false sense of worthiness in a bleak world that sucks life out of human beings. Getting a compliment makes someone’s day better. It becomes even better when the compliment is about a lifestyle choice — an investment made for bodily beautification. A man who tells a woman that she smells good as a compliment to impress her, knows how the human mind works. He knows the right chord to strike in order to get attention from someone.

That is why men often lie about smells and fragrances. They can compliment how a woman smells even if they are not interested in her perfume. They do it just to increase their chance of being noticed by the woman.

#5 He is just being nice

A man can tell a woman she smells good when he is just trying to be nice to her. It may just be a harmless way to praise her beauty. The fact that he was enticed by her fragrance proves that beauty is not a mere visual thing for him. He finds beauty in a certain smell. Unlike most other people, his perception of beauty shows a sense of inclusivity.

In this world full of hate, people have forgotten how to be nice to fellow human beings. One pleasant word can go a long way sometimes. Praising her fragrance might make that day better for her. This one little compliment could be the only thing she craves at that moment.

People like compliments. It is in their very nature as human beings. The person who praised the woman for the way she smells knows that and also knows how to strike the right chord to make her feel good. In this case, it is in his nature to be nice to others. He may not have the hidden agenda to make a move on her (which is what happens in most cases). He is just a nice human being.

#6 He is trying to flirt

A man can tell a woman that she smells good when he is trying to flirt with her. Now this can mostly happen in two situations:

• When he just wants to have a fling - In that case, the man only compliments the woman for the way she smells because he is briefly attracted to her. That is his way of flirting and such brief attractions are mostly s*xual. He flirts with her because he wants her to feel attracted to him as well. However, he is not serious about her or the possibility of any kind of relationship with her. He will probably take the first opportunity to flee when things start to get serious.

• When he likes her – Just liking someone and appreciating their fragrance or the perfume they wear does not ensure long-term companionship. When a man likes a woman, he often finds everything about her to be beautiful. He tells her that she smells food as a way of flirting because he wants to make a move. The way he feels about her makes him want to try as hard as he can to get closer to her. He thinks compliments are the best way to do so.

Nevertheless, in both these cases the man may or may not actually find the woman’s fragrance to be enticing. He could be praising her just because he wants her to reciprocate his feelings (or not, in case of a passing fling).

#7 He is a creep

There are men who like women (and are serious about their feelings). Some of them just want a consensual fling. They appreciate the woman they like in terms of appearance, fragrance, intelligence, and many other things. But there are men who make people’s (especially women’s) lives difficult by doing a series of uncomfortable things. My point is, that the man who tells a woman that she smells good could very well be a creep.

Creeps often have no interest in dating people or in relationships. Their thoughts about people (especially women) are often disturbing. They do not even want to have flings either. They exist just to make women uncomfortable. They are one of the many reasons why women around the world feel unsafe.

In the scenario we are discussing, a creep could compliment a woman about the way she smells just because of his weird and twisted fantasies. We have seen various portrayals of creeps in movies and TV shows. Most of them seem to have deep-seated psychological issues that often remain unaddressed.

We often use words like “Do not act creepy” because behaving creepily is not acceptable in a civilized society. The man who creeps women out with their gestures while “apparently” praising how they smell has no right whatsoever to make the woman feel uncomfortable and most importantly, unsafe.

What should a woman do when a man tells her she smells good?

The man’s intention is important here. When a man tells a woman she smells good, the reaction should be according to his behavior. The woman at the receiving end of these words will have the intuition to know his true intentions. She will have to make an informed decision quickly.

Sometimes, when words like this pose danger, the woman will have to be swift enough to save herself from the harassment. Calling for backup is a good option here. However, it is not always as scary as one thinks. There are other ways to react to the situation. Read on.

#1 Thank him and forget

If the woman concerned is not interested in the person who just said she smells good, she should thank him for the compliment before forgetting about the incident. Compliments like this (ideally) should not matter if she is not into the man who complimented her. However, the woman needs to be polite while rejecting the advances. Unnecessary rude behavior can bring in unwanted bitterness.

There is no need to assume things about the man before being absolutely sure about it. The woman does not need to ponder about why the man said she smelled good if she is not interested. She does not have to think whether he means it or not. She should just accept the nice words and move on.

However, if the man makes her feel uncomfortable with inappropriate words and weird gestures she can ignore the thanking part and ask him to step away instead.

#2 Compliment him

She can compliment him as a reciprocation for his compliment. Compliments when met with nice words can result in a pleasant exchange of words between two or more people. She can compliment the man even if she is not interested in him romantically. She has no obligation whatsoever to reciprocate his advances. She can choose to ignore that.

Getting a compliment about how she smells does not always mean she will have to compliment the man about the same thing. She can choose to find a highlight in his character and compliment him for that. However, it is advisable not to take much time to do so, otherwise, he might rightfully think she is being fake about the compliment. Ideally, a compliment about someone should not take long. It should be pretty inadvertent instead.

She can compliment him on these few aspects:

• Of course, his fragrance – The man told the woman that she smells good. The easiest way for the woman to respond to that is by saying, “You smell good as well. What fragrance are you wearing?” That way she can be nice to him without giving much thought to the response.

• His looks – She can get a bit creative and compliment how he looks. To be honest, a person’s physical appearance is often the first thing to be noticed by other people. It might sound a bit shallow but the bitter truth lies in the fact that most people on this planet are into physical appearances. One notices how a person looks before checking whether they have a good heart or a sound mind. You may try to remember the case of the notorious American serial killer Ted Bundy. Even after committing a series of such heinous crimes, he had his fair share of “fans,” who were mostly women (a fact that is disturbingly surprising), swooning over his “good looks.”

• His sense of fashion – The woman can also compliment his sense of fashion as a way of reciprocation. Now this is only applicable if the man is conventionally well-dressed. Men who spend a great deal of time and money on their fashion like it when a person compliments them for that (especially if the person is a woman). However, being unnecessarily fake about this particular compliment can land one in trouble. People often get off on the wrong foot when it comes to being fake with someone. In case there is nothing to compliment a man’s fashion, one should look for other available aspects of his personality.

• The way he talks – This needs a bit of quick observation by the woman. Appreciating the way a man talks makes him feel good. The woman may tell him that she likes the way he talks even if it is a lie (some white lies are just to make others feel good; we all do that). The woman can praise his sense of humor by comparing it to that of the renowned F.R.I.E.N.D.S character Chandler Bing (who was known for his kooky sense of humor).

#3 Mention the name of the fragrance

The woman who has been complimented by the man about how she smells can respond by mentioning the name of the fragrance she is wearing. This is particularly applicable when the man shows interest in her perfume. The interest can be purely based on the fact that he wants to buy a similar perfume. It can also be that he associates the perfume with a memory.

The woman can tell him the name of the perfume. Most perfumes are available in the market (online or offline). However, some are rare, especially the ones that are handmade. In that case, she can guide him on how she sourced it. Some people make their own perfumes. If she is one such person, she can choose to share the recipe with him if he seems genuinely interested. 

Some connoisseurs of perfume often prefer one particular fragrance from a certain source. They often recognize their perfume because of their keen olfactory sense and an obvious love for that perfume. A man can tell a woman that she smells good when he recognizes a fragrance he loves. In that case, a woman should acknowledge the compliment. She can even continue the conversation if she is interested. After all, perfumes are known to be great conversation starters.

The man may also compliment how a woman smells when he recognizes her fragrance as nostalgia. His fragrance reminds him of days bygone. However, those memories can be happy or sad. In a situation like this, the woman should handle the matter in a sensitive way. She should thank him formally for the compliment and should keep herself from asking incessant questions as that might end up hurting him.

#4 Tell him if she is interested

He clearly complimented her because he was interested in some form of intimacy (physical or platonic). Telling someone they smell nice is a way of conveying attraction towards them in a subtle manner.

In this case, the woman needs to be honest about her feelings. She should be able to tell him whether she is interested in the relationship or not. It is not wise to keep a person hanging with hope. One should not assume things about the other solely based on first impressions (people often have a tendency to do so). 

When a man praises a woman's fragrance, the widely accepted way to decode the behavior is to assume that he is interested in a s*xual relationship. It is a known fact that perfumes and s*xuality go hand in hand. More than often we come across advertisements marketing perfumes where the characters are overtly s*xualized versions of themselves.

The most important thing to be noted is that the woman should attempt to read the man's gestures. A person's true intent often gets revealed in their behavior. She should check for signs in the boy's language and way of speaking. Based on that, she can make an informed decision about moving forward. However, she should also let him know if she is not interested.

#5 Ask him not to bother her

As I have said earlier, fragrance is often associated with s*xuality. When a man says a woman smells good, she can rightfully feel uncomfortable because of the preconceived idea about the s*xual undertone. It can be even more unsettling for her if his words actually carry s*xual undertones.

In such a scenario she should not hesitate to ask him not to bother her. She will get uncomfortable if she is not interested or if the man is acting creepy (among many other reasons). The woman needs to be Stern about her refusal. She has the right to call him out if he continues to bother her after repeated requests not to do so. However, she should be polite at first. There is no need for unnecessary rudeness if he stops making her uncomfortable.

She can even call for help if the man's behavior becomes too difficult to handle. She can warn him about taking serious action against his behavior. In some dire situations, she can even go on to seek help from the law enforcement authorities. She can also ask for immediate help from passersby if she is outdoors. If it happens at a party (where people mostly wear expensive perfumes) she can contact the host and inform them about the creep.

Tips and life hacks

A few points to be noted:

• Fragrances can be attached to sensitive memories. One should tread lightly around such matters. 

• Perfumes often have sexual undertones. That is what the world of advertisements has taught us. However, it is not wise to judge a person's intent solely based on prejudiced assumptions.

• Reciprocating a compliment with a compliment is the wisest thing to do. But one should read the room before reacting. The woman should check the man's gestures and facial expressions before making the next move. Understanding a person's body language is, therefore, a skill to be mastered in this case.

• In most cases, when a man tells a woman that she smells good, he is trying to gather her attention with compliments. He thinks she will like the attention and the validation. The woman should be very clear about what she wants once she gets to know about his intent.