What Does Perfume Taste Like? [We Tested It Out!]

What does perfume taste like? This might seem like an odd question and one that you may not find an answer to quite easily!

So, I decided to put this question to test by actually spraying perfume in my mouth! If you have ever wondered about this, then keep reading because we will explore what happens when you taste perfume and other facts related to it!

Disclaimer!
Perfume ingestion can cause severe allergic reactions, and can also lead to perfume poising. DO NOT try to ingest perfume at home! If you are witnessing signs of perfume poisoning, immediately call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the USA.

What Does Perfume Taste Like?

In general, most perfumes have a bitter taste. For the first 5 seconds, you will taste the sweeter top notes of your perfume. Post that, you will taste the alcohol and other solvents along with cool tingling, or numbing sensations in your mouth. Perfume leaves a bitter after-taste in your mouth.

Although the initial taste of the perfume will vary based on the top notes of your perfume, the bitter taste is a common one. This is because many perfume manufacturers in fact add a bitterant (or bittering agent) that makes the perfume taste bitter. Such agents are used for discouraging people from ingesting harmful chemicals.

The most popular perfumes are those that have fruity or floral tastes to them. So, it is highly likely that you will taste a similar fruity or a flowery scent when spraying perfume in your mouth.

I chose to taste my CK Free Cologne EDT version along with Cool Water by Davidoff (for Men). Both these perfume gave a feeling consistent to the description mentioned above!

Although, I wouldn’t recommend tasting your perfume, but if you really can not resist the urge, I will suggest that you spray it on your wrist first and then touch it with the tip of the tongue. That way, you will at least be able to avoid the overwhelming taste especially if you dislike the taste of your perfume.

Will You Die If You Spray Perfume in Your Mouth?

In general, spraying 1 or 2 spritzes in the mouth will not result in the death of a person. That said, certain perfumes can contain chemicals that can result into fatality. It is highly advisable to not spray perfume in your mouth.

I can tell this for certain as I sprayed perfume in my mouth as an experiment and I have survived (at least so far). That said, I would never advise anyone to be that crazy to try and spray perfume in the mouth.

That said, there have been cases of death due to perfume poisoning. But, these were largely driven as a result of perfume ingestion in higher quantities (than just spraying 1 or 2 spritzes in the mouth).

What Happens If You Drink Perfume?

The notion of drinking perfume sounds quite crazy to me! But, understandably, it can happen as an accident; especially with children!

Ingesting small quantities (5-10 ml) of perfume can result in an unpleasant taste. However, ingesting more than 30 ml of perfume can make you sleepy, develop slurred speech, or even have difficulty in breathing! Ingesting perfumes that contain methanol can even be fatal!

Perfumes contain several toxic chemicals that are not supposed to be ingested in the human body. The most common toxic chemicals present in a perfume are –

Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) – a type of alcohol that humans shouldn’t consume
Isopropyl Alcohol
Methanol – contained in some bath perfumes and other fragrances
Phthalates

Furthermore, perfume manufacturers are well within their rights to not disclose certain harmful and toxic substances used while making the fragrances. These are protected as they are considered as “trade secrets”. You might often find these all crammed under the term “fragrances” on the label of a perfume.

Research conducted by the Environmental Working Group on the Secret Chemicals of fragrances found that on average, fragrance products contain 14 secret chemicals that are not listed on the packaging label!

In a classic case of perfume poisoning in Siberia in 2016, at least 41 people died as they ingested bath perfume that contained methanol used as anti-freeze in the perfume!

What to do If Someone Accidentally Drinks Perfume?

Sometimes, children can end up putting the bottle of perfume in their mouth and may end up taking a sip of the fragrance! Most children will reject the perfume almost immediately due to the presence of bitterant (causing a bitter taste in their mouth). The bitter taste may make the child cough or even gag.

If this happens to your child, do not panic. Take the bottle away from your child. Then, clean their mouth using a soft wet cloth in order to remove any traces left on the mouth. You may give them some water to drink. This will soothe them as it will relieve them of the bitter taste. Do not try to induce vomiting!

Once the situation is a bit under control, call the call poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the USA.

It is important to note that each case of perfume ingestion can be different as the amount of perfume ingested may vary. Furthermore, the reaction of a person to perfume ingestion can vary from person to person.

What Happens if you Spray Deodorant in Your Mouth?

Like perfume, spraying deodorant in your mouth is not advisable. It can lead to bitter taste in your mouth.

If you accidentally ingest or spray deodorant in your mouth, you will experience minor oral irritation, loose stool, or stomach upset. In some cases, coughing or difficulty in breathing may also be caused. Rinse your mouth with water, and speak to a doctor to ensure safety.

Aerosol deodorants contain chemicals that react differently to each person. It is highly advisable to contact the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the USA.

What are Edible Fragrances?

So you might have come across this term: edible fragrances and wondered what they are. After all, if you are not supposed to ingest fragrances, then how can fragrances be considered edible?

Edible perfumes are fragrances that are created like traditional fragrance. However, in addition to wearing edible fragrances on the skin, these can also be sprayed on food or used as garnishing drinks! Edible fragrance adds a specific flavor to your food or drink!

Edible fragrances are also designed in a manner that you can indeed lick them off of your skin! If you are a bit creative, you may perhaps already have some interesting ideas about what to do with such edible fragrances on your date night!

I shall surely be covering this topic in detail in a future article. When I do, I will be sure to come back and leave a link here for you to read more.