From Dettol to bonfires – the nations favourite guilty pleasure smells have been revealed.
A new study has looked into the UK’s scent preferences to discover which weird, unusual, or outright gross smells people secretly like.
The full top 20 list of Brits’ guilty pleasure scents:
| 1. Babies – 68% | 11. Petrol – 50% |
| 2. Bonfire – 66% | 12. Vinegar – 48% |
| 3. Dettol – 63% | 13. Paper money – 46% |
| 4. Old books – 60% | 14. Glue – 42% |
| 5. Nail varnish – 59% | 15. Bleach – 39% |
| 6. Paper – 57% | 16. Tennis balls – 35% |
| 7. Blown out candle – 56% | 17. Sharpies – 33% |
| 8. Paint – 53% | 18. Inflatables – 31% |
| 9. Swimming pools – 52% | 19. Coins – 30% |
| 10. Tar – 50% | 20. Cigarette smoke – 22% |
The study of over 2,000 Brits, carried out by scent experts at Supplies For Candles, uncovered some of the most unusual smells people enjoy – with some surprising results! While summer-inspired scents scored highly, with swimming pools, bonfires, tennis balls and inflatables all making the top 20, some more obnoxious odours also scored surprisingly high.
Other interesting facts include:
· Men are more likely to prefer ‘gross’ smells than women, such as mould (17% vs 9% women), morning breath (17% vs 9%) and feet (15% vs 8%)
· Women prefer the smell of suncream (71% vs 64% of men) and babies (73% vs 61%)
· Gen Z and millennials are far more likely to admit to strange scents, with over a quarter (28%) enjoying the smell of dog breath, as well as morning breath (25% vs 4% of baby boomers)
Scent expert and founder at Everfumed, Larissa Pickens, explains why some people are drawn to more unusual smells:
“Our sense of smell is closely linked to our sense of taste, and both of these senses are deeply tied to our primal instincts. Our ancestors relied on their sense of smell to identify and avoid potential dangers, such as spoiled food or rotting substances. In today’s modern world, where bad smells are generally associated with uncleanliness or decay, some people may find it intriguing or even exciting to explore these scents from a curiosity standpoint. It’s like when you come across a foul smell and can’t resist taking a sniff out of curiosity, even though you know it’s not pleasant.”
Nicky Story, Founder at Supplies For Candles comments:
“We’re all about fragrance and creating some of the best scent dupesaround, so we were excited to find out the nation’s favourite guilty pleasure scents. We know first-hand that Brits enjoy slightly strange smells – our Dettol scented fragrance oil is always very popular!
“However, the results of our study shocked even us. While traditionally enjoyed smells like bonfires and nail varnish topped the list, we were surprised to see some people can’t get enough of weird smells including mould, feet and morning breath. So, if you ever think you’re alone in your weird or unusual scent preferences – think again!”
For a quality collection of fragrance oils, candles, and wax melt supplies, visit suppliesforcandles.co.uk
