Employee keeps getting reported to HR over strong fragrance and doesn’t know where it’s coming from: ‘Since then, I’ve washed all my clothes, washed my hair, and made sure to wear no scent at all’

Author image for Olivia Arocena
Olivia Arocena • Writer and Editor
Oct 4, 2026 8:00 AM EDT

Don't we communicate frontally anymore?

What happened to "Hi, there is something I've been wanting to tell you"? Honestly, though. I get that confronting someone about their perfume can be challenging, but involving HR definitely makes it MUCH worse.

Imagine HR approaching you about your perfume, and you KNOW who reported you. It's way more uncomfortable than a simple conversation. Well, that's what happened to the woman in this story.

I know all the fragrance-sensitive people are going to get defensive about this: trust me, I'm sensitive to fragrances myself, and I sincerely think we have to stop making our sensitivity everyone else's problem.

If we're struggling to work because someone's fragrance is bothering us, we should take responsibility for it and not call someone in a superior position to handle it for us.

I know people think involving HR makes matters more 'clean' and impersonal, but honestly it just makes them weird. If having a sincere conversation with your coworker doesn't help, then it might be an option, but choosing the shady path before trying anything else genuinely makes me question your humanity.

This is especially true when we're talking about something as impersonal as fragrance; you can choose not to wear one out of solidarity, and that's it. Things change a little if we're talking about body odor; then it might help not to expose the person who's making the report and keep things more private.

I remember I dated this guy who had really strange body odor. At first, I thought it was something about his hygiene, but later I realized he smelled the same even if he had just stepped out of the shower. It was really hard to talk to him about it because it might have been a personal incompatibility, like on a biological plane.

I literally stopped dating him because of this after a short period of time. It's unbelievable how important smell is!

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  • Cheezburger Image 10668443136
    via Amy Hirschi

    Smell-related meeting

    Picture does not depict real parties

  • I keep getting reported to HR for my perfume but I stopped wearing it?

    On Monday I got pulled to the side by my unofficial manager telling me someone had reported me to HR about my perfume. Cool, no worries I had gotten a new scent I was
    via Aceofdiamonds_17
  • testing out and was fine to stop wearing it. Since then, I've washed all my clothes, washed my hair and made sure to wear no scent at all. Even my lotion is a cocoa butter
    via Aceofdiamonds_17
  • Cheezburger Image 10668442624
    via LOLA AZIZADA

    Desperately washing everything

    Not actual story subjects

  • lotion with little to no scent. Today the manager pulled. me aside AGAIN to tell me that the person reported me for a 2nd time?? I'm getting irritated at this
    via Aceofdiamonds_17
  • point because I've made sure to wear as little scents as possible and not sure what else they want me to do. Edit: HR hasn't even reached out to me, it's one
    via Aceofdiamonds_17
  • of my managers. I'm not sure if they're lying or what. I'm not sure about how HR reaches out to a person. Update: I just saw a man get confronted about
    via Aceofdiamonds_17
  • whats_his Now start microwaving fish as nice little revenge.
    via what's_his
  • Cheezburger Image 10668442880
    via Richárd Ecsedi

    What her coworkers want to smell

    Recreated scenario included to enhance reader understanding

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workplace-stories toxic-workplace work workplace toxic-work-environment
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