Can your good bug tell you which perfume suits you? Chennai doctor finds how skin microbes decide your smell

“Based on the chemistry and bacterial makeup of my skin, I found that woody and musky notes worked best for me,” he adds. In fact, on June 10, he posted a pre-print (not peer-reviewed) and proposed a framework for fragrance personalisation, integrating microbial ecology, fragrance chemistry and consumer trends. `

What is the skin microbiome?

The skin microbiome is a collection of trillions of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes that naturally live on your skin. Surprisingly, your body has more microbial cells than human cells. While we have studied the gut microbiome extensively, research into the skin microbiome is still growing. The skin microbiome helps maintain healthy skin and also plays a role in body odour and perfume performance.

How do skin bacteria affect the way your perfume works?

Skin bacteria influence your skin’s pH, oiliness, and moisture — all of which affect how perfumes perform. Some bacteria even produce their own scents (volatile organic compounds) that contribute to the body odour, which can interact with perfume molecules. Others can break down fragrance components using enzymes. So, the scent you experience is often a blend of your perfume and your personal microbiome.

Why do perfumes smell different on different people?

Perfumes interact with your skin’s chemistry. Factors like skin pH, oiliness, moisture and even what you eat can influence how a perfume evolves in your body. But here’s the missing piece: your skin microbiome — the bacteria living on your skin — plays a strong role in affecting all these factors. So, two people wearing the same perfume can experience different scents. A perfume that smells divine on one person might fade rapidly or smell unpleasant on another.

This variability not only leads to dissatisfaction but often results in overuse — multiple sprays to compensate for poor performance, which can cause health concerns and contribute to environmental waste.

Is there a test to study the skin microbiome?

Yes, it’s called metagenomic skin microbiome testing. It’s a detailed PCR-based test that helps identify the types and abundance of bacteria on your skin. However, it is expensive and takes time, so it’s not meant for everyone. It may be useful for fragrance connoisseurs or individuals facing consistent issues with perfume.

Should everyone get tested before choosing a perfume?

Fortunately, we do not need to map every person’s skin microbiome to personalise perfumes. Even without testing, the growing body of knowledge about microbial patterns on various skin types — oily versus dry, urban versus rural lifestyles, gender-based differences and environmental exposure — can be used to develop smarter, more personalised fragrance options. This form of refined personalisation doesn’t require expensive gene sequencing or complex algorithms. It simply uses existing microbiome insights to match perfumes better with people’s skin types, lifestyles and working environment.

We already have useful insights from global studies that show which bacteria are dominant in various parts of the body — like corynebacterium in the armpits, cutibacterium on the face and neck, and coagulase-negative staphylococci in dry areas like the wrist. Using this knowledge, we can offer good guidance without testing. Testing adds one more layer — it’s optional.