Should You Wear Perfume to a Funeral? [Etiquette Guide]

Written By Lamaya Mahboob

Funerals are one of the most sensitive places you could visit as the people who have lost their loved ones are very vulnerable during this period.

How you are carrying yourself, what you are wearing, and every small detail can harm one’s sentiment. Therefore, you have to be extra careful about how you present yourself at a funeral.

To save yourself from falling into an awkward situation at a funeral, read this article to know every detail about wearing perfume to a funeral.

Should you Wear Perfume to a Funeral

Should you Wear Perfume to a Funeral?

You can wear fragrance to a funeral until it is not heavily scented. I would suggest using an organic and light perfume because you need to remember that a funeral is about the deceased person, it is not about the way you look or smell. Wearing a loud perfume would be disrespectful to the deceased and the attendees both.

Is it Rude to Wear Perfume to a Funeral?

It is not considered rude to wear perfume to a funeral if you are light perfume. On the other hand, if the perfume is heavy and attracts people toward you, it would be quite disrespectful to wear that scent at a funeral.

Imagine being devastated for losing a loved one forever and while being completely emotional, you get distracted by a person who is wearing a heavily scented perfume. Would you like the feeling? Absolutely not.

Even if you try to ignore the strong fragrance, your brain won’t let you. In this way, the loud perfume is intruding into people’s emotions and drawing away their attention to the deceased person.

Would you ever wear a high-fashioned dress or shiny jewelry to a funeral? I hope the answer is no. So, the same thing goes for perfume.

Also, check out our separate post on Should You Wear Perfume to a Job Interview?

If you want to apply perfume before going to a funeral, sure, do that. But just limit yourself to 1 to 2 sprays of a light fragrance to keep yourself fresh and relaxed.

What Notes to Consider in a Perfume for a Funeral?

What Notes to Consider in a Perfume for a Funeral?

For women, they can consider wearing a white floral scent. And men can focus on wearing a woody scent.

These are very expected and subtle notes for both genders so no one would get hit by a surprise with the choice of notes. In this way, you won’t disrespect the deceased by grabbing other people’s attention towards you.

First, let’s talk about why white floral perfume should be your pick before going to a funeral: florals like jasmine, lily, tuberose, gardenia, orange blossom, osmanthus, etc are considered to be white florals. Basically, flowers that are white are a part of the white floral family.

White floral perfumes fall under feminine scents which smell natural. When you wear them you smell like an elegant and sophisticated woman. These notes do not have a strong sillage power, they are light in nature, therefore, perfect for funerals.

Second, the importance of woody notes in a perfume to wear at a funeral: woody notes come from the essential oils of moss and the wood of the trees. These vegetable oils can also be extracted from plants such as patchouli and vetiver. Woody notes are commonly used as base notes to give men intensity and warmth. This fits perfectly for a funeral.

Looking for something different? Then check out Is Perfume Safe to Use During Pregnancy?

Things to consider while picking a perfume for a funeral:

  1. Ask for a second opinion: you might be wearing a strong perfume without even realizing it as everyone’s nose does not have the same level of sensitivity. So, your nose might not pick up scents that other people would. Asking someone else always helps as his opinion would tell you if your perfume is too strong for a funeral or not.
  2. Do not apply the perfume right before leaving the house: you want your perfume to settle down before you enter the funeral as that is the smell that is going to last the whole time and it is going to be subtle. As a result, the perfume will lose its strength and only be present to mask your body odor.
  3. Apply fragrance to the back of your hand: when you realize the perfume that you are wearing in a funeral is too strong, you can easily wash it with soap if it is applied to the back of your hand. However, if it is on your neck, you won’t be able to remove it.

Best Fragrance Products for a Funeral

You have to be very specific on what you choose to wear to a funeral as you do not want to upset someone or take away the attention from the deceased person toward your beast mode perfume.

Also, check our latest investigation- Is Ambergris Still Used in Perfume?

To make it more simple, here are some tested products that cannot go wrong at a funeral:

  • Ethereal Nature Cedar Oil: At a funeral, you want to smell as natural as possible, and Ethereal Nature cedar oil can help you to achieve that goal. It gives a woodsy aroma that stays for a long period of time. For diluting the oil, wear it at the back of your hand for at least 1 hour before leaving the house. A great choice for men as a woodsy scent is what is expected from them.
  • Pure Gold Vanilla Essential Oil: This essential oil focuses on white floral, however, you should always remember to dilute it as essential oils are very strong and concentrated. And if you do not want to dilute the oil, apply it on the back of your hand and wash your hand to minimize the scent coming from it. And this one is perfect for women.
  • NIVEA Vanilla and Almond Oil Infused Body Lotion: No, it is not a perfume. Therefore, there is no way you can go wrong with it. There is no risk of using too much lotion and as it was not created to replace a perfume, people would not be able to detect the scent after a few hours. It is a unisex lotion, so do not worry about your gender.

Are you a Muslim? Then check out-Does Perfume Break Fast?

Conclusion

Wearing a fragrance to a funeral is not a problem. But figuring out the perfect perfume so that you do not disrespect the deceased person can be tricky.

Before applying a perfume at a funeral, you must know which one is the correct one to spritz yourself with. Spray the perfume as little as possible and wait for the scent to settle before leaving the house.

Always pick a scent that does not project much and remember in a funeral your goal is to keep the bad odor away and not to smell good.

If you have any further queries, please feel free to ask them in the comment section, and I would be happy to answer them.

About The Author
Perfume has always been Lamaya's passion as she grew up smelling all the perfumes her mother had. And sometimes she would spray them on her secretly. Lamaya likes doing doodling art as well. If you ever see her in person, you can request a doodle art. You might get one. She wants to be an Environmental & Animal rights activist in the future.

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