Unusual sweet perfume smell, is this from the alcohol

[3luckystars]

My neighbour is a very heavy drinker. She has a very unusual perfume smell from her, like a very sweet distinctive strong smell. It’s not alcohol, not like wine or beer from her breath, it is like she is wearing a chemical like perfume.

I often wondered about this, and thought maybe it was some cocktail she was drinking but another woman came to my house last week and I know she is also drinking a lot and I got the exact same smell from her. She was not drunk at this time, it was the day time and it’s not the smell of drink it’s very different. So I am wondering if it has something to do with the alcohol?

What I’m asking is, is this her body making this smell come out through her? Is there anyone here that knows what I’m talking about or have experienced this strange smell?

Acetone breath is something to do with how alcohol is metabolised, maybe it's that?

Yes, it's alcohol if she always smells like this. Severe alcoholism. Unless she's diabetic, but doubt it. I've cared for many drinkers in the past, I know the smell you are talking about. Very sad.

It's the alcohol. I had an ex who smelled like this a lot of mornings. If I smell it now, I get catapulted back to that relationship and how dysfunctional it was. It took years to realise he was an alcoholic. I thought some people just drank a bottle of supermarket gin or whisky a day and I was the odd one for nursing a glass of wine all evening.
The smell must be something to do with how the body processes the alcohol.

I'm pretty certain it will be the alcohol. Breath or a general aroma of old-fashioned pear drop sweets can be a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis. Something that can affect heavy drinkers is similar - alcoholic ketoacidosis, where the drinker's body can't process glucose properly. It's more obvious in some than others. A definite smell like pear drops or nail-varnish remover.

Probably this isn't going to end well for her. Hope it doesn't impact on you too much. Best wishes. xx

I wonder if it's a liver smell which is very distinctive

Thank you. She is definitely not diabetic. It’s such a distinctive smell, I can smell it in her house also. My husband cannot smell it though. It was when I smelled it from the other woman that I realised.

It is sweet perfume smell, not like alcohol at all. Thanks very much for the replies, and sorry if I upset anyone by reminding them of this.

Some alcoholics drink mouthwash as many of them contain alcohol. Could it be that?

People who have drunk a lot of alcohol the night before (or all the time) have a strong sweetish pungent smell.

I remember standing next to a fairly famous actor on a London bus some years ago and he had that smell too. A giveaway.

Thanks. I have been around loads of people with hangovers and they just smell like booze the next day, but this is totally different smell. I was just wondering was it actually coming from her body, and does it only happen with long term drinking rather than from the day before. Her house smells like this too. It’s strong.

Does she drink white wine? People reek of that the next day. Its so sickly.

Yes I think it does denote serious long term drinking. You don’t get it from a one off hangover.

Although I used to work with a woman who smelt like it sometimes, not all the time. She was a big drinker, and had very restricted fussy eating (only ate stuff like cheddar, white rice, white bread). So maybe the food also affected it.

Yes she definitely drinks wine. I would say mainly wine, but not sure what colour.

I can always smell it when people have been drinking white wine. Both that day and the next day

I’m a recovering alcoholic and find this smell very noticeable on others now. You’re right it doesn’t smell like actual booze, but it’s 100% a sign of very heavy drinking. I cringe now thinking about how I thought a mint and a spray of deodorant would get rid of it! It comes from your breath and your sweat I think so lasts a while and is very strong.

You could also be picking up Parkinson’s or other diseases? There are people who can smell this.

Diabetes’ smell sweet.

Is she older? It could be nonenal, ‘Eau de elderly’.

I hope not. Neither of them are elderly. Both are in their early 40s and would be wine drinkers.

I have never heard the word nonenal, that’s a new one for me, thank you.