Would you swallow a pill that turned your personal odour into personal perfume? That’s the dream of an Australian artist trying to turn the scent of an idea into reality.
Australian artist Lucy McRae is the mind behind the Swallowable Parfum pill, which is intended to chemically alter your sweat into perfume molecules. Your sweat still does what it should — cool the body — but the residue left behind, instead of ponging of pure B.O, instead would have a specific perfume scent, possibly altered by your own natural odours.
There’s a lot of science to overcome — McRae says she’s working with synthetic biologist Sheref Mansy to sort the issues out — not the least of making something chemical that’ll withstand swallowing, work its way into your stomach without being dissolved in the acids within and then make its way out your pores in some kind of acceptable way.
I’ve got to be totally honest here; while the reputation of geeks and odour has a slightly smelly history, I’m not one who’s big on perfume in the mainstream anyway; allergies and scent sensitivities mean I tend to steer clear of perfumes generally. So I pitched the perfume pill idea to the ladies at BellaSugar, all of whom were wary of the idea — especially as it’d presumably mean that you’d exude perfume every hour of the day. [Lucy McRae via Geekosystem]
illogical
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 3:27 PMwould it have like a half-life or something so that you don’t smell like it for a month after you swallow the pill + cumulative effect?
Chanel no.5 at a funeral.. no thanks
Jaezass
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 3:29 PMConsidering the smell of garlic and other strong smelling foods will go through the body and make you stink of garlic, the idea has merit. So long as the product is all natural, to avoid issues like carcinogens etc, I think it’s a good idea. Some of the people who work around me could definitely use it.
Luke
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 3:36 PMHmm… i hope they will also work on a pill that makes your leavings smell like cinnamon buns.
Jackson Bison
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 3:49 PMConsidering sweat itself has no smell, and it’s actually the bacteria that inhabit your ‘pits’ that release said odour, her idea is a witless pipe-dream.
She should have spent more time reading in Arts School, and less time looking at pictures of shoes.
Can someone please give this woman a quick clip across the back of her head and send her back under her rock.
Captain Picard
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 4:47 PM“Considering sweat itself has no smell, and it’s actually the bacteria that inhabit your ‘pits’ that release said odour”
Yes but the odour is transported all over the place by the sweat, making the general area pong, so if you make the moisture smell nice it will do the same thing as deodorant without blocking the pores! Try thinking before writing crap!
wizard
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 8:44 PMThat could be dangerous
MotorMouth
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 3:56 PMI wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the idea. At the risk of sounding culturally insensitive, I found that after living in India and eating local food for 5 or 6 weeks, I definitely started to smell like an Indian, so changing the way people smell is definitely a achievable goal.
Jackson Bison
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 4:11 PMActually, yes, you’re right…
I’m still not imagining anything nice… ;)
Peter
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 4:23 PMPheromones
Sean
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 4:13 PMYou’re each half right. Fresh sweat has a smell, made up of a complex combination of chemicals and it’s usually not regarded as offensive if considered in isolation. However it’s full of organic compounds that bacteria on your skin rapidly convert into something that smells quite bad.
Marten
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 6:06 PMHey if my sweat can be made into the Lynx factor im sold.
At least to a next a new miss’s kill all my fun.
Stew
Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 4:12 PMI’d love to sweat out an anti-perspirant instead of a perfume.
Or have a swallowable anti-perspirant pill to nip the whole thing in the bud. Another humid QLD summer is on its way so hurry up & invent it!