Is Stealing Someone’s Perfume A Crime?

I was musing about this the other day while writing a nail polish post. I remembered a friend who smelled so good I just had to have her perfume. She had a caveat when she agreed to tell me – that I “not tell anyone else” what it was. We lived in different cities, so that helped. And the fact that Annick Goutal was pretty hard to find around here twenty odd years ago meant no one knew what it was anyways.

I’ve been asked what perfume I’m wearing more times than I can remember, and even been followed a few times, only to be sheepishly asked “what is that pefume you’re wearing?”. Sometimes I share, sometimes I don’t. Often when the perfume is obscure and weird and I know no one will buy it, then I might share….

How do you feel about this? Do you give up what you are wearing when someone asks? Or, are you like me, and sometimes pretend that you forgot which perfume you put on? Have you ever asked a friend what they’re wearing, only to be told “Sorry, I don’t want anyone else to have this scent..” Have you ever asked someone what perfume they are wearing? Were they receptive, or reticent?

Is stealing someone’s perfume a crime?