Fragrance covered odor; it did not remove its source
Perfume changes what reaches the nose, not what is happening on the skin. Sweat itself is often only mildly scented; body odor develops when skin bacteria break down substances in sweat. Washing can remove sweat, bacteria, and residue. Applying fragrance over unwashed skin leaves much of that material in place, so the two smells mingle rather than one cleanly replacing the other.
That made perfume a covering strategy, not a substitute for washing. Its effect depended on the strength and placement of the fragrance, how much odor was present, and how long the scent lasted. Clothing could hold both smells, too, so fresh perfume might briefly dominate without making the underlying odor disappear.
A workaround shaped by daily life
Bathing habits varied across time and place; people did not all avoid washing, and perfume was not used for only one reason. But where a full wash was inconvenient, uncomfortable, or less frequent, scented products offered a quick way to make the body or clothing smell more agreeable. Perfumed waters, oils, and powders could be applied without the time and facilities a bath required.
The tradeoff was simple: fragrance could improve the immediate impression, but it did not clean the skin. As sweat and residue remained, the masking effect could fade—and the original odor could become noticeable again.
