Skip to page content

Site navigation


Will I smell fishy? (V0098)

Will cosmetics containing ingredients from fish waste make us smell like fish?

Duration: 0:35

During a video conference between Cobden Primary School and NIWA scientist Dr Vicky Webb, the facilitator David Copeland asked if using a face cream made with fish waste would make him smell fishy. Dr Webb answers his question.

Transcript

David Copeland: Well now I smell really nice like a ghost shark. Will other ghost sharks be attracted to me now?

Dr Vicky Webb (NIWA): The chemicals which make fish smell fishy are usually different from the ones that are nice for stopping the wrinkles. Within for example, the liver of a fish, there isn’t just one chemical. There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them. And the trick is to separate out the one that you want and leave the ones behind including the ones that are a bit smelly.

Return to top

Related Content

Themes