Is it possible to use 'flavor' to refer to different 'TYPES' of non-eatable things?
Say, there's a deodorant. And it has four labels – Wild, Cool, Naughty and Anger. But then, all fall under 'Adidas' for example.
Now, is it possible to use 'flavor' in this way?
Here it is! Adidas Wild. You'll really love it.
Hmm…but it's not something I'm looking for. What are the other flavors in this. Show me.
In simpler example:
I know you use Set Wet deo, but which 'flavor'?
Here, Set Wet is a brand under which, there are many types of deo – stone, sport, lazy etc.
I think 'flavor' goes better with something we eat – chocolate flavor, cola flavor etc.
Also, I hesitate using 'types' there. Not sure why, but it does not seem to be a proper word with no ambiguity in this context.
Best Answer
In general, yes you can use flavors in a figurative sense, meaning types. Deodorants (which you have apparently abbreviated as "deos"—that's a new one on me!) used to have names that were clearly scents (e.g. evergreen, coconut, spice) so it would make sense to ask which scents they had. But since they now name the scents more figuratively (fresh breeze, manly cool, blithe spirit, stone, sport, lazy !) with names meant more to evoke some mood rather than suggest an actual scent, it's just as sensible to ask what "flavors".
Some might cringe at the suggestion of tasting deodorant, but "flavor" is already used to describe rhings with neither taste nor smell: consider "plain-vanilla unix".
So yeah, go ahead; anyone would understand what you mean.