This has probably happened to you many times before. You buy an expensive, much-hyped perfume from some fancy outlet to wear on an occasion. On the D-day, you spray it and you feel ecstatic. However, after a few minutes, that pleasurable scent seems to vanish from your body!
Perplexing right? For instance, you enter an acquaintance’s house (whom you are not so familiar with), and a distinctive smell of urine hit your nostrils, and you know immediately, without being told, that there’s a child in the house.
As you sit down for lunch however, you no longer smell anything out of the ordinary in the aroma of the house. Where did the smell of urine go? Did the newborn baby go for a walk alone?
Probably not. What happened is that you got used to the smell
The mechanisms of our sense of smell are often times mysterious and play tricks on us. We sometimes get the impression that we can no longer smell our perfume, or much less than usual. Why is that? Over saturated nostrils or a brain that is too used to it? Fret not, your fragrance has not changed, your nose has simply adapted.
How can we then forget a previously memorized smell?
There are reasonable explanations why you no longer smell your perfume after a few hours or several months wearing it.
Our sense of smell which is controlled by our brain, has a system that allows it to filter information. Perceiving a smell is pretty straightforward; when a scent hits your nostrils, the smell receptors in your nose transmit a signal to the limbic system of your brain. This system determines how you will react to that scent. As you continue to stay in the presence of that smell however, your brain becomes accustomed to the smell, and you gradually stop noticing that aroma.
When we wear a fragrance regularly, the brain associates it with our own body odour. The fact that we no longer smell our perfume is part of a physiological process of olfaction. With our own scent, the stimulation of our olfactory sensors is permanent. This also applies to the smell of our home, or a perfume that we often wear. Our receptors will drop their guard to become familiar with the smell and make it commonplace, because it's considered harmless. These unconscious mechanisms then regulate the quality and quantity of olfactory information that reaches our brain. This is called olfactory adaptation, or habituation. Simply put: we no longer smell.
If in doubt, take a moment right now and smell your surroundings, smell anything unusual? Probably not, because your nose has gotten used to the smell around you.
How To Smell Again
Fear not for I am with you! No need to throw your favorite bottles in the trash, why waste money. A break from your favourite perfume is recommended when you can no longer smell your perfume. Try a new fragrance! That way, your nose will be refreshed and stimulated again, and your sensors will be as reactive as ever!
Also try new ways to wear your perfume. A few drops in a cloud above you will not be perceived in the same way as a spray behind the ear, so don’t hesitate to vary! Check out some of our best tips here.
Coffee beans clears the nose of any smell residue
To clear the nose of any residual smell acquired from another object, there are a number of methods to explore, which are often referred to as ‘nose-clearing techniques’.
A sniff of coffee beans, a swatch of wool, or even an unfragranced forearm, are a few of the most common nose-clearing techniques.
So, next time, you wear an exquisite perfume and you're wondering why you can’t seem to smell the fragrance, a few coffee beans may help you get a fresh whiff so you know that you still smell great!
Mix and match your perfume: another great tip to try is to mix and match your fragrance. This is a great method because not only are you stimulating your nostrils with a new scent, but you are creating a new fragrance unique only to you. Gone are the days when we want to smell like another person or find our perfume on every street corner. This gave birth to the trend of mix and match perfumes that has been developing and attracting novices and professional noses alike in recent years. This technique also known as layering, involves mixing several olfactory creations at the same time to create a trail unique only to its creator. This trend originated from the Middle East and is practiced daily. Depending on their mood, the occasion or the time of year, they combine the power of oud with the warmth of musk or the softness of the roses. A marriage rich in contrast!
Mix textures: creating a unique scent seems easy but some blends are less successful than others. If you are new to the art of mix and match, you can begin by taking baby steps while avoiding too many risks by trying to mix different textures. All you have to do is combine one or more complementary products with your favorite fragrance (layering technique). Play it safe and match scents, choose complimentary compositions (scents from the same family). For example, opt for a rose-scented body cream that will leave a first scent film on your skin, which will be the basis of your blend. Then spray a few drops of your favorite floral fragrance and feel how its wake intensifies and unveils new nuances. The perfume will last longer on moisturized skin and will release new olfactory facets. You can try this technique on all kinds of scented products: from shower gel to hair mist or body oil.
Play your notes: it is important to know the different notes; powdery, marine, gourmand. Try combining fragrances with complementary notes in order not to distort them. You should therefore avoid using two heady fragrances together that would crash into each other.
You will then be able to play with your different fragrances and compose the scent that suits you! If you desire a sweet note in your fragrance but are afraid of overdosing, try fruity notes that will offer a gourmand touch. Citrus will add freshness to any fragrance, musk will give depth and roundness, while vanilla will reveal its seductive side.
Opposites attract: another variation to the art of mix and match is to associate scent with opposite notes. Don't be afraid to try fragrances with strong contrasts. Put together, they will reveal multiple facets. A woody scent with a fruity one, spicy with sweet, or fresh scents with gourmand shades. Basically, it’s up to you!
When layering scents, it is advised that you spray the most intense first. You can then follow with a few drops of the more delicate and lighter scent. This order is important to avoid the stronger fragrance preventing the lighter one from expressing itself. This is necessary to achieve a nice balance. Wait a few seconds between sprays. This will give the first fragrance time to grip on your skin before blending with the second fragrance.
Lastly, dare to be brave! There are no hard or fast rules or combinations to banish, as long as you are satisfied with the end result. Fragrance is a subjective art, so if something appeals to you, go for it! Not all layering will be worth keeping, but in the end unexpected associations will arise and you will certainly find your perfect match, that’s the magic of layering!
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Thank you for reading!
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