Seamus Hammond
When it comes to sniffing fragrances, there's more to it than meets the eye. Many people make the mistake of simply sniffing the atomizer or cap of a perfume bottle, but this only gives you a glimpse of the top notes. To truly appreciate a fragrance, you need to understand how it develops over time and how it interacts with your skin. The best way to do this is to spray the scent onto your wrist, wait for it to settle, and then bring your wrist to your nose and inhale. This will allow you to experience the heart and base notes of the fragrance, as well as how it blends with your unique body chemistry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to sniff fragrances | Spray your wrist or the back of your hand with the fragrance, wait 30 seconds, then bring your hand up to your nose and inhale |
| Olfactory fatigue | If you sniff a fragrance too much, your brain can get so used to the scent that it shuts down from it |
| Alcohol | It's a good idea to let the alcohol evaporate before you smell a perfume |
What You'll Learn
How to test fragrances
When testing fragrances, it's important to give the perfume time to settle on your skin and for the alcohol to evaporate. Spray your wrist or the back of your hand twice in a downward motion, then drop your hand to your side and wait at least 30 seconds. Once it has started to dry, bring your hand up and inhale.
Olfactory fatigue can set in, meaning that you don't smell your own perfume as much. This can also happen with other smells, such as food cooking. However, if you go outside and then come back in, you will be able to smell the aromas again.
It's also worth noting that if you sniff a fragrance up close immediately after spraying, it won't have had time to develop and you'll get a blast of alcohol and top notes.
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Olfactory fatigue
To avoid olfactory fatigue when testing fragrances, it is recommended to spray the fragrance on your wrist or the back of your hand and wait at least 30 seconds for the scent to settle on your skin and the alcohol to evaporate before inhaling. This allows the fragrance to develop fully, and you can experience the true scent without the initial blast of alcohol and top notes.
Additionally, it is worth noting that while olfactory fatigue can cause you to become less aware of a scent, it does not completely eliminate your ability to smell it. Others around you may still perceive the fragrance, even if you no longer notice it due to olfactory fatigue.
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Olfactory system damage
Sniffing fragrances will not damage your olfactory system. However, it can lead to other changes. For example, if you sniff a fragrance up close immediately after spraying, you will get a blast of alcohol and top notes, which can be overwhelming. It is a good idea to let the alcohol evaporate before smelling the perfume.
Olfactory fatigue can also set in, meaning that you don't smell your perfume as much as others do. This can happen with other smells, too, such as after cooking. Going outside and then coming back in can help you to smell the aromas again.
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How to sniff fragrances
Sniffing fragrances is a great way to test them, but there is a technique to it. Firstly, it's a good idea to let the alcohol evaporate before you smell the perfume. If you sniff a fragrance up close immediately after spraying, you'll get a blast of alcohol and top notes, and the scent won't have had time to develop.
To properly test a fragrance, spray your wrist or the back of your hand twice in a downward motion. Drop your hand to your side and wait at least 30 seconds for the scent to settle on your skin. Once it has started to dry, bring your hand up and inhale.
It's also worth noting that olfactory fatigue can set in, meaning that you won't smell your own perfume as much. This can also happen with other smells, such as food aromas after cooking.
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How fragrances develop
When testing a fragrance, it's important to give it time to settle on your skin. Spray your wrist or the back of your hand twice, then drop your hand to your side and wait at least 30 seconds. Once the fragrance has started to dry, bring your hand up and inhale.
If you sniff a fragrance immediately after spraying, it won't have had time to develop and you'll get a blast of alcohol and top notes. It's a good idea to let the alcohol evaporate before you smell the perfume.
Olfactory fatigue can set in, meaning that you don't smell your own perfume as much. Your brain can become so used to a scent that it shuts down from it. However, this doesn't cause permanent damage to your sense of smell.
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Frequently asked questions
Without touching your nose, wave the scent strip under your nose. Close your eyes and inhale. If you love the fragrance, the next step is to see how it smells on your skin.
When you smell the atomizer, all you are sensing is the top note. You're smelling the citrus or the bergamot or fruity notes. You aren't getting any of the heart or base notes.
Spray the scent on your wrist and then let it drop to your side. Wait 20 seconds for the scent to settle on your skin. When it has dried slightly, bring your wrist to your nose and inhale.
Use scent strips. You can smell several fragrances cleanly and keep the strips to smell later to see how the perfume develops.
