Scratch'N'Sniff

[sakon76]

Hmm.

A few of my friends here on LJ go through BPAL testers to decide what scents, if any, they want to purchase. I find their ability to describe the changing scent of the perfumes on themselves somewhat baffling. I have a small collection of perfumes gathered over the years, largely gifts, that I have begun once again putting on myself in an effort to make myself consciously more "office material" since I'm not that way by nature. I'm aware of the scents in the bottle, and then for about 15 seconds after I put it on myself, but after that either it goes away or I just utterly stop noticing it. This goes for all of them. If I did not know that I had put perfume on, I would not be able to tell. I am, in fact, generally immune to perfume unless someone has bathed in it. I find this sensory lack on my part somewhat disturbing....

Comments

[mmouse15.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. You are more normal than your friends, according to my FIL the biochemist. Your body really does 'tune out' the scents of your body unless they are (1)fresh, or (2) very strong. I'm exactly the same way and have actually cut out of my life everything that has a scent (my daughter's skin reacts to many dyes and perfumes). Makes it much easier to notice other people's perfumes, but I get easily overwhelmed in a crowd. Since it's a normal reaction, I think the only thing you need to worry about is your nose getting so used to a scent that you can't smell it anymore, so you put on a double dose, and then gradually a triple dose, and so on until you are literally bathing in the stuff.

[spiderlove.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way. Five minutes after I spray it on, the only way I know I'm wearing it is if I have an allergic reaction. Though shampoos and lotions tend to smell the same way they did going on if I stick my arm right against my nose and inhale deeply...

[jessara40k.livejournal.com]

Maybe what they do is get a close friend to describe the scent for them? I know I always get my mother to tell me if a perfume smells right on me.