Please explain the phenomenon of 'olfactory fatigue' and the techniques perfumers use (like smelling coffee beans) to 'reset' their sense of smell.
What is "Olfactory Fatigue"?
Hey there! Let me briefly explain "olfactory fatigue." I used to work in a perfume shop and encountered this often. Simply put, it’s when your nose smells a particular scent for too long, and your brain gradually "gets used to" it. As a result, you stop noticing the smell. It’s like walking into a room just sprayed with air freshener—you find it super fragrant at first, but after a while, you can’t smell it anymore. The scent is still there; your olfactory system is just "fatigued." To avoid overload, it temporarily tunes out the constant stimulus.
A real-life example: When cooking garlic in your kitchen, the smell feels strong at first. But as you keep cooking, you stop noticing it. Then someone walks in and says, "Wow, that smells amazing!" That’s olfactory fatigue at work. It’s not that your nose is broken—it’s your brain’s protective mechanism, helping you detect new or changing scents.
How Do Perfumers "Reset" Their Sense of Smell?
Perfumers smell perfumes and essential oils all day, so olfactory fatigue is a common occurrence for them. They have a few tricks to "reset" their noses and regain sensitivity. The most popular one is smelling coffee beans!
- The coffee bean trick: Coffee beans have a strong, neutral aroma (neither sweet nor floral). They stimulate your olfactory receptors and "flush out" lingering scents—like rinsing your mouth with water. Perfumers usually keep a small jar of fresh coffee beans on hand. After smelling one perfume, they take a few deep sniffs of coffee beans, rest for 10–20 seconds, and then move on to the next scent. This "reboots" the nose, allowing for more accurate scent detection. I’ve tried it—it really works, especially after smelling lots of sweet perfumes.
Beyond coffee beans, they have other tricks:
- Smell your own skin: For example, sniff the inside of your forearm. Its mild, natural scent helps neutralize your sense of smell.
- Breathe fresh air: Step outside for a few breaths, or smell something neutral like wool or cotton fabric.
- Take a break: Sometimes, just pause for a few minutes without smelling anything to let your nose recover naturally.
These methods aren’t just for perfumers—anyone testing perfumes can use them. Next time you’re at a store sampling scents, don’t sniff a dozen in a row. Take coffee bean breaks in between, and you’ll notice a huge difference! Feel free to ask if you have more questions.