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Do you ever need to take a break from sniffing?

post #1 of 11
11/2/07 at 5:25pm
Thread Starter 
Jeez, I've been sampling and spritzing for a few days now, twice a day, and I feel overloaded. I think my nose has had enough (it almost feels like I have an allergy and it's a little stingy), and/or my brain is just fried. Who knew this would be such work, and at this point, it's not enjoyable. I'm going to have to take a break, but don't want to (so many fragrances, so little time!). Does this happen to anyone else?

Another newbie question. Now that I'm testing fragrance ALL the time, I hesitate to use any body products with scent to them...you know, even generic hand-lotion smells like something. Any suggestions for non-scented creams...especially hand lotions...?
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post #2 of 11
11/3/07 at 1:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FullCircle View Post

Jeez, I've been sampling and spritzing for a few days now, twice a day, and I feel overloaded. I think my nose has had enough (it almost feels like I have an allergy and it's a little stingy), and/or my brain is just fried. Who knew this would be such work, and at this point, it's not enjoyable. I'm going to have to take a break, but don't want to (so many fragrances, so little time!). Does this happen to anyone else?

Of course it does. Give your nose a break.

Personally, I never try more than maybe four different scents when I'm at the fragrance store.
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post #3 of 11
11/3/07 at 10:24am
I'm not sure but Lubriderm might be unscented, what I do is match notes or layer with something complimentary. That can be an adventure in itself.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed and wear no perfume at all, this can go on for a week or two until I'm ready to try again. Just do what the spirit and nose moves... no rush.
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post #4 of 11
11/3/07 at 10:30pm
I can usually take only about 4 or 5 scents when testing at dept stores.....
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post #5 of 11
11/3/07 at 10:50pm
I have yet to get tired of sniffing out the next love. On the other hand, like the others I only smell 4 or 5 at a time. With my crazy schedule I hardly get a chance to get out anymore. Another thing is that I have smelled mostly everything. So, I usually only seek out the new ones, which there may be at least 3 new ones out at any given time. I'm going to start ordering some samples. I've tried most of the frags in this area and want to branch out to some other brands that aren't available here.

Most lotions will offer an unscentented one. I'm like beachroses. I like to find compatible lotions to go with the scents that I like to wear. I'm sure you've heard me mention Baby Magic's Soft Baby Scent. This mixes very well with spicy orientals, woods, and patchouli/sandalwood based frags. VS' Love Spell brings out the best in Lolita Lempicka and Light Blue. I even wear BBW Coco Cabana with my Amiez Moi. I wear Palmer's Coco Butter with anything that has chocolate notes in it. I love to mix things together. This can create your own little secret scent. You can tell them the name of the perfume, but never tell them what you added to it.
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post #6 of 11
11/3/07 at 11:43pm
i normally try four or five, go for a walk and get a coffee while i think about it, then try a couple more on my return. then if i've narrowed it down to two (if i'm purchasing that day), i'll get one on each forearm (great area for testing scent) and then go away and wander for about an hour before deciding.
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post #7 of 11
11/4/07 at 10:09am
I burn myself out all the time on sniffing days. I'll hit every department store in the mall on one trip and then go to another the next day. It is too addictive and fun to want to stop even though it does get on my nose's nerves. Lucky for me I'm not a compulsive buyer so I stick to just smelling at stores...
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post #8 of 11
11/5/07 at 9:16am
Thread Starter 
So I think I've got this under control now...I was (and am) still testing and wearing two fragrances a day (yesterday I wore three). This gives me a chance to see a scent all the way through to the end. I had been trialing decants of spicy vanilla/amber scents and those are so hard on my "constitution". I know now not to: over-apply without knowing what's coming, sniff at the wrist constantly and deeply, wear more than one of the heavy orientals two days in a row, and, if I get overloaded, give myself permission to take a break for however many days I need. Whew! Lessons learned!

Thanks so much for the suggestions for lotions!
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post #9 of 11
1/28/08 at 10:12pm
If you're sniffing multiple things at one, make sure you have fresh coffee beans with you, and smell them in between scents to clear your nostrils.
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post #10 of 11
1/31/08 at 9:39pm
The coffee beans do help. I went on a major sniffrage in Troy MI. I drove a couple hours to get there. I was out to smell as many new and exciting fragrances, knowing I wouldn't return for awhile. Yes, the nose does fatigue. I can smell Tom Ford Black Orchid--then go to Eau Sauvage at Sephora. ( just an extreme example) The ES is barely there after being attacked by Black Orchid. Yes, your nose does need a break if you are serious about your quest for sniffing new frags. Defintely reserve some arm space and neck space for areas to try on your body to get to know the crescendo of notes on your skin to see if you truly like them. Don't judge it by its top note alone OR by spraying on paper alone.

Otherwise---go nuts! Have fun. Sniff to hearts content.
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post #11 of 11
2/2/08 at 5:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by somethinpositiv View Post

If you're sniffing multiple things at one, make sure you have fresh coffee beans with you, and smell them in between scents to clear your nostrils.

Just reiterating on the coffee beans. That's what the little jars of them are doing on the fragrance counters. Just grab a few and hold them in your half-closed hand, and sniff from your half-closed hand. It helps reset the olfactory. Just make sure you're not spraying on your palm when you're sampling.

Even with the coffee beans, though, your nose will get tired out. When shopping, I often try a few on the way in, shop/do something else for awhile, then try a few on the way out after my nose has rested. It also lets the first couple I tried dry down a bit.
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