Is it possible to be completely nose blind to a scent?

[Phoenix997]

So I was sampling a few Amouages for my next purchase.

I really like reckless leather. Smells so green. Then I tried Epic and I couldn't really smell anything. I asked my girlfriend and she could, said it was very strong but a so so scent.

Then I compared both, one on either wrist, and I still couldn't smell Epic, maybe very faintly.

Is it possible I can't detect certain scents?

 

[WThomas0814]

Have you had the COVID?

I have a couple of fragrances that I need to be cautious with to avoid over application (Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum and Tom Ford Beau de Jour EdP). Their scent is very faint to me, so I have over-sprayed both, according to my wife. Only these two, though.

I have the opposite situation with Terre d'Hermes Pure Parfum. It always smells incredibly strong to me, but, my wife never notices it.

 

[psfred]

Yes, it is. Everyone has a different sense of smell, and you may not be very sensitive to that one at all.

Better than being hyper-sensitive, most of the 1970s stuff has something in it (Fierce, Drakkar Noir) that I can smell 1000 ft upwind, and it stinks. Bad. I could smell it through the box from sealed containers when I got some soap scents a few years ago, nasty nasty nasty.

 

[Phoenix997]

Have you had the COVID?

I have a couple of fragrances that I need to be cautious with to avoid over application (Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum and Tom Ford Beau de Jour EdP). Their scent is very faint to me, so I have over-sprayed both, according to my wife. Only these two, though.

I have the opposite situation with Terre d'Hermes Pure Parfum. It always smells incredibly strong to me, but, my wife never notices it.

Yep, I had it a couple times

 

[Tomo]

Musgo Black. I get nothing. Can’t smell a thing.

 

[The Knize]

Is it possible I can't detect certain scents?

I would think, "yes." Although the scents you are talking about have lots of different notes within them, so I am suprised that you would be nose blind to so many different scent notes. I wonder if there is a way you could tease out what notes you may not be able to smell. I forget which notes, but I think Luca Turin, the well-known perfume expert, of all people, has said he is nose blind to certain scent notes.

It is also easy to acclimated to certain notes, say if you were sniffing a whole series of scents in a row. I find I acclimate to lavender quickly so that I do not smell it nearly as strongly as it is.

 

[Phoenix997]

I would think, "yes." Although the scents you are talking about have lots of different notes within them, so I am suprised that you would be nose blind to so many different scent notes. I wonder if there is a way you could tease out what notes you may not be able to smell. I forget which notes, but I think Luca Turin, the well-known perfume expert, of all people, has said he is nose blind to certain scent notes.

It is also easy to acclimated to certain notes, say if you were sniffing a whole series of scents in a row. I find I acclimate to lavender quickly so that I do not smell it nearly as strongly as it is.

Yes, I find that if I go to a store and sniff a bunch of different ones they all start to smell the same. So for ones I think are possible contenders for a purchase I order samples.

 

[Gamma]

I've experienced where one scent can temporarily block/blank another scent.
Some like to 'reset' 'their nose in between sampling frags.
I usually just get samples and try them at home over a few days.

 

[neprot]

I am nose blind to a lot of scents that contain large quantities of Iso E Super, maybe your nose shut down due to some aroma chemicals in Epic.