Scent- It's a Personal Thing

In my on-going quest to be fully in the present moment I do several “exercises” throughout the day involving the five senses. My favorite sense (if there can be one) is smell. I love to pause during my day and smell things. It may sound odd, but it is a sensory experience that I believe is very powerful. I’ll smell the ground coffee before I put it in the pot. I’ll smell the beautiful rose that I see on my way to work. I’ll smell my shampoo before I wash my hair. I love taking in scents! After all, I don’t want my nose to think I take it for granted!

When it comes to personal scent- it’s a very personal thing. Up until now, I happened to be very loyal, using the only perfume that worked for me: “Stella”, by Stella McCartney. I LOVE this scent! It is evocative of roses and works so well with the chemistry of my skin. I would try samples of other perfumes when I went to Sephora or a department store but nothing ever got me like Stella did.

I was, however, fascinated by those women who seem to have several perfume bottles displayed on their vanity. Did they wear each and every one? My question was answered the other day when speaking with a co-worker of mine. We greeted each other and she mentioned that I smelled delightful. I told her it was “Stella”, the only perfume I wear. She was in shock. “How could you only wear one perfume?” she asked me in earnest, “What about the changing of the seasons? Or going from day to night?”

These were things I had never though of before with regard to scent. I guess Stella, if it were to be classified into seasons, would be a spring/ summer fragrance. I have worn it year round for the last four years! Even in England in the dead of winter! My co-worker, who happens to be fashionable, fabulous and European, went on to tell me she is addicted to perfume and collects it. She changes perfume depending on the occasion and feels like a different person with each scent.

This really got me thinking. Well it wasn’t as if I hadn’t tried new perfumes. I had. Actually a few months ago I bought Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Lovely” because I had smelled it in a magazine and was impressed. I never thought I’d buy a perfume by a celebrity but alas, I had. I only wear SJP’s scent about once a month. It is, in fact, lovely, but it isn’t the type of scent that moves me profoundly. And as a daily connoisseur, I need to be moved profoundly.

Then, a few days ago I finished reading a book on beauty that I HIGHLY recommend. It is called “Beauty Confidential” by Nadine Haobsh. She is a former beauty editor, turned beauty blogger and I loved everything she had to say as well as her style of writing. In fact, I realized that she and I had a lot in common when it came to products. Some of her personal favorites are also mine! So when we got to the chapter on perfume, I was interested to see what she had to say. She gives a thorough and comprehensive list of modern classics as well as classic classics. She also goes on to list the qualities that these perfumes have (woodsy, vanilla, floral, musk).

Her all time favorite perfume is Narciso Rodriguez, “For Her”. So seeing as how I tended to agree with her other beauty choices, I went to Sephora yesterday to try it out. I knew I couldn’t just buy it online because scent is such a personal thing. For example, so many people rave about how they love Chanel No. 5. I’ve tried it so many times wondering if I’m crazy but I can’t stand it! So I knew I couldn’t go on recommendation alone. I sprayed my wrist and then walked around the shop for a half an hour (which wasn’t hard. I LOVE Sephora). I kept smelling my wrist and it was amazing how this scent evolved. Needless to say, I bought it and smelled my wrist for the rest of the day. It is my new favorite! This doesn’t mean I’m kicking “Stella” to the curb! I’m going to find room for both in my scent library.

I would be interested to hear what perfumes you daily connoisseurs wear. Let me know!

Spiritual Practice: Smell! Smell! Smell! Smell things throughout your day. It will calm your nervous system and bring you into the present moment.