Something to do while waiting

It’s nice to have something to look forward to, and with the Blaze of Glory Collection on its way, we certainly do. And while the anticipation delivers a dopamine release in our brain and gives us a bit of a thrill, it is a rather long wait, so having something to distract us might be nice.

What I’m going to propose isn’t novel, but it’s just a reminder in case you haven’t done it for a while

I regularly hear friends of 4160Tuesdays saying they have more perfume than they could wear even if they lived another 4,160 years, but what this probably also means is that there’s a whole bunch of fragrances they haven’t laid their nose on for quite possibly years. It’s time to get reacquainted.

When I first started working with Sarah, I was travelling, which is what I’m usually doing. But when I came back to Birmingham (where I refer to as home) for a few months, Sarah was kind enough to give me a huge selection of samples, and from there I chose a few of my favourites and got full-size bottles.

I later treated myself to a studio day, where I sniffed pretty much everything and then left with a few little bottles of my favourites. Although after the 100th fragrance I smelled, I didn’t have a clue who I was, what I was doing, or why I kept sticking paper next to my nose and wafting it around, so how on earth I could have accurately chosen my favourites, we’ll never know. Chances are, I didn’t.

I returned from London, and what was left in my samples got put aside, and my lovely collection of Sarah’s fragrances, which included Creamy Vanilla Crumble and Crikey! Coconut Caramel, Cherry Who? and Lemon Sherbet, became my go-to fragrances and I was quite pleased with myself.

But fast forward to a few weeks ago when sorting through some things, I pulled out my box of samples. I didn’t sniff them all at once, well that would be outrageous, but not one after another either. Instead I decided to get to know them. I chose one at a time and wore it for the day, enjoyed it and asked how it made me feel. And because I was feeling generous, I even told my husband to do the same. What a delightful week that followed.

I discovered that I had some real gems hiding away. The exact reason I didn’t realise it the first time round, I’ll never be sure of, but I know I’m not the only one who rediscovers a fragrance they weren’t overly excited about upon first sniff and ends up falling in love.

It’s possible I just didn’t give the ‘less instantly or obviously beautiful’ ones a real chance to show their true colours. It might have been that I sniffed them with other things lingering around in my nostrils, I could have gone nose blind before I got to them, maybe my taste is changing, or they got even better over time, or possibly I just have a greater understanding of perfume now, so I appreciate them differently.

There was another interesting aspect too. You know when people say that a scent doesn’t work well on their skin? I always thought that it was a polite way to say “I don’t really like it”, but I’ve discovered that it is a real thing. On a couple of occasions, after my husband would have a little go in the taster box, he’d come out smelling of something that was familiar but I couldn’t quite place because it smelled different on him. It’s real, certain scents suit some people more than others. And I totally fell in love with Figs in White Chocolate, and The Dark Heart of Old Havana on him. On me they were nice, on him - so much better!

Sarah has been explaining to us for long enough about the benefits of smelling things and really taking time to consider them and try to work out what a scent reminds you of and how it makes you feel. It’s good for our brains. Well, if cognitive strengthening isn’t enough, I’m now suggesting you do it to rediscover what you own and perhaps fall in love with the unexpected.

And I know that our perfumes are precious but sharing has its advantages, especially if it’s someone we spend time around.

As a remedy for when you find yourself struggling with the battle of patience when it comes to the impending Blaze of Glory collection, rummage around, find a fragrance you haven’t smelled for some time and spray it on, think about it, maybe even get a pen and paper out and write what comes to mind. You could even give Sarah’s Scenthusiasm Challenge a go.