Whenever you go perfume shopping or try sniffing a few different scents at a beauty counter, you'll notice that many of them have a little jar of coffee beans to smell if your nose gets overwhelmed. Although almost everyone knows about this myth when it comes to the world of scents, is it actually true? Can smelling coffee beans reset your nose so you're good to continue your smell-a-thon? Or do coffee beans do nothing but distract your nose? Here's everything you need to know about coffee beans and perfumes.
The myth is that smelling coffee beans can help reset your nose's olfactory capabilities. It's been claimed that smelling coffee beans in between fragrances is "supposed" to help noses with olfactory fatigue, which is when our sense of smell has issues caused by prolonged exposure.
We're sorry to break it to you, but coffee beans do not help reset your nose.
A study by scientists at Beloit College found that coffee beans do not cleanse or reset your palate. If you don't believe us, believe science!
To break it down further, research indicated that your nose can basically adjust to any scent within a time frame, according to perfume brand Adiveda Natural. It also reported that due to sensory adaption, your olfactory glands -- what you use to smell -- can get used to the perfume you wear while you can't smell it.
Another example is someone stepping foot in your home for the first time and saying, "Wow, it smells so good," but chances are, you probably didn't notice the scent.
How do I actually reset my nose?
The answer might surprise you, but to reset your sense of smell, you need to smell something neutral. Many outlets and experts have reported that the best way to reset your palate is to smell yourself. The crook of your elbow, any area on your skin not sprayed with perfume, or perhaps a piece of clothing you're wearing can do the trick.
According to Adiveda Natural, another way to reset your nose is to change what you're smelling. Try changing the fragrance family you're sniffing, and this should help.
Even though your nose can naturally reset itself, it is OK to take a break from smelling things if you are feeling overwhelmed.