The Nose Knows: Not another beauty blog

 

I once read that our sense of smell is closely linked with memory, probably more so than any of our senses. Supposedly, memories triggered by scent have some of the strongest emotional connection and are found to be more intense than other memory triggers. I couldn't agree more. I had one such emotional  experience with my sister, Liz because of this particular perfume that left me almost in tears. I have been obsessed with perfumes lately and, yesterday I had the chance to do a wear taste on Chanel Chance Eau Tendre. By the way, this perfume is pretty strong on projection and sillage so never at any point did any one of us took off our face masks to get a good whiff of its scent.

At the store, I had a few spritzes on my left arm and, almost immediately I remembered something distinctly similar to a perfume from my younger years. I told my sister that it definitely smelled familiar. I was sure that it was a scent that someone close to me from way back used to wear. I just couldn't put my finger on it and on who. Over dinner, I checked the drydown on my skin and it now smelled like a "mommy" scent to me, a fragrance for someone more mature. I told Liz and she agreed. She said that after the initial spray that's how it smelled to her but she kept her thoughts to herself.  When we got home, I did a last smell check and then it finally hit me! I could actually see the moment and the person who smelled like it on my mind. It was our Mama! I excitedly told Liz that it was Mama that I was actually remembering all along. Her reaction was one of surprise and disbelief because she had the exact same realization early on. Truth was, from the moment she caught the opening notes of the initial spray she already knew. Good for her. It reminded her of Mama but she didn't say anything thinking that it was just her and, that she could be wrong. She didn't trust her nose enough these days as she's been having problems with her overly sensitive sense of smell lately. We both couldn't believe it. Mama probably got frustrated already and decided that my faulty memory needed a little nudge in the right direction. 🙈

It was such an overwhelming, powerful feeling to be able to feel her presence in a most unexpected way. I had to make Mat and Nadine take a sniff of the perfume in my arm so they'll know how their lola Eleanor smelled like. I even described to them the memory of Mama that this powdery floral scent evoked- the clothes she was wearing, her jewelries and, how her hair was styled. It must have been a Dior perfume that she owned or, something from Chanel but, whatever it was, I'm just grateful for that moment. A good friend said after hearing this story that she found it really touching and that Mama is still watching over us. She is our angel. We may sometimes forget her when we get too caught up in our own lives but, now I know for sure she will always be there looking out for us, no matter how much time has passed or how old we become. 💗