Question about candle nose and sense of smell

[aviator girl]

Just had a random question I wanted to ask. I have heard people that have made candles for many years say they can't smell them much anymore. Do you guys find this true? I understand candle nose and know that happens but I am just wondering about long term. The main reason I started making candles was because I love them. I would hate to think that I will eventually not be able to smell them and appreciate them one day.

[candlemama]

I was wondering the same thing!!

[islandgirl]

I do get candle nose!! But it is only temporary.

I usually get it bad in the fall months when I am pouring like a nut. I can't smell anything.. Once I take a few days off from pouring, all my nose works like a charm.. You can always sniff some coffee to help clear your clogged nose.

When I am testing new scents, I make sure I am not doing a lot of pouring during that time. That way my nose is fresh and clean!!!

Edited April 5, 2010 by islandgirl

[BeckyW]

I have had candle nose, but never permanently. I have poured candles for almost 9 years. I notice it more in the fall when I am pouring a large quantity everyday. Only 3 times in the 9 years have I gotten a cold so bad I couldn't smell anything-and then I have someone in my house smell it...lol

I guess time will tell if I find it lasts longer than during my busiest time, but I wouldn't worry, if anything you just burn a scent in your home that you aren't pouring at the moment.

[Starr]

I don't trust my own sense of smell anymore.

I have scents that I either can't smell or just barely smell and DH, mom, testers, friends, etc... swear that they're spot on with the intensity of my other stuff. Even non-FO stuff, I don't trust my own sense of smell to see if milk, leftovers, etc... have gone bad.

I think it's different for everyone though.

[topofmurrayhill]

I don't think candle nose necessarily affects my sense of smell in general. I can try a new FO and, as long as it's different from what I've been pouring, I can appreciate it just fine.

However, I can't judge scent throw to save my life for things that I pour all the time. It seems kind of weak even if I put my nose to the candle, and the quality of the scent is different too (brandied pear could end up smelling like bubble gum). With those fragrances, I'd have to take at least a few weeks off to be able to smell them properly again.

Since FOs have some fragrance chemicals in common with each other, I assume that being used to one can affect your perception of others. I don't know, but it seems inevitable.

[Candybee]

Candlenose is typically a short term condition. We all pretty much get it from time to time. It usually lasts from a few hours to a few days depending on how overwhelmed your olfactory senses and your bodies ability to bounce back goes.

I have the worst candlenose right after I have been making candles for several days. I can't smell the candles I just made for about 1-2 days after.

For me the condition is shorter than say a nose cold.

Many people sniff fresh ground coffee or coffee beans to help with candlenose.

[deb426]

Did you ever pour a candle and forget what you poured? Then, for the life of you, you can't tell if its peach, petunia, pecan or pumpernickel! That's what its like for me in the fall. I swear they all smell the same when you're really busy but then it goes back to normal when you're not pouring as much.

[debscent]

Did you ever pour a candle and forget what you poured? Then, for the life of you, you can't tell if its peach, petunia, pecan or pumpernickel! That's what its like for me in the fall. I swear they all smell the same when you're really busy but then it goes back to normal when you're not pouring as much.

LOL...Been there! I recall one year pouring blackberry jam butter cookie and then pouring Vanilla Bean Noel and for the life of me could not smell the VBN at all. I had to take it outside and ask a neighbor.

[NewOrleansLady]

After 10+ years of pouring the only place I now trust to test is my 1/2 bathroom with the door closed. For me to walk in a room and get a good inkling of the throw is not accurate anymore. But if I give it to DIL if I know I'm going to her house that day it will gladly greet me at her door. I don't know if it's the scents, the house or my allergies getting worse and worse.

It still amazes me how you can take a sniff of a new scent oob....and then everytime you inhale some cool air you'll resmell it even after a few hours have gone by.

[grama]

I also cannot trust my sense of smell anymore. People walk in my house & shop and say it smells so good but I walk in and really don't smell anything. I have to rely on my sister to be my "smeller" but she also says she can't smell a scent in my house because they all go together. She will walk outside to smell it! My husband is no help cause he smells my "stuff" all the time. My best time to test the smell, so to speak, is when it is in the pour pot and really hot or I also can smell a new one OOB and keep smelling it. Guess it gets on the tip of my nose. My bathroom in the very back of house is the best place for me to sorta be able to smell something. So usually I figure if I can smell it then it must be pretty strong!

But I am in my shop all the time cause that is where my computer is and when I am not making candles I usually have piles of paperwork that needs to be done.

Also like NewOrleansLady, I could take a candle to Mothers and smell it the minute I walked in her house!

Edited April 6, 2010 by grama