Has Wearing A Mask Affected How We Wear Fragrance?

The new reality of wearing a face mask in public has placed a physical barrier between our nose and the scents that fill the world around us. Remember the days when you could pass a stranger and notice their scent? Maybe it’s one you recognise or maybe it is a new scent to you either way it makes you pause and forget all of the stress in the world even just for a brief moment.

With the new mask rules in place some people have stated that fragrance has now become redundant, we however completely disagree! While the use of fragrance has shifted it is far from being a wasted step in your routine. At the end of the day we wear fragrances for ourselves. While it is flattering when someone else compliments your scent it is most important that you, the wearer, are the one that is in love with it. The way the fragrance makes you feel when you apply it is what matters. 

Fragrance at home

Fragrance should be seen as personality amplification and should be worn however and whenever you want to, not just for the pleasure of others. While masks have stopped the masses from enjoying your fragrance it has made it a more intimate part of your routine when you do wear it. For many people who have had to distance themselves from loved one’s fragrance has brought people closer together.

Does your partner or family member have a scent that you would class as their signature scent? This scent can makes you think of them the moment you catch it on the breeze? For many people it has been the small reminders of loved ones that has kept them going through isolation. Whether this is being able to call themand have a chat or finding an item of theirs in the house that smells like their loved one. Fragrance is a key part of relationships and your senses play a big part in affecting your mood.

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Most of us spent lockdown not leaving our houses and therefore being out of our normal routines, For a lot of people there was a sense of normality from getting up in the mornings and getting ready as you usually would. This process includes applying fragrance. Just because you're going to be at home doesn't mean you can't make an effort and smell great even if you are the only one smelling it. By continuing with their usual process of getting up and dressed and applying makeup and perfume (or whatever your personal process is!) many people were able to differentiate between days and were able to express their moods through their outfit or beauty product selection. At the end of the day we choose our fragrance because we like it not because the random person on the tube who you will never see again does!

Changes to the fragrance making process

Almost all of the worlds fragrance creators are based in covid hotspots where mask wearing is a part of everyday life. Let’s be honest at this point that is almost everywhere in the world anyway. For some perfumers this has encouraged them to make stronger scents but for many it has done the process is mostly unchanged. While many perfumers may have been affected by covid through timelines and development schedules most have hope that the situation will end and that we will go back to a life without masks. Once that time does come we certainly wont want to be smelling extremely strong fragrances that were developed to be worn with a mask covering your face.

Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash

The biggest change to the fragrance industry has been with shopping. Most people would go into a store and smell a fragrance before purchasing it to ensure they like the scent before buying. The addition of a mask makes this almost impossible. At Shay and Blue we have introduced fragrance consultations onto our website, this allows the customer to learn more about which fragrances would be suited to them by using information from scents they already enjoy. Samples are also a great way to try a scent before you buy. The customer is able to order a sample set filled with 5 fragrances of their choice and test the brand before committing to a bigger purchase. Others have decided that buying fragrance using only the description is enough. It all depends on your personal shopping habits when making a purchase.

Has your relationship with fragrance changed in the past year?

Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more delivered straight to your inbox

_____________