Why do they say to listen to the aroma and not to smell it. Do spirits listen or sniff? Why do spirits listen and not smell? FAQ

Your fragrance is not only a tribute to fashion, or a reflection of your character, mood and style, but also one of the most subtle, personal messages that you send to the people you communicate with. Choosing the right one is an art. And here there are their own "perfumery" laws.

1. It is noticed that the sensitivity to higher in the morning, immediately after waking up - after the olfactory (olfactory) night silence - smells are perceived brighter purely psychologically. In general, the receptors during the day work the same way.

2. But after 50 years, the ability to deeply and fully perceive the surrounding smells begins to gradually become dull. In this regard, older people often prefer intense fragrances - lighter ones simply do not suit them.

3. It must be borne in mind that the susceptibility to aromas also decreases after suffering a cold or flu. Therefore, refrain from making decisions about new perfumes if you have recently been unwell.

4. Hot weather sharply increases the ability to smell and enhances the influence of any smell on a person. In hot weather, you should prefer light and fresh aromas.

5. When choosing perfumes, remember that you can try no more than three or four fragrances at a time. The following will not be received correctly. And try to start familiarizing yourself with the assortment with lighter, unobtrusive odors.

6. The nature of the spirits manifests itself slowly, in several stages:

- initial (head) note

- heart note (middle)

- final (basic) note,

mean the phases of opening the bouquet.

When you apply perfume "on trial", it is advisable to do this on the pulsation points - the wrist, the bend of the elbow. And in no case do not rub - all the listed phases will be mixed up, which ideally should be revealed gradually and sequentially. You will receive the final result of the fragrance no earlier than 10 minutes after application to the skin.

7. Don't choose a fragrance because you liked it on someone. On each person the same perfume will sound differently. The reason is in the individual chemical processes that make the smell special, unique and suitable for you. This is especially true for the best men's fragrances.

8. Advice to men. Never apply eau de toilette after shaving like cologne, it will most likely irritate your face. This is due to the high alcohol content in perfumes, and the skin treated with a razor should be soothed with special creams / lotions / aftershave balms.

9. The bottle should indicate:

perfume- perfume

Eau de Parfum- Eau de parfum

Eau de Toilette- Eau de Toilette.

The difference is in the ratio of the concentration of aromatic oils and alcohols and, accordingly, in the persistence and intensity of the aroma. Most content aromatic oils - from 20 to 30% - in perfumes. This is followed by perfumery water - from 15 to 25%, then toilet water - from 10 to 20%. That is why the price of the same fragrance depends on the form of release.

10. Be careful when applying perfume to clothes, hair and jewelry.

In the first case, keep in mind that perfume can leave a stain, and synthetics- to distort the aroma beyond recognition, the most friendly surfaces for toilet water are fur and wool (the smell lasts for a very long time, practically not changing).

In the second - the hair must be clean. Greasy and unwashed, they also distort the original smell of your perfume by adding too much of their own.

In the third, perfumes can spoil pearls, the brilliance of amber and other stones.

Generally ideal if we are talking about perfume, the most concentrated fragrance, then you need to apply it only on your own skin. It is she who will allow the composition to reveal itself as brightly as possible.

11. Perfumes, not without reason, are divided into “for blondes” and “for brunettes”.

The thing is that the skin of blondes, most often, does not “hold” the aroma well. It intensively fills the space, actively influencing others. So heavy oriental rich smells on the skin of a blonde act like a "weapon of mass destruction." Therefore, fair-haired ladies are better off using fresh citrus or floral scents.

Brunettes, owners of skin less light and more, it is quite possible to use oriental, spicy, rich aromas. They last longer (sebum, as it were, “preserves” the fragrance on the skin), spreads more slowly and imperceptibly in space, without causing a feeling of rejection.

12. As a rule, the smell of eau de parfum disappears quickly enough, and if you want to constantly smell it, just renew the fragrance every three to four hours. For those with dry skin, the fragrance should be "refreshed" more often.

13. Your habits can also affect the intensity of the scent. For example, high-calorie spicy foods make the smell of perfume much more intense. And smoking, drugs, as well as elevated body temperature - generally change the aroma.

14. The official shelf life of perfume is 3 years. If they are not opened, then longer. Store preferably in a cool dry place, away from light, but not in the refrigerator.

15. The rule of good taste - others should not feel your perfume too much. In the sense that the range of your fragrance should be – approximately – equal to arm's length, this is the so-called personal space.

- Simply about the complex, with humor about the serious, modestly about the great. The answer to the popular question "sniff or listen to perfume" in the article:

Chapter first.The Russian language and its understanding by each individual:

The Russian language is very rich and mobile, no matter what you say.

"Smell" or "listen" - say how convenient it is for you personally.

And "listen", and "sniff", and "feel" spirits - all words are permissible.

No one can stop you from making your own comfortable choice.

In the Moscow Museum of Perfumery and in all other museums of perfumery in the world, as well as in all perfume workshopsspirits LISTEN.

We never insist that you also use this word and we are always grateful for your understanding.

that you respect our choice.

And that's why museums, perfumers, musicians and many others choose the word "LISTEN".

Chapter two.Human nature. Olfactory hearing:

The olfactory (olfactory) memory of a person refers to one of the long-term types of memory.

A person receives olfactory memory by birthright, like all other types of long and short memory.

Olfactory memory is the most powerful and most reliable human memory.

Everyone who has already been to the tastings of the Moscow Perfumery Museum agrees with this without any doubt.

those whose soul turned over from a meeting with their past.

Olfactory HEARING (olfactory HEARING, olfactory memory) just as the musical ear (auditory memory) develops well.

For example, a child was sent as an apprentice to a perfumer, in the same way as now they are sent to study at a music school.

Unfortunately, there are no children's perfume schools in the world, where children would be sent to study as indiscriminately as in music schools.

It is best to develop olfactory memory, as well as an ear for music, from early childhood.

That is why the old perfumery art in most cases is dynastic, and there are very few brilliant perfumers in the world,

like brilliant composers, poets, musicians.

Everyone can develop hearing, listen, distinguish and hear smells, including perfumes.

Of course, the person who has been trained does it better.

Everything is exactly the same as with development musical ear or with the development of taste buds.

As a result, in life, someone hears and understands music better, and someone less.

Someone is a gourmet, someone is indifferent to the subtleties of taste.

The same is with the development of olfactory hearing (olfactory memory).

We are all different, and that's the beauty of it.

Just as theaters are created not only for professionals, so museums are accessible to everyone.

If you are modest and think that you smell badly or "do not distinguish" smells, then we assure you: IT IS NOT.

Chapter three.human nose:

The human nose is much more sensitive than "write on the Internet."

The human nose can smell much better than the human eye can!

In the human eye, three receptors work in harmony and allow you to see up to 10 million shades.

Meanwhile, the nose has as many as 400 olfactory receptors!

Take the risk of counting the right number and you will be surprised that the average person can distinguish at least one trillion odors.

Do not be surprised.

The scientific work of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Rockefeller University was published in the journal Science.

Chapter Four. Notebook perfumer:

In 1877 a English perfumer George William Septimus Piesse published a work,

in which he compared the volatility of natural aromas and the frequency of sound vibrations,

believing that the lower the frequency, the lower the sound and the longer it acts on the ear.

Accordingly, the lower the volatility of the substance, the quieter its aroma, but on the other hand, it acts on the sense of smell longer.

Conversely, sounds with a high frequency give a short but intense sound, and a powerful, sonorous smell also sounds for a short time.

This is how a musical notation for perfume looks like, a musical perfume notebook for Septimus Piesse

Any musician can easily read it,therefore, musicians also always talk about the spirits "LISTEN" and "HEAR".

Did you know that any piece of music can be transposed into perfume, and vice versa?

As in any art, in the art of perfumery, too, reference is made from one art form to another.

Septimus Piesse said: "As the artist mixes his colors, so the perfumer should mix his fragrances."

Chapter five. The nature of perfumery art:

Perfumes are created on an instrument called a perfume org a n .

Orgue à parfums - if you call the instrument in French.

Exactly behind the perfume organ, perfumer from notes writes, composes, collects and plays his fragrantmelodies, scales, chords.

The perfumer creates his own, incomparable, perfume melody

complex works are spirits

light popular melodies are perfume compositions

"I am a writer, my novels are without words; I am a composer, my music is without sounds. I am a perfumer," Paul Vacher (Paul Yours), the great perfumer,

author of legendary perfumes, including the Miss Dior fragrance for Christian Dior.

In the photo: the perfume organ of the French perfumer Isabelle Doyen:

Isabelle Doyen is a perfumer who graduated in 1982 International Institute perfumery, cosmetics and fragrances ISIPCA, former assistant to Annick Goutal and later teacher of Goutal's daughter, Camille.

Today, Isabelle and Camille create fragrances for the Annick Goutal brand together.

Chapter six. Perfume ethics and etiquette. Art of Living. Art de Vivre:

Ironic French perfumers say:"When a person has nothing to say about spirits, he tries to decompose them into notes."

The perfume formula, a work of perfumery art, belongs exclusively to its author - the perfumer.

Exactly until he personally decides to publish / sell / transfer his formula to another person

It is completely indecent to ask a perfumer about the composition of his formulas, and even more indecent to talk about other people's formulas.

It is correct and much more useful to listen, enjoy, hear and try to understand

Isabelle Doyen says:“Before I sit down to write a new fragrance, I go to a bookstore.

Then I take a notebook with secret formulas and on a blank page I write one single word: "Password".

The password, which will determine the main direction of work on the fragrance, will evoke the necessary associations.

The password for Nuit Etoilee is "Wyoming" american state with nature of unreal beauty.

Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, rivers, forests - all this should be immediately imagined by those who breathe in the scent of perfume.

We don't know any museums where perfumers donate their formulas, and the Moscow Perfume Museum is no exception.

Museums never showed tactlessness, did not climb into the "forbidden bushes" and did not turn to any author / copyright holder of the formulas in order

to reveal their secret notebooks.

- Quod licet Jovi, non licet bovi (lat) - What is allowed to Jupiter is not allowed to the bull.

Perfumery museums always have something to tell about perfumes even without formulas.

Perfumes in museums are presented only in those boundaries and gradations in which they were presented to the general public by the author himself / perfume house / fashion house.

You can create your own secret formulas at, including at educational master classes with some

with the help of professional perfumers.

At our perfume tastings, we will never force you to look for any particular note in the sounds of brilliant perfumes.

We will not force you to applaud individual notes and chords,

we invite you, all without exception, to a concert of classical perfumery music to listen to the great perfumery works in their entirety.

WHY DO THEY SAY "LISTEN" TO THE FRAGRANCE? You have probably noticed that in perfumery stores, consultants usually offer customers not to smell, but to listen to one or another aroma. “Strange,” you thought. “Everyone knows that we catch smells with the nose, not with the ears. Then why do they say that fragrances are listened to and not smelled? Where did this strange terminology come from? Well, let's figure it out. WHY DO WE SAY TO "LISTEN" TO THE SCENT AND NOT "Smell"? Of course, "listening to the scent" is a figurative expression. You don't have to hold a bottle of perfume to your ear to hear something there. And yet, where did it come from? It's all about the associativity of our thinking. For example, we often draw parallels between smell and taste. Describing the taste of vintage wine, we are most likely to talk about its amazing bouquet. And many aromatic plants are associated with a certain taste, as we often use them as seasonings. Some scientists have also tried to draw an analogy between color and smell. They assumed that the seven primary colors of the spectrum could correspond to seven musical notes. Scientists have managed to draw semantic parallels between smell and sound. A great contribution to this area was made by the English perfumer Piess, who was the first to introduce the concept of a harmonious and disharmonious combination of smells and arrange the main aromatic extracts into sound series. Since then, in the perfume business, the question of listening to smells or smelling them has disappeared by itself. And the perfumers themselves began to create their aromatic masterpieces according to the principle piece of music: from notes and chords. Practically in all modern perfume there are 3 chords: - top chord or top notes; - middle chord or heart notes; - and bottom chord or base notes. Together they form a fragrance that, like musical symphony, is not a static (frozen) sound, but plays, develops in time. Now you understand why they say that the fragrance should be listened to? Agree, in this context, the word "sniff" already sounds somehow strange. HOWEVER, THERE IS A SMALL BUT THE SCENTS ARE LISTENED, BUT THE SPIRIT IS STILL SNOWED Some consultants in stores are so addicted that they offer customers to listen to perfume instead of a fragrance. Which, strictly speaking, is wrong. Since the source of the smell (in this case, an aromatic liquid, a bottle of perfume or a scented blotter) we still sniff. And now we are already listening to the aroma. This linguistic subtlety is best displayed by the phrase “smell<духи>can you hear how it smells<какой аромат>". Do you catch the difference? In general, of course, no matter how you say it - smell perfume or listen to them - people will understand your informational message. But something tells us that speaking correctly is important first of all for you. And what's right, now you know

You have probably noticed that in perfumery stores, consultants usually offer customers not to smell, but to listen to one or another aroma. “Strange,” you thought. “Everyone knows that we catch smells with the nose, not with the ears. Then why do they say that fragrances are listened to and not smelled? Where did this strange terminology come from? Well, let's figure it out.

Why they say "listen" to the scent, not "smell"

Of course, “listening to the aroma” is a figurative expression. You don't have to hold a bottle of perfume to your ear to hear something there. And yet, where did it come from?
It's all about the associativity of our thinking.

For example, we often draw parallels between smell and taste. Describing the taste of vintage wine, we are most likely to talk about its amazing bouquet.

And many aromatic plants are associated with a certain taste, as we often use them as seasonings.

Some scientists have also tried to draw an analogy between color and smell.

They assumed that the seven primary colors of the spectrum could correspond to seven musical notes.

Scientists have managed to draw semantic parallels between smell and sound. A great contribution to this area was made by the English perfumer Piess, who was the first to introduce the concept of a harmonious and disharmonious combination of smells and arrange the main aromatic extracts into sound series.

Since then, in the perfume business, the question of listening to smells or smelling them has disappeared by itself. And the perfumers themselves began to create their aromatic masterpieces according to the principle of a musical work: from notes and chords.

Basically there are 3 chords:

Upper chord or upper notes
middle chord or heart notes
and bottom chord or base notes

Together they form a fragrance that, like a musical symphony, is not a static (frozen) sound, but plays, develops over time.

Now you understand why they say that the fragrance should be listened to? Agree, in this context, the word "sniff" already sounds somehow strange 🙂

However, there is one small but.

Aromas listen, but perfumes still sniff

Some consultants in stores are so addicted that they offer customers to listen to perfume instead of aroma. Which, strictly speaking, is wrong.

Since the source of the smell (in this case, an aromatic liquid, a bottle of perfume or a scented blotter) we still sniff.
And now we are already listening to the aroma.

This linguistic subtlety is best displayed by the phrase “smell<духи>can you hear how it smells<какой аромат>". Do you catch the difference?

In general, of course, no matter how you say it - smell perfume or listen to them - people will understand your informational message. But something tells us that speaking correctly is important first of all for you. And now you know how to do it right 🙂

For me this is very interesting topic, because it is associated with both language and perfumes. Although the Russian language is not my direct specialty (I am not a philologist, but a linguist), I love it very much and really want to tell about my point of view on “listening to aromas”.

I will assume that the use of the word "listen" in relation to fragrances is normal, and is not a mistake, since we have enough data over historical extent to conclude that our "case" has existed for a long time in language and is widely used.

Therefore, we cannot deny it or attribute it to the illiteracy of certain individuals, to the cunning inventions of marketers and to the vulgar sublimity of powdered girls from perfume shops.

A couple of examples:

“It seemed to him that he even now heard this smell. And he remembered how, the day before her death, she took his strong white hand with her bony, blackening hand, looked into his eyes and said: “Do not judge me, Mitya, if I am not did, "and tears came out of the eyes faded from suffering," - Leo Tolstoy "Resurrection"

What nonsense! This is me bathing in resin extract, - answered Bodrostina, and, bringing her hand closer to his face, she added: - Smell, isn't it? - No, I can smell new boards, they are being planed somewhere.

Leskov "On Knives"

Then I heard (wow!) a bad smell,

Like a rotten egg has been broken

Or the quarantine guard smoked a sulfuric brazier

Pushkin (poem 1832)

Well, it goes without saying that all of us perfume lovers have heard this expression a hundred million times in life. In general, the language of perfume maniacs is full of sound associations and metaphors.

Our aromas are decomposed into notes, they sound, they are too loud or too quiet. No one is surprised by the descriptions of fragrances, such as: “At first, tuberose was the soloist, jasmine echoed it, and then amber, patchouli entered, and on this note everything suddenly ended.” How much more musical? Is it true?

And then there are such phrases as "a cacophony of aromas." We immediately understand what is meant - this is not just a mixture of smells, it is a mixture of aromas that are not friendly with each other, do not combine, irritate, like empty strumming on a musical instrument.

And in all this I see very interesting point. I believe that languages ​​are complex dynamic systems because they have the hallmarks of complex dynamic systems: multiple diverse agents and interrelationships. Consequently, not a single phenomenon, even the most insane at first glance, happens by chance, just like that. And “listening” about fragrances is not an accidental mistake or a short-lived fashion.

I'll try to explain now how I see it.

We have senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste and balance. We receive the bulk of information through vision, followed by hearing, touch, smell and taste (to a lesser extent), well, balance is generally similar to Pluto in solar system- almost lost, not quite even a planet. And these feelings of ours and their role in obtaining information have a strong influence on the formation of language.

See how much different words we have connected with vision: to see, to look, to look, to contemplate, and so on. And how mobile these words are, how easily they form derivatives with new meanings: to discern, to peep, to glimpse, to revise, and so on.

The same goes for hearing, albeit to a slightly lesser extent: listen, eavesdrop, and so on.

The most depleted of epithets among us, of course, is the sense of balance, which can only be lost and gained. And even verbs relating only to this feeling we do not seem to have.

Since the receipt of information is associated with the process of collecting and processing (roughly speaking), the words associated with feelings are displayed in pairs. Best things go with the most active ways receiving information "look-see", "listen-hear".

And then the difficulties begin. Sense of touch. The word "touch" can mean both to touch and to feel touched. This is a couple in itself, without distinctions according to the principle of "receiving-feeling". But here we have other tools: “touch-feel”, “touch-feel” and others like them in various combinations.

Smell. Smell. Just like “touch”, “smell” can mean both the process of drawing in air, and the process of sensing the aroma, so to speak, the processing of the received data.

And look how clumsy, clumsy these words are, how narrow their range of application is, no scale, no range! You can not "smell" or "smell". We hardly ever use them colloquial speech. They are largely protocol.

There is a word "sniff", but it does not have a pair, although it accurately and definitely refers to an action aimed at obtaining information. There are auxiliary tools - to feel, feel and hear (and where to hear, there to listen). Here a tricky question may arise: why is the word "hear" applied to the organs of smell, but not to the organs of touch? Because we hear at a distance and the aromas are able to feel at a distance. But to touch - no.

I want to give an example:

He smelled the scent of his home

He heard the scent of his home

He smelled the scent of his home

I don’t know about you, for me personally, the first option says that “he” was already inside his home, smelling the aroma

The second option tells me that he is somewhere near the house, but not inside, maybe on the way

And the third option tells me that his house smells bad. Or that "he" is a dog.

And in general, the derivatives of the word “sniff” often sound ironic - all these sniff out, sniff out ... And the sniffing process itself refers to the physical drawing in of air. That is why cocaine is sniffed, not inhaled. Sniff - inhale through the nostrils.

But the sense of taste does not have such luxury. Borrowed from the German word "try" and words-auxiliary tools taken from the sense of touch - that's all. Even the related word "eat" has a different meaning.

Note that the basic senses do not need these tools. We don't feel the paintings in the museum and we don't feel the music in MP3 format.

Thus, when there are not enough own, relatives visual means, they are borrowed from neighboring spheres. At the same time, borrowings fit well into the environment and ideally display all the necessary nuances.

And one more thing related to aromas. As we know, the word "aroma" has several meanings. There is aroma - a synonym for smell, and there is aroma - a synonym for perfume. We cannot smell the smell, we feel or feel the smell (or listen to ha-ha-ha), because this is a property, not an object. We can sniff its source. And the aroma, which is a bottle of perfume, we can easily smell. And here confusion often arises when a person, roughly speaking, holds a blotter in his hands and “smells” its aroma. Although he can only smell the blotter itself, he can inhale the aroma. Or listen, which implies the active involvement of attention and mental work in the process itself. He can feel and feel the aroma - these words are also appropriate, but they do not appeal to attention, while, choosing perfumes, we carefully listen to their shades, and not just feel it randomly, as we can feel, for example, cold going out to the balcony.

Well, why am I here, sobbsno spread the thought along the tree. Convenience. In addition to poetry, in addition to the associative connection of aromas and music, in addition to the lack of native flexible tools, the sense of smell has a banal convenience:

Hear the aroma! What do you hear?

I hear cherry and gladiolus

Smell the aroma! What do you feel/smell/feel?

Here you still have to choose the words, and the language, every language, strives for simplicity and brevity. By the way, I, for example, would not be very pleased with the question of what I feel from an outsider, even if we are talking about fragrances. It sounds too personal. But this is my personal opinion.

Objectively, such a question can be perceived in two ways. Or sound too literary-sublime for a regular store. Although, I find fault, this is also possible. But this is not the only way.

Well, and the last. IN last days I heard several times that we can't listen with our nose because there are no hearing receptors there. By the way, I didn’t hear it, but I saw it several times, because I read it with my eyes on the screen :)

But we can listen to the voice of the heart or its call, our eyes can speak, and not only eyes, but also postures, and appearance, behavior. Although they have nothing to say: there are no speech organs. And people vote with their feet and all that... Feelings are allowed to "walk" back and forth, to spread from one sphere to another. Why? Because the world for us is a source of information, feelings, emotions and thoughts. He speaks to us, and we hear and analyze him. And formalities, in the form of the presence of receptors, often recede into the background, giving way to linguistic metaphors and colors. Of course, if we are not talking about the text of a medical examination.

I am glad that we always have a choice. We can smell, listen, smell. And no one forces us to use those words that we do not like. And it's great! And, most importantly, I wish you all endless perfume joys and great scope for smell!