Nose Notes

A casual crash course in scent

Perfume comes with way too many rules. Notes, accords, “for him” or “for her.” A whole lot of French no one actually says out loud.

But at its core, smell is just… human. It shapes our memories, moods, cravings—even who we like standing next to.

We didn’t plan to know this much about scent. But after mixing, testing, and asking too many questions, we picked up a few things worth sharing.

Not a lecture. Just Nose Notes.

Your nose can detect over a trillion scents.

That’s more than all the stars in the Milky Way. Kind of wild.

“Perfume” means “through smoke.”

The first perfumes were burned like incense. That’s also where Fumum gets its name.

Your nose beats your eyes.

~400 scent receptors vs. only 3 for color. You can smell way more than you can see.

Your genes decide what you can smell.

Some people can’t smell jasmine. Others can’t smell vanilla. A few even love the smell of gasoline or sweat. It’s biology, not taste.

Smell goes straight to your brain.

One whiff can pull up a memory you forgot you had—or spark a feeling before you realize it.

Smell is the oldest sense.

Life started with chemical sensing long before sight or hearing. Humans kept that wiring—which is why your nose still runs the show sometimes.

Your nose naps when you do.

Which is why alarms are loud, not scented.

Natural vs. synthetic? Not what you think.

Most “natural” smells (like rose or vanilla) are lab-made—because it’s more sustainable and consistent. Still real, just smarter.