Why can't I smell my own perfume?

You spray your favourite fragrance in the morning, and half an hour later it seems to have gone. Then someone tells you that you smell amazing. Your perfume hasn't disappeared; your nose has simply stopped reporting it.

It's called nose blindness

The proper name is olfactory adaptation. When you're surrounded by the same smell for a while, the smell receptors in your nose respond less and less, and your brain starts to filter the smell out. It's the same reason you stop noticing the smell of your own home, but notice someone else's the moment you walk in.

It's a useful instinct. Your sense of smell is built to spot changes, like smoke, food or something going off, rather than to keep telling you about things that stay the same. A perfume you're wearing all day is about as constant as a smell gets.

Other people can still smell it

Nose blindness happens in your nose, not on your skin. The fragrance is still there, and the people you meet can still smell it, because to them it's new. That's why friends and colleagues often comment on a scent you think has faded.

Signs your perfume is still there

• You catch it now and then when you move, take off a jacket or turn your head.
• You can smell it clearly on your scarf or collar later in the day.
• Someone close mentions it.

What to do about it

• Don't keep reapplying. It's tempting, but you'll end up wearing far more than you meant to, and everyone else will notice.
• Smell something else for a moment. Step outside for some fresh air, or smell a patch of your own skin with no perfume on it. Coffee beans are a popular trick in shops, but plain skin works just as well.
• Check a fabric. Spray a little on a scarf or the inside of a sleeve, and smell it later on. Fabric holds scent well and is a good guide.
• Rotate your scents. If you wear the same perfume every day, your nose gets used to it faster. Switching now and then keeps it fresh for you.
• Ask someone you trust. They'll tell you honestly whether it's still there.

What if I can't smell it at all?

If you can't smell a fragrance even straight after spraying, something else may be going on. Some people can't smell particular scent molecules, which is known as a specific anosmia. Certain musks, which are used in many perfumes, are a common example. It's harmless, and it can mean a fragrance smells quite different to you than it does to everyone else.

A cold, allergies or a blocked nose can also dull your sense of smell for a while. If you've lost your sense of smell suddenly or for a long time, it's worth speaking to your GP.

When it really has faded

Sometimes a scent genuinely has worn off, especially a lighter eau de toilette on dry skin. A stronger concentration, moisturised skin and the right pulse points all help. Our 10 ways to make your perfume last longer covers them all.