One of the things a perfume lover really hates is a head cold. That temporary theft of our sense of smell leaves us lost and pining for the comfort of our perfume. We sit and suffer, and choke down our tasteless soups, our sour orange juice, just waiting for this deprivation to pass. We can lose our sense of smell in other ways.  I broke my nose a couple of years ago, and thought for a horrible moment that I had lost my olfactory sense. I stuck a jar of Vicks Vapo-Rub under my nose and inhaled deeply – a trace of the menthol came through and I was much relieved. I eventually recovered full use of my nose, but it was worrisome to gaze at my many bottles of perfume and think I would have to say goodbye to that pleasure.

Now, imagine that this bleak world is permanent. I worked with a man who had no sense of smell and never had. He was slender, as was to be expected, because food held no interest for him. He ate only for sustenance, experiencing the basic elements of taste provided by his tongue and the various textures of the foods he ate. He had to be careful in the way he lived – he could not smell it if something in the refrigerator had spoiled, or if something in the house was burning. I felt immensely sorry for him, and couldn’t imagine living in his world any better than I can imagine being deaf or blind.

Anosmia, the absence of a sense of smell, can be temporary or permanent. It can be total, or partial. Many people have holes in what they can smell – I am anosmic to many musks used in perfumery, making some fragrances weak if not fairly invisible to my nose.  Age can be a factor – both of my parents started losing their senses of smell as they aged.  Physical trauma, medications, or illness can render someone anosmic.

Would it be possible to create a scent that would not only appeal to those who can smell, but provide a pleasurable experience for those who cannot? Acclaimed writer Michelle Krell Kydd, who has a dear friend losing her sense of smell due to illness, requested  that a scent be created that could be experienced by anosmics. Perfumer Kedra Hart of Opus Oils responded, out of love for her anosmic mother, with Eau Pear Tingle.

Eau Pear Tingle opens with a bright burst of mint, which creates a quiver in the nostrils. Followed by an intensely juicy pear, tempered by lime blossom, the fragrance becomes truly mouthwatering. A beautiful and unusual woody base rounds out the composition. I could feel that the various parts of the composition had not only a scent, but a sensation as well, that could possibly come through an anosmic’s scent receptors rather like the basic taste elements come through the tastebuds.

My mother is experiencing a diminished sense of smell that has not become an impairment, but is occasionally noticeable. I took a sample over to her to see what she thought. Interestingly, she could not smell the mint that to me is so apparent during the first moments. She remarked on the natural feel of the fragrance, and was reminded of smells that one can find when cooking, like cutting into an aromatic seed or opening a jar of herbs. She enjoyed the woody, grassy drydown, and I enjoyed the luscious pear cloud created by her sillage. I gave her the rest of the sample to play with, because she smelled really good.

I would have enjoyed the opportunity to test Eau Pear Tingle on someone lacking a sense of smell. Fortunately, I don’t know anyone cursed with that affliction, so I can only speculate on what that experience would be.  As one who has a decent nose, I found the fragrance to be luscious, and would hope that translates into the scentless world.

Opus Oils Eau Pear Tingle notes are: Pear, Lime Blossom, Spearmint, Jasmine, White Musk, Pine & Sandalwood

Thank you to Kedra Hart and Opus Oils for providing me with two samples, so I could share this pleasure with my mother. Eau Pear Tingle  was  a nominee for the 2012 Fifi Indie Awards for scents released in 2011. Kedra is one of our choices for Indie Perfumer of the Year in the CaFleureBon Best of 2011 Awards.

–Tama Blough, Senior Editor