Now and then, we encounter something that seems to be out of place. In many perfume stores, you may happen to wander across some coffee beans.

LIFESTYLE

Why Are There Coffee Beans in the Perfume Store?

17 August 2022 - 1 minute read

Jamie Mucario

Now and then, we encounter something that is out of place. You may wander across some coffee beans in many perfume stores. This addition to the fragrance dealer’s stock may seem odd or out of place, but there is a good reason for its inclusion!

If you have ever wondered why coffee beans are often found where you buy your eau de toilette, keep reading to learn more!

Coffee Beans as Nasal Palate Cleansers

In perfume stores, the hero of the hour is your nose. When we smell, we activate our olfactory system. Like any sense, overuse of our nose will eventually cause fatigue or so-called “nose blindness,” meaning we fail to notice certain scents.

The cups of coffee beans you often see sitting around perfume counters are meant to combat this. A perfume store wants you to truly experience its products, and sniffing coffee beans helps relieve olfactory fatigue. Lemon slices will also serve the same purpose.

How Does It Work?

Think about the last time you went to a perfume or candle store. You likely spent much of your time sniffing every product you could find. As fun and engaging as this may be, this activity wears out our noses. To make things easier, your brain will often start to censor or ignore familiar scents, which is where nose blindness comes from. This is not ideal at a perfume store, where many fragrances rely on delicate mixes of similar scents.

Fortunately, solid and concentrated scents can “reset” our olfactory system and relieve this olfactory fatigue. When we are sniffing those little cups of coffee beans, we are telling our brain that it is okay to pick up on the repetitive notes that are found in many perfumes.

Unexpected Encounter: Coffee Beans in Perfume Stores

As a perfume store, we love bringing you the freshest and best fragrances. Check out our fantastic collection of scents online or visit one of our 100+ stores across the United States. We are always ready to help you find your perfect scent!