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What is Selective Anosmia Why You Can't Smell Some Perfumes Explained Ambroxan Iso E Super & More

Claire Smith

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Have you ever tried a perfume that everyone else loves, only to find that you can barely smell it? You may be experiencing selective anosmia – a common phenomenon where certain people are unable to detect specific fragrance molecules.

In this video, I explore the fascinating science behind selective anosmia and explain why some people can't smell ingredients such as Ambroxan, Iso E Super, Galaxolide, Hedione, Javanol, and other popular perfume materials.

Drawing on scientific research, we'll discuss:
• What selective anosmia is and how it differs from complete anosmia
• How genetics influence our sense of smell
• Why every person experiences fragrance differently
• The role of olfactory receptors and scent perception
• Why some people struggle to smell Escentric Molecules fragrances
• Ambroxan, Iso E Super, musks, ethyl maltol, hedione and other ingredients associated with perfume anosmia
• The relationship between molecular weight/size and scent detection
• How synthetic aromachemicals changed perfumery
• The difference between selective anosmia and olfactory fatigue

Research suggests that almost everyone has at least one scent "blind spot," meaning our perception of perfume is far more individual than many of us realise. If you've ever wondered why Baccarat Rouge 540, Molecule 01, Molecule 02, or certain musk-heavy fragrances seem invisible to you, this video may provide the answer.

Let me know in the comments if there are any perfumes or fragrance ingredients that you struggle to smell.

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:07 What is anosmia?
3:06 What is selective anosmia?
4:24 Why is everyone's sense of smell different?
6:27 How does selective anosmia occur?
7:09 How common is selective anosmia?
8:30 Why do most of us not notice our own selective anosmia?
9:33 Which types of fragrances do some people struggle to smell?
11:32 Is selective anosmia more noticeable because of modern perfumery?
12:43 Which ingredients do people commonly report that they struggle to smell? Iso E Super Ambroxan
17:03 Are there particular genes associated with sensation of particular perfume ingredients? Beta ionones, galaxolide
19:14 Selective anosmia or olfactory fatigue: ethyl maltol
21:31 Final thoughts

Further reading / references
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2025.15...
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2015...
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen....
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2015...
https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/q...

#SelectiveAnosmia #PerfumeScience #Fragrance #Perfume #Ambroxan #IsoESuper #EscentricMolecules #BaccaratRouge540 #Perfumery #FragranceCommunity #Olfaction #ScentScience #anosmia

20 Comments

@OpinionatedScents 3 months ago

I talk about this irl all the time because it's so fascinating to me. You are my favorite channel to watch Claire. I love, love, love your scientist brain!

@babablacksheepdog 3 months ago

I find it so funny that people get extremely upset when someone has a different reaction to a fragrance than they do, like those reviews on sites like Fragrantica where people go "everyone is mad saying this fragrance smells like roses, all I can smell is toilet cleaner." And of course, it is perfectly normal and expected that we all perceive smells slightly differently.

@RichMitch 3 months ago

I wish I could select to not smell everything released in the last ten years 😂

@JamianSmellsMeaningful 3 months ago

This is so fascinating! Thank you for the great work on the science behind selective anosmia! So interesting that probably 100% of people are anosmic to some odor or another and a 25% difference between individuals' receptor profiles.

@Astrid_Meier 2 months ago

2:52 Because I’m nerdy, I really loved the explanation about how I lost my sense of smell the last time I caught COVID.

@melissasullivan938 3 months ago

Thank you for a being a part of my sensory journey Claire

@amykennedy6251 3 months ago

You’re doing amazing work and research while breaking things down into easily digestible content pieces. Well done, and please keep it up. I love learning about fragrance from you.

@jillLJ5249 3 months ago

The love of certain scents is so subjective & I really appreciate the balance of your objective information.

@NoirMemoir90 3 months ago (edited)

Finally someone profesionally adressed what i also concluded after smelling hundreds of perfumes. Its simple biology, not everyone can smell every note/accord/aromachemical and that alters how we perceive perfumes. I myself am anosmic to Oud, Castoreum, Cumin and different incense accords whilst im hypersensitive to certain superambers like Amber Xtreme, a type of ambroxan used in Erba Pura but im also well attuned to notes like Neroli, Olibanum, Vetiver, to name a few and these tend to overshadow everything else in a composition because of my acuity to them.

Sadly, many content creators and influencers aren't aware of this eighter so no wonder the general public is in the dark and we are having rabbid arguements over some people smelling a perfume differently then others. As a content creator, i believe its their duty to be informed with the intricacies of perfumery in my opinion, otherwise they are spreading incomplete information. Thank you!

@perfumejournal 3 months ago

Claire, this was fascinating. Your perfume science videos are always such a treat, thank you! When I took a series of perfumery classes, I found many many aromachemicals in the musks session that I absolutely could not smell on their own, but I can sense their presence in an actual perfume composition. After watching this I have a better understanding of the possible reasons for that. Brilliant video! ❤

@GentlemenWearRose 3 months ago

Class is back in session! 👩🏻‍🏫 Great video, thank you 🙏🏼

@jibjadoo 3 months ago

Love this video! I understand why perfumes don't list every ingredient, but it would save me a lot of heartbreak and money if I knew the perfume was loaded up with ambroxan or iso-e-super.

@26laf 3 months ago

Interesting topic! I am one of those who can't smell Molecule 01, it's comforting to know I'm in good company.

@Shebbie68 3 months ago (edited)

I tick every single one of those boxes/chemicals/ingredient that I cant smell, or catch a whiff and its gone or its screechy (minus violets). It is amazing that my ancestors survived long enough to get me to this point :) Thanks for the video!

@OFA27 3 months ago

Fascinating video, Claire! You are such a unique YT creator and a breath of fresh air.

@silver.lining.fragrance 3 months ago

Hi Claire🧡🧡
I wish I had selective anosmia when I go on the bus. Summer is coming🥴

@carynthompson2424 3 months ago

These educational videos based on scientific research are much appreciated, Claire! I have a travel size of JHAG Not a Perfume and I swear I can’t smell one dang thing from it! Think I will test it again today, just to confirm 😊.

@reginaphalangealiciaj1070 3 months ago

I was so confused as to why people loved all of these cigarette smoke and rubbing alcohol fragrances lately. This makes much more sense. I think it’s the ambroxan that I can’t smell. Scents that have a very off putting burnt and acid or rubbing alcohol scent to me are Good Girl, Prada Paradox Extrados, anything marketed as intense or extradose, and middle eastern fragrances particularly Lattafa. I’ve tried rose scents that smell terrible and wonder now if I’m supposed to be smelling fireworks smoke in FlowerBomb and Black Opium. I don’t mind it as much in those 2 as it’s more faint and works towards a more natural scent especially when I think of a smoky floral perfume. Thank you for this video. I think it explains a lot of why I can not smell what others were smelling.

@friendsofcarlotta17 3 months ago

So interesting. A very well-known perfumer told me that he believed that there were certain food preferences that meant he could reliably predict what notes a person would be attracted to.
When creating a fragrance for an individual, he'd ask them to complete a list of food likes/dislikes - he said it made his job far easier

Coriander was one of them! And the 'umami' taste... do you agree and perhaps you have a theory 👍🏼

@Sophie-Emotion-Scented 3 months ago

BR540 is the weirdest scent. When I first smelled it, it was the most marvellous thing I ever smelled. I immediately bought a bottle, became addicted to wearing it every day, then when I had about 1/5 of the bottle left, it started to smell completely different and somewhat unpleasant. People describe it as a hospital or dentist smell - I didn't quite get that, but I just wasn't into it anymore. I gave that bottle away and since then, I've never had a strong liking for it again. It must be at least 3 years since this happened!