Can you SMELL what I'm cookin'?

[Technodivinitas]

I was having coffee with a leather friend the other day at a local shopping center, and we're parked at a table in a courtyard near the Sephora, the better to oggle hotties. (For the non-girly, Sephora=Cosmetics/perfume heaven.) I check my watch, and we're out of hang-time & have to wrap it up. But not before I make my own little dash into that sensory circus to spritz with my favorite scent. ("Trying it on", we call it, though I know exactly how it smells on me, I just can't afford the bloody stuff!) It takes longer than expected, since the purveyors of my favorite frangrance have developed two spin-offs of said fav, and I have to bug the sales girl for samples of both. At last, I return to my friend triumphant, but vexxed at having to consider the new thingees in my eternal quest for my "Signature Scent".

My friend is male, and a switch. You can tell this, because he felt the need to question me (again) about the need for this "signature scent" that I seek. I pointed out that scent is the most primal of senses, and that to have such a cologne is a powerful tool in one's self-presentation, whether kinky or not.

This led into a brief discussion of scent as applicable to D/s & scenes, but as always, the conversation drew up short at the recognition that scent-fetishists generally seem to play only with unpleasant or acrid smells.

So. Does your Top/Do you utilize the sense of smell, in large or seemingly insignifigant ways in your D/s scenes or interactions? If so, on what level, and what kind of scents do you use?

 

[Netzach]

Arpege by Lanvin when I want to be a mature 30

Eau D'Issey by Miyake when I want to be a young 30.

I know this isn't supposed to be the "share your consumeristic insanity" thread, but those are my secrets.

<-- no one would ever believe I was butch once.

 

[graceanne]

I don't use perfume, since my hubby can't smell. (To many years smoking). But I know that I can recognize most people by their smell. I've also noticed that most people's home's have a unique smell. Not necessarily bad, but it's a combination of the smells of all the people who live there.

 

[wickedwanda]

Dali by Dali for me.

 

[Learn Humility]

I find the sense of smell to be very erotic, and extremely intimate....nothing in the world quite like the smell of a wet pussy, for example.

So, yes, smell has a somewhat significant role in my play.

But, it does not rate as high as the other four senses.

How I rank them, in order of importance for play:

1) Sight
2) Touch
3) Sound
4) Taste
5) Smell

Now that I think about, if I had to rate the senses in order of importance for my whole vanilla life as well, I'd probably just flip-flop 2 and 3.

 

[AvaAdore]

I prefer my lover's natural smell. No cologne, no nothing. His smell and the mix of our smells together during sex is the most wonderful smell ever.

Ok, that was totally unrelated to BDSM, but I just thought I'd share.

 

[InnerDarkness]

something like this?

my worn panties shoved in my mouth as I am being used...or while masturbating...panting through the fabric...smelling and tasting myself with each breath...

 

[Queen Bee]

I have fingerpainted on a pussy juice moustache, as a tease, while topping. There are definitely perfumes that make me feel powerful or that I associate with toppish moods. For me they include Coco by Chanel, Femme by Rochas, and Vetiver by Guerlain (actually a men's cologne).

Bvlgari Black reminds me of Netzach, with its smoky, burning rubber quality underlying a nuzzly sandalwood.

My husband digs the odor of panicky apocrine sweat when he's topping. You know that saying about being able to smell someone's fear?

 

[DarkLadyOfDeath]

Generally... nothing but my natural body odor do I wear.. okay I can be honest people are lucky if I use deoderant if I'm not going to be physically working hard. so about 50/50..

I perfer men au natural... and woman a delicate musky..

Scents that trip my trigger.. Ylang-Ylang... sandlewood...and Myrrh.

Scents that I associate with taste... strawberry(natural not sugar coated).. vanilla... and Kona coffee...

not just the scents themselves, But a light... flavor.. You can have to much of a good thing.

But my senses are abit screwy in importance to me.

1. that "6th" sense
2. Scent
3. Hearing
4. Taste
5. Touch
6. Sight (almost forgot that one!)

 

[Learn Humility]

New Yorker Magazine Article

There's an article in this week's New Yorker about wine tasting, in which the author comments about the sense of smell.

While his comments may not be entirely apropos to this discussion, I thought he made an interesting point:

"The nose turns out to have the shortest memory of all the senses. A simple experiment shows just how powerful nose amnesia is:

Think of a familiar tune--say, "Yesterday". Now think of a familiar picture--say, the "Mona Lisa". Now think of the smell of a tuna fish sandwich.

You can do the last, of course, but where the other sensory memories are strong, clear, and sharp, the tuna fish sandwich smell is general and vague.

What the nose knows, in effect, is not much, and that soon forgotten."