I have an insanely good sense of smell, but I doubt it has much to do with being an HSP. Like most, there are scents I really like and scents that absolutely put me off. I do find that I classify some smells as ‘carcinogenic’ which might seem a bit odd, but that’s what they smell like to me. Plastic wrap/cling film/Saran wrap is one that falls into that category. Cheap perfumes or air fresheners, cleaning products and burning meat all smell carcinogenic.
Burning meat may seem like an odd addition - I can not abide the look, feel or smell of meat but there’s something even more sinister about burning meat. I know people love all that charred goodness but to me it smells like burning rotted meat (all meat smells rotted to me). I’ll apologize now to all the carnivores out there.
I have equal passion for scents I love and I’ve found that places that use natural ingredients, pure essential oils and aren’t trying to mask chemicals with perfumes tend to be companies I frequent. I was lucky enough to be in Shetland last year for Shetland Wool Week and visited 2 wonderful soap companies on Commercial Street in Lerwick - the Shetland Soap Company and a few doors down, Love from Shetland which is goats-milk soap. I am also very thankful that in the Wool Week bag was a candle from Mella Handmade Soap. Mella is a small company based in Unst which is the most northerly isle in the UK (it’s amazing). I might have missed it if not for the inclusion in the Wool Week goodie bag!
For those on the other side of the pond, while in the US, I found Indigo Wild who makes Zum products. Their cleaning products and laundry detergents are amazing (I still miss the scent of Frankincense & Patchouli on my clothes!). I also used their Frankincense & Myrrh Zum Rub on my daughter when she was recuperating from a head injury, as frankincense is one of the few scents that crosses the blood/brain barrier. I was a little concerned because I was using it on her scars while she was in acute rehab and the scent is quite distinctive, but I found hospital personnel following the wonderful scent into my daughter’s room to inquire about the ‘intoxicating aroma’ and where they could purchase it - it is intoxicating.
I do not endorse any products, nor do I get paid or compensated for these recommendations, they just seemed to be a natural addition to my post about smelly things. I think as HSPs we are affected more by smells, but it’s not something that I struggle with like sound and light.
To find the goodies listed in my blog:
Mella Handsoap:
https://www.mellasoap.co.uk/
Shetland Soap Company:
https://shetlandsoap.co.uk/
Love from Shetland:
https://lovefromshetland.co.uk/
Indigo Wild/Zum:
https://www.indigowild.com/
Please note: what I describe here is my own experience and while many may experience the same or similar sensations, many of you may not. Everyone’s experience of being an HSP is unique and the more we can understand, the more we can support one another.