A group of different perfume bottles arranged together, representing the process of choosing a fragrance

Coffee’s strong, distinctive smell gives your nose something completely different to focus on, which can help interrupt the build-up of olfactory fatigue after smelling several similar fragrances in a row, though it’s not a magic reset button so much as a useful distraction.

What’s actually happening

After smelling several perfumes, particularly similar ones, your nose’s receptors for those specific compounds become temporarily less responsive, which is olfactory fatigue. Coffee’s smell is strong, unrelated, and unlikely to be part of any perfume you’re testing, so it gives your nose a genuinely different signal to process, which many people find does help clear the palate before moving on to the next scent, even if the science behind exactly why isn’t perfectly settled.

Is it actually necessary?

Not strictly, plain fresh air or simply smelling your own skin works on a similar principle without needing coffee specifically. It’s become a retail tradition partly because it’s a pleasant, low-effort gesture as much as a scientifically proven technique, but there’s no harm in using it if it’s available and it helps you personally. Our guide to choosing a perfume and complete guide to perfume cover testing technique more broadly.