It’s amazing what that strongly tarry Polytar shampoo can augment scents, and often not in a bad way(!) I find that it cuts back on the sweetness of things in musky scents and brings out the more spicy side of things. Similar story here I’ve once ran out of a bottle of body lotion and ended up using different lotions on my 2 arms, which really caused the fragrance applied afterwards seem like different animals.

I definitely think that the fixatives in perfume often has this amplification effect that can revive the existing scents which pass unnoticed. Spray something on one arm and wait long enough that you don’t smell a thing having your nose up close, and spray on say a light musk or even better maybe a ambergris tincture, and see the scent come back. Maybe I am not so much of a believer in skin chemistry anymore.