Smell is one of most rudimentary senses and unfortunately one that has taken the back seat in our modern society. As it happens, there is no need to smell danger or track down a mammoth anymore. One thing for sure, though, is that scent is a shortcut to our memory and emotions; there are scientists who claim that the way we smell affects our choice of partner and possibly even our rank in society (the latter being a remnant from back in the day when Versailles was still inhabited by a bunch of smelly royals who knew nothing of daily baths and covered the stench up with a cloud of perfume). It has been scientifically proven that people who wear perfume come across as… Oh well, I will talk about that below. Let’s just dive in and see what perfume does to our psychology, shall we?
Smell and memory
No smell has significance as long as we have not affiliated it with any given experience. Our sense of smell and memory are both directly connected to the part of our brain that also rules emotional response – the limbic system. Here we can find the amygdala, and the hippocampus that is responsible for forming long-term memories, both good and bad. Basically, our smell centre connects straight to the memory centre… which is why, whenever we smell the perfume our grandma used to wear, or freshly baked bread, or pancakes, so many memories come flooding back that we may break out crying, or suddenly find ourselves smiling like dummies. Smelling a loved one’s old tee makes you think you can almost touch them, even though they might be hundreds of miles away. It would be a smart move to make the connection between scent and memory work for you: for example by marinating in a certain perfume while revising for exams and then wearing that same scent on the day of the exam. This will make accessing information so much easier! Now that’s something I would love to try out.
Depression
Research has shown that people whose sense of smell is compromised are more prone to fall victim to depression and anxiety. A phenomenon called anosmia signifies the complete loss of the sense of smell and may cause dissatisfaction with life in general, if prolonged. In an ideal world, cultivating one’s sense of smell contributes to emotional stability and general wellbeing. (Just thinking about all those Jo Malone or Dyptique candles… what would life be if your nose just wouldn’t pick up on those heavenly scents?! I sure would develop hard-core depression…) It has also been proved that sweet scents improve one’s pain tolerance as well as overall mood. So go get that bottle of La Vie once and for all and give yourself a good ol’ spray next time a chocolate craving hits! I personally believe it is no coincidence that sweet, gourmand perfumes sell so well. We live in the age of depression – never before in history have there been so many different behavioural and psychological problems. It almost seems as if sweet perfumes have taken the place of a remedy. Perfume is not as much luxury as it is “comfort food for the nose”!
Aromatherapy
If anything of the above mentioned is true, aromatherapy is on the right track. For me, the word “aromatherapy” reaches a much wider significance that mere meddling with essential oils. For me, aromatherapy includes the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, or my favourite candle. Various scents surround us at every step we take – on television, radio and Instagram. Think about the latest shower gels by Rituals, for example, that are supposed to provide an authentic spa experience without your leaving your house; or that new perfume that will turn you into a sex goddess; or that air freshener that is bound to make your humble abode smell like the Amazon jungle… I may sound sceptical here but truth is, none of this is just plain marketing strategy. All of the aforementioned products were created to play with the consumers’ emotions and thus gain more and more loyal customers. Besides, that new Rituals shower gel really does relax you… Look for notes such as lavender if your goal is to wind down after a stressful day; vanilla, jasmine and musk for seduction; peppermint for an instant energy boost.
Controversial pheromones
Pheromones are essentially hormones animals (and humans too) produce to attract the right partner – or, depending on the species, mark the territory, or signal danger, or gather – pheromones are especially important for insects… Pheromone perfumes can be easily found online and in stores, and allegedly even some of the major perfume houses are adding them to their perfumes. The power of pheromones in humans is strongest in adolescents: we can literally smell a teenager when they enter the room, and I am not just talking about personal hygiene. As a comparison, a forty-year-old’s entrance does not have quite the same effect. The older we get, the less pheromones our bodies produce and using perfume may help to keep that mojo going for longer, especially if the perfume of choice includes musk or civet. In large quantities animalic notes smell absolutely vile (we all know musk used to come from the anal gland of a deer, right?) but when mixed with other ingredients in the tiniest of amounts, they go almost unnoticed, except that our brain registers them as a “danger” and “turns on”: this is why some perfumes are sexier and more seductive than others.
… Now, I am going to spitz me something cozy and comforting and make a cup of hot tea. I have been working all day, done the grocery shopping, worked some more, and finally it’s time to put my feet up. It’s cold and rainy outside so perfect timing to put those ideas into practice: I want to wear Mon Guerlain, or Manifesto, or Black Opium – something sweet, sticky and enveloping… They all have “comforting” notes like vanilla or lavender, and will make me anticipate the holiday season even more.
And yes, I am absolutely leaving you hanging there because I intend to write part II very soon! Stay tuned!!!!
Disclaimer: Image one Mens XP. Image 2 Mother Nature Network. Image 3 Psychology Today. Image 4 Chemistry World.