THE POWER OF COMMON SCENTS

For a long time, albeit 15 years, I always went naked went it came to scent. I preferred being au naturel. In the last year or so, I had a shift in mindset. The olfactory nerves are powerful and often underrated. That realization hit me in the nose.

Why the NOSE KNOWS.

One of the most power things about scent, is the effect it has on mood and health. It seems like the health and wellness industry would agree, based on the depth of essential oils on the market. When you smell something, you may wonder how you might have a strong reaction. This reaction is largely because a part of the olfactory network of nerves connects to the Amygdala, part of your Limbic system, which regulates , among other things, memories and emotions. A unique blueprint has now been created. This scent now has an emotion attached to it.

Why the Nose Knows Even When You Don’t.

Our olfactory system may not be seen as important as vision but it is extremely significant in that the olfactory bulb connects to the Amygdala, part of the Limbic network in our brain. Your probably know that this vital network regulates among other things – memories and emotions. This connection to such a powerhouse network, explains why our sense of smell serves a multi-dimensional purpose. It creates a unique blueprint not just for a memory but that also helps in our decision making ability – what we eat, think, what beauty/grooming products we buy, even our attraction to people.

Personally, I am a big believer in essential oils for cosmetic and overall health. Every morning I put Rosemary oil in my hair to keep it healthy (and fighting gray). It is also known for being calming, so smelling it in the shower, is a wonderful way to start my day…(if morning sex isn’t on the menu.) I use rose oil in my daily moisturizer to combat wrinkles, and lemon oil at night, to help exfoliate and because the smell is a refreshing way to end my day. Our sense of smell has an impact on how we live and optimize our lives, even if we are aren’t consciously aware of it. Lavender, for example is an effective natural sleep aid.

Pheromones are neural messengers that stimulate a reaction from one individual to another , negatively or positively. Attraction to someone can be largely driven by these, which would explain why sometimes, its hard to put your finger on that first impression. To confirm this, studies have been conducted where women smell t-shirts that a man has worn for a few days, and decide solely on the tshirt, who they are most attracted to. The result was often men who were very different from them physiologically. More interestingly, they found that scent, the unique blueprint, that they preferred, was often associated with a past relationship.

FINDING HARMONIOUS BALANCE

Whether I am on a beach, in a garden, my kitchen or nuzzling your neck, scent is an impactful part of the sensorial experience. A chemically driven charge of emotion.

Whenever, I wear my favorite scent, Le Labo Santal 33, someone asks me, “what are you wearing?” It is such an intoxicating smell that is quite addictive. I find spraying a little in my chest area to be especially crafty.

What do you wear or eat that is driven by scent? Do you find the scent of something involuntarily dictates why you like/dislike something? What scents do you find to be invigorating or repelling?

It’s the harmony of chemistry.