This is the second post in our multi-part series devoted to the process of creating your individual scent landscape (your “scentscape”) for your space with scented candles and other home fragrance products. The information we’ll be discussing here is based on the science of scent and the way we process it in our brains. Follow along for a simple formula that’ll have you expertly curating your home’s very own signature scent!
Creating Atmosphere by Identifying Emotions
As we discussed in our last post, the power of scent is a profound yet easily overlooked aspect of our daily lives because it’s always around us and so we tend to take it for granted. But, you can make that work in your favor! From the soothing aroma of a blooming garden to the inviting fragrance of a cozy, yet elegant living room, scents have the unique ability to define and transform a space, creating atmospheres and memories that linger long after we've left. In this blog post, we thought we’d explore the fascinating ways scent can define or enhance a space and chat about how it affects our emotions, memories, and overall well-being.
The Science of Scent
While we discussed this in a previous post, we just wanted to quickly revisit the topic by way of an introduction to the remainder of this post. Before we explore the impact of scent on spaces, let's understand the science behind it. Our sense of smell is closely linked to the limbic system, the emotional and memory center of our brains. When we encounter a scent, it can trigger a cascade of emotions, memories, and even physiological responses. Many times, this can be a subliminal reaction and other times, it can be quite visceral. So, the scents you choose for your space will certainly have an impact on everyone in it — whether they realize it or not!
Step One: Emotion
The choice of scent can set the mood and atmosphere of a space. Consider the following examples:
- A lavender-scented room creates a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere.
- A citrus-infused space feels bright and invigorating.
- A warm, vanilla scent in a room evokes a sense of comfort and coziness.
With those basic concepts in mind, the first question to ask yourself is: how do I want — and want others — to feel in this space? Your answer can be really simple: happy, relaxed, sleepy, excited, romantic, hungry … in fact, the simpler the better. We’ll develop it more as we continue to explore the idea of a “scentscape.”
Step Two: Scent Associations by Enhancing and Making Memories
Next, and with your simple feeling in mind, ask yourself what scents you associate with that feeling. It doesn’t have to be specific (like lavender, lily of the valley, eucalyptus, rose, etc). It can be as general as “fresh” or “floral” … or even “baking.” However you choose to define it is totally fine — it’s your feeling, after all! For example, let’s say your answer to question one, above, was “happy.” You’d then ask yourself what general scent (or scents) do I associate with being happy? It may be a difficult question to answer when you put yourself on the spot like that. To help, ask yourself some additional questions:
- What immediately comes to mind when you think of the emotion? Do you recall a place or time where/when you felt it strongly? Was it a college memory or a childhood experience? Is it a city? A favorite restaurant? A vacation destination? Or even just being around a certain person?
- Are there colors your associate with that feeling? Colors correlate so directly with scents and emotions — just ask any marketing exec. Identifying a color that you associate with your feeling may be a big help in defining a general scent you associate with it as well.
- What specific memories do you have about that feeling? Pick a strong memory and look around it for a bit in your mind. Where were you? Who was there? What were you doing? What season was it? Think about what surrounded you at that time. It may be something like, “I remember feeling happy when I was sitting beside a fire pit with my family outside a cabin we rented one year for vacation. We were sitting in wood chairs and roasting marshmallows. My parents kept telling me to grab more sticks for the fire.” Or, “One year we went to the beach for a week, and I remember one day where the water was warm, the sun was bright, I was using this new sunscreen that smelled amazing, and the waves looked so beautiful.” Seriously - it helps!
This is an important step in creating a scentscape because scent is the most potent trigger for past memories and in creating new ones.
Colors and Scent
This is a very basic summary, but in general, the following colors are typically associated with certain scents:
- Red: Spicy scents like exotic spices and musks. Incense may fall into this category. Can also be associated with berries.
- Blue: Ozonic scents like ocean air, sea waves, summer breezes - typically marine and aquatic scents
- Yellow: Citrus scents, sunshine
- Orange: Citrus, orange blossoms, fruits
- Pink: Florals, fruits, soft musks, powdery scents, sweet spices like sugar (creamy vanilla can also fall here), candy
- Green: Outdoor scents like pine, grass, leaves, softer garden herbs (mints), cannabis, hay
- Purple: Lavender, other sharper/aromatic garden herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, etc. Some people may associate purple with patchouli as well.
- Dark Brown: Woods, sandalwood, palo santo, leather, patchouli, vetiver, amber, firewood, liquor-inspired scents, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, allspice
- Light Brown/Beige: caramel, brûlée, vanilla absolute, milk, butter, cookies
- Black/Grey: Smoke, fire, pepper, charcoal, ash
- White: Clean scents, mints, soapy scents, bubblebath
You’ll notice that some colors are associated with a broad array of scents that aren’t typically associated with one another. The emphasis here is on the association between the color and the scent — not the scents with each other — so don’t worry about that. Use this as a broad guide as you continue to define the feeling you’re hoping to create or re-create through your scentscape!
There’s quite a bit to think about here so we’ll wrap it up for now. We’ll keep it going with Step 3 in next week’s post!