How Finding Your Favorite Home Scent Will Improve Your Life

There is an old saying about home being where the heart is. While poetically and even literally so, there are elements unspoken that contribute to this sentiment.

Apart from the obvious loving warmth of family and friends, a home is both many things to many people, and yet simultaneously, reflects the universal needs of everyone everywhere in some degree or another.

Home and hearth, particularly during the upcoming holiday season, and long cold winters represent a synergy of emotions, moods and memories.

Balancing life with a favorite home fragrance is part of the solution to creating joy and balance in a life preoccupied with business, bills, family, children and upcoming visits from annoying relatives.

Fragrances, Memories and Emotions

This indelible trinity is forged by the sector of the human brain known as the limbic system, which controls memory and emotions.

Comprised of two major regions known as the amygdala and hippocampus, the function of these almond-shaped structures is to create reciprocal connections with other regions of the brain.

They are both found in the temporal lobe and considered to be the critical hub for emotions and memory formation.

The olfactory bulb is the anatomical connector to past associations long buried from tender childhood years.

While always on the verge of recall, they come flooding back upon exposure to a particular odor trigger.

Perhaps a most interesting fact to note is the connection of the limbic system to human survival. This most ancient and primitive sector of the brain was present even in human remains from some of mankind’s earliest cultures.

The ability to smell is the most developed of all senses, and before humans could touch, hear or see, they learned to respond to surrounding chemicals in the air and water. 

The interior components of the ordinary, run-of-the-mill nose are more sophisticated than even those within the most complex machinery or engine. Processing initiates underneath the mucus, at the back of the nose.

Here, lies a strip of tissue known as the olfactory epithelium, within which lie millions of sensory neurons containing proteins known as olfactory receptor neurons. Their sole function is to recognize the new smell and bind to odor molecules.

These neurons represent both the “locks and keys” of the olfactory system.

They are so known because of their capability to detect thousands of different aromas, the electrical impulses of which they transmit to a micro-region in the brain known as the glomerulus, which lies within the olfactory bulb at the back of the nose.

The brain then interprets these patterns as smell. Researchers Richard Axel and Linda Buck discovered this concept in 2004, and they received a Noble Prize for their efforts that same year.

According to the very latest research, human noses can discern a staggering one trillion diverse aromas!

What Does The Scent of Home Smell Like?

Home may be many things to many people, but how a home smells tells a story all its own. Aromas such as a pumpkin pie, cinnamon, crisp apples, school glue, newspapers or fresh-cut grass evoke flashes of vivid recall.

Sometimes known as “odor-evoked autobiographical memory” or the “Proust phenomenon,” the term derives from a scene in the French writer’s iconic novel, In Search of Lost Time when the narrator dips a Madeleine cookie into a steaming hot cup of tea.

The pleasing aroma transports him into a mental time tunnel at the end of which lies a long-forgotten bundle of memories from his childhood.

Scenting a space in the home via incense, candles and sprays, has not fully addressed the consumer clamor for new and better fragrance combinations, which do add a new dimension to a room.

Home care fragrance products have undergone a myriad of alterations in dispensing technology and scents formulation down through the decades that range in everything from simple aerosol air fresheners with unique scents to new, cutting-edge, digital fragrance technologies.

The Need To Differentiate How Home Smells

Introducing a fragrance into a home is exclusively a matter of setting a mood to suit an individual’s needs.

According to scent designer, Maurice Joosten: “Start small. The idea would be that there is a reaction, there is an experience, but it shouldn’t stand out. Because then it’s already, in a way, too much.”

If homes must now serve simultaneously as places to work, exercise, socialize and relax, there has to be some psychological distance between these various aspects. Scents help to accomplish this.

Switching from uplifting citrus or peppermint-based scents during work hours, to a soothing, comforting lavender-infused setting for the evening can provide highly effective spatial differentiation.

When working at home where home/work sectors often blur, it is important to remember that scent can provide a smooth transition into a focused and productive mind set.

The human mind will connect with a particular “working” scent, which aids in promoting clarity and concentration.

This association further fuses the link to work surroundings, encouraging positive moods and attitudes.

A Few Relevant Studies and Statistics

The home care fragrance market is booming, and according to a recent HTF Market Report, the demand for air freshener products is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.35% from through 2021.

A study conducted by the Sense of Smell Institute noted that while visual recall of images drops to about 50% after three months, humans recall smells with 65% accuracy after the passage of an entire year.

Similarly, a study carried out at the Rockefeller University revealed that in the short term we remember just 1% of what we touch, 2% of what we hear, 5% of what we see, 15% of what we taste and 35% of what we smell.

Another project revealed that there is a 40% improvement in mood after exposure to pleasing scents.

Eight factors in particular were known to be affected and they include: irritation, stress, depression, apathy, enhancement of happiness, sensuality, relaxation and stimulation.

A Few Of Our Most Popular Home Fragrances

The following represent a few of our favorite most popular home diffuser oil fragrances, all of which work perfectly in any waterless diffuser.

Utopia

Energizing grapefruit, refreshing bergamot, and clean linen open this luxurious fragrance, evoking sunshine and pure white flowers.

Its heart takes hold with rich jasmine, powdery muguet, and creamy sandalwood emerges, adding depth

 Finally, an earthy dry down of patchouli and musk completes this refreshing, warm spring scent, inviting you to indulge in its uplifting essence, capturing the spirit of the season with its vibrant citrus, floral elegance, and grounding earthiness.

Coconut Candle

Capturing the essence of summer, this fragrance opens with the warmth of humid beach air and the timeless saltiness of the ocean.

A tropical heart emerges with lush pineapple and gingery mango and it settles into a dry down of smooth coconut milk, passionate musk, and ambrosial vanilla, completing the olfactory journey with a blend of tropical allure and beachside tranquility, inviting you to bask in the sun-drenched embrace of its evocative scent.

Patchouli Mist

Opening with light, airy ozone and fresh elements, the top notes offer a sense of natural purity.

Romantic white florals mingle with green moss and sweet gourmand nuances throughout its heart notes.

The fragrance settles into a captivating blend of patchouli, creamy sandalwood, vanilla, and soft powdery touches, creating an alluring and sophisticated scent experience that balances freshness with warmth, perfect for those seeking an elegant and comforting olfactory journey.

Lavender Balsam

Sharp lavender and cool eucalyptus notes open the fragrance, followed by a sweet blend of lavender and other florals, creating a balanced and calming experience.

Finally, lingering musk and fir balsam provide a soothing finish, inviting you on a sensory journey that is both calming and invigorating.

This fragrance, a centerpiece of our perfumer’s creations, captures the essence of lavender with a straightforward blend that epitomizes its soothing allure.

Winter Pine

Capturing the essence of a winter holiday, this enchanting scent begins with heady notes of dewy morning mist, crisp apple, green pear, and icy frosted glass.

A woody heart emerges with dry piney fir needle, sweet conifer, and minty eucalyptus.

A captivating dry down of waxy pine needles, creamy sandalwood, and honeyed amber completes the fragrance, offering a festive olfactory journey that evokes the magic of the season with its fresh, woody tones.

In Conclusion

Discovering your favorite home scent can be transformative. It brings comfort, relaxation, and joy into your space, enhancing your mood and well-being. Embrace the power of scent to create a sanctuary that uplifts and enriches your life every day!