The Influence of Fragrances

 Article first published as The Influence of Fragrances on Technorati.

Everyone likes to inhale a beautiful smell. This can be fresh baked cookies, a lavender bath, a perfume... The basic purpose of odor is to protect us from danger. Nowadays this has changed. Perfume is used in all cultures, from the most primitive to the most sophisticated and its most important goal is to please people and attract them.
As many people know all smells can evoke different feelings and memories. They even can make you feel happy or sad.


Affect upon our memory

When a person passes by, you get a whiff of his/her perfume. Suddenly you realize you know that smell and for a brief moment you slip back in time to that exact scene. Smell is the best sense to evoke memories. A perfume, food, shampoo, etc.. can bring back memories instantly. When you smell a new scent for the first time you link it with an event or moment. This link is made by the brain and every time you smell that same scent it triggers the linked moment.

Affect upon our mood

Fragrances can also affect our mood. This is linked to the paragraph above. Actually it’s real simple. When you smell a scent it will bring back memories. These memories can influence your emotions in a good or bad way.
You can manipulate the use of scents to create emotions. The smell of oranges, lemons and grapefruits can bring you in an energetic mood.
To create a romantic mood you need a scent that gives aphrodisiac effects. Musk is one of the most used ingredients along with different types of wood and amber.
Calming effects are created by the use of lavender and chamomile. Lavender soap or making a hot cup of chamomile tea can relax the body immediately.

Affect upon our taste

What most people perceive as taste is actually a result of their sense of smell. A human tongue can only detect 4 tastes: Sweet, bitter, sour and salty. When people eat or drink they first smell the scent that is released from their food/drink. This is translated in the Olfactory Bulb as flavour.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to fragrances. They stimulate the brain in many ways and can even be used as a form of therapy against many forms of illness.

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to fragrances. They stimulate the brain in many ways and can even be used as a form of therapy against many forms of illness.