How Fragrance Can Lift Your Mood

It’s no secret that lighting a candle or getting a new diffuser can make your home smell nicer; but how does it affect you? Extensive scientific and psychological investigation has shown that smells can have a profound impact on your mood, happiness, and livelihood, significantly changing your attitude towards your surroundings. Scent can also improve your focus and memory recall, making candles and diffusers a popular choice among students. The root of why we find certain scents nicer than others lies in the memories and

The root of why we find certain scents nicer than others lies in the memories and emotions that we associate with them. Studies have shown that scents can be more popular in different countries compared to others, depending on where they are typically smelt. In one study, participants in the US and the UK were asked to rate a number of common odours, including Wintergreen. Among the UK participants, Wintergreen was much less popular, often being associated with medicine, while it was associated with a candy mint smell in North America. There are some more universally popular scents, like chocolate, salted caramel, or lavender, but there is clearly significant nuance in this area.

So, can lighting a delicious smelling candle put you in a good mood? Yes, if you have previously associated its smell with a positive memory. This associative process can begin as early as being in the womb, responding to strong scents and flavours like alcohol, cigarettes, or garlic

Not only can lighting a candle or fitting a diffuser therefore put you in a good mood, it can trigger memories, thoughts, and emotions, while also causing physical responses such as a change in blood pressure, muscle tension, skin temperature, and pulse rate. Depending on the direction of these changes, participants may feel more or less relaxed, focused, and social. As numerous experts have pointed out, scent is a powerful tool for brands; it allows companies to stand out and connect their customers to specific emotions or memories. Famous for their scented branding are Muji and Subway, as well as perfumeries like Jo Malone.

The promotion of good health through the use of scent is now commonly known as aromatherapy, and is practiced around the world. The most popular scents in aromatherapy are those derived from essential oils, and include lavender, rosemary, and citrus oils. At Elegantwix, we use natural and health-promoting ingredients to ensure our scented products leave a great impression. We might be biased in our love of luxury scented candles and diffusers, but the science definitely backs us up.