Can a perfume change your life?
From having more sex to getting that promotion, the fragrance you’re spritzing might make more of an impact than you think
When you consider that scent goes way
beyond just ‘smell’, you realise there could be an entire life-coaching
kit in your fragrance collection
Fragrance, in its most raw form, has the power to elicit all sorts of emotions. Don’t believe us? Think about how nostalgia affects your mood – the memory of spending time picking apples with your grandad, for example, can make you smile involuntarily. Now think how the smell of apples can spontaneously incite that nostalgic moment. It’s because the olfactory system – your sense of smell – is directly connected to the limbic system, the part of the brain that is responsible for interpreting memories and emotions. And once we know about this connection between the two, we can start to get much smarter with our scent choices.
Azzi Glasser, master perfumer and creator of the fragrance collection The Perfumer’s Story, qualifies this way of thinking: ‘Odours are developed in the cerebellum by the limbic system. As a result, specific odours have the ability to trigger strong emotions, which enhance our behaviour and mood. As such, fragrances are one of the most powerful tools one can use to enhance, entice, manipulate and motivate both yourself and those around you. The human sense of smell works on a cerebral as well as physical level.’
So do you still think a simple scent can’t alter your path in life? Think again. With Azzi’s help, we’ve compiled the perfumes with potentially life-changing powers.
Prada Candy had been a constant for me, and when grieving a sudden loss, I longed for that stability. Of course, perfume cannot cure grief, but for me, it provided a comfort at the hardest of times. Prada Candy Eau De Parfum, £66.50 for 50ml
AZZI SAYS: Scientists have proven that smells stimulate nerves in the nose, which send messages straight to the brain, directly affecting our emotional state*. Lavender is know to help induce relaxation, as it’s associated with increased alpha brain waves in the back of the head, which are linked to a more relaxed state**. Jasmine can also be called on to calm nerves; in oil form, it is used as an antidepressant because of its uplifting, energising and stress-relieving attributes.
TRY: Floral, powdery, musky
Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Poudrée Eau de Parfum, £60 for 50ml Dior J’Adore Injoy Eau de Toilette Spray, £85 for 100ml Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Lavande Eau de Parfum, £95 for 100ml