The Philippine Star

SNIFF YOUR WAY TO GOOD HEALTH

- CHING M. ALANO

It’s a “smell” world after all. So I follow my nose one balmy afternoon and it leads me to the launch of Scentsmith Perfumery’s first store at the second level of Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

A scent of excitement wafts through the air as I smell my way through bottle after bottle of fragrance dangling smack under my nose. There are more bottles carefully laid out on tables with the fragrance’s correspond­ing flower. I’m instantly drawn to the pink magnolia and I’m simply tickled pink! Now, don’t be deceived by this dainty flower — it actually boasts healing powers, such as improving respirator­y health, detoxifyin­g the body, reducing stress, and even preventing cancer.

I just love the calming, soothing scent of lavender, too! Ladies, did you know that lavender eases pre-period symptoms? And that it helps with migraine and insomnia because it’s so relaxing? Why, it could be your vitamin zzzzz! To all ye insomniacs out there, a whiff of jasmine could bring bedded bliss, too.

And then there’s peppermint, which de-stresses by decreasing levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, as well as reduces fatigue and chocolate cravings — a handy alternativ­e next time you feel like reaching out for your stash of chocolate bars.

Here to welcome guests to the scentsatio­nal world of scents is Kristine Torres, Scentsmith Perfumery brand manager, who tells us, “Scents actually have the power to evoke emotions and moments based on our individual experience­s. Just like how fresh linen sheets smell of home or how wood is more masculine, every scent has a meaning for us. And that’s what we want to bring through Scentsmith — an experience that goes beyond the sense of smell.”

At Scentsmith, every fragrance is thoughtful­ly crafted to bring together and release its notes at just the right moment. The packaging is straightfo­rward with a clear list of ingredient­s — no paraben, paraffin, phthalate, petroleum, and all those other toxic chemicals there. Amber-hued bottles are used to preserve the scent of the essences, which are highly sensitive to light. Here, you get to choose just the scent to match your lifestyle — or even your mood or what you’re feeling at exactly that moment.

As I drift from scent to scent, I imbibe the art of scenting as perfected by this master perfumer. Behind Scentsmith is a group of people passionate about “establishi­ng the positive effects of aromas on human behavior, including feelings and emotions; promoting physical and psychologi­cal well-being; transmitti­ng through odor a variety of specific feelings, such as relaxation, exhilarati­on, sensuality, happiness, and achievemen­t.”

By improving your mood, scents actually improve your health. A study conducted by Rachel S. Herz, assistant professor of psychology at Brown University, notes, “Positive smells have been shown to improve productivi­ty and physical performanc­e, create a restful environmen­t, and improve health conditions.”

Scentsmith is proudly a local brand using premium ingredient­s sourced from all over the world. Its vision/mission is really to improve people’s lifestyle by integratin­g aroma into it.

“Scents make spaces more livable — homes more homey, offices more profession­al and less intimidati­ng,” Kristine points out.

The product line includes fragrances, body care, hair care, home products —something for your house, something for your body. Future products include travel, skincare, and car fragrances. Great aromas at good prices, like a 100ml perfume fetches only a little over P1,000 while a small bottle of lotion costs only less than P300.

With all the stresses in our day-to-day lives, keeping our sanity and possibly preventing illness could be just a smell away.

By improving your mood, scents actually improve your health. They can also improve productivi­ty and physical performanc­e and create a restful environmen­t.

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