How fragrance can stimulate your happy hormone !?!

“When you come into the space, you [want to] feel it, breathe deep, and experience it without pinpointing the smell,” Yoshikuni says, an olfactory designer.

Our home remarkably contributes to our mental well-being. This is because it’s where we spend most of our time, especially during the ongoing pandemic. In addition, researchers and neuroscientists have found that our interiors affect our mood and behavior. So what is it that can help us transform our surroundings and create good vibes?

One of the simple yet effective solutions we often know but tend to overlook is fragrance. This factor is necessary when you wish to live in a desirable space. When we say fragrance, the first thing that may pop up in our minds is flowers. In Victorian times, floriography, known as the language of flowers, expressed feelings of love. Isn’t it interesting? It gets more impressive when we know that every flower was associated with some human emotion and relayed a special message. A gerbera daisy was meant to cheer up, a sunflower stood for congratulations, and lilies whispered you’re a dear friend.

A fragrance should be not so much smelled as felt. “When you come into the space, you [want to] feel it, breathe deep, and experience it without pinpointing the smell,” Yoshikuni says, an olfactory designer.

Research shows that smell influences 75% of our daily emotions, and our happiness level increases by 40% if we smell pleasant fragrances. Fragrances can instantly uplift your mood if chosen correctly. Scents make the space lively, increase focus, reduce stress and enhance the home experience. Just imagine, if we make this our morning ritual by adding a few drops of essential oil in a diffuser or lighting a scented candle, it will create a beautiful vibe, boosts your energy level and is the best thing to get off on the right foot.

Identifying your ideal fragrance that blends with your character and your home is essential. Some choose citrus scents; others go for incense and patchouli. It is believed that vanilla will have a calming effect; hence market research says it is the most sold Air freshener. Lavender is a wonderful floral scent to use, or you may go with a little fresher choice of lemon or orange. The location of your home also plays a role in choosing the scent. Citrus can be associated with areas that get a lot of sun and breezy weather, or when we think of a cold-weather mountain cabin, earthier scents like pine come to mind.

Recently I started making natural scents at home. I found the process very joyous and pleasing with little experiments and some inspiration. After trying a few combinations, I loved a scent or two. Isn’t it awesome to be able to create a personal fragrance?

Sharing 3 of my favorite recipes till now, using some herbs and spices. Here they go:

Add 2–3 cinnamon sticks in a jar with 3–4 orange slices, 5–6 cloves and just a piece of star anise. Fill the jar with water and refrigerate it for a week. After a week, you can use it when needed. Just heat it for a while. The aroma will be all over the place in just a few seconds. You can keep on adding a little bit of hot water or place some small candles floating above the mixture to hold the fragrance. After the use, you can put it all back in the jar and refrigerate it. This can be stored for almost a month or two. This cent will remove all the foul odors from the house and make you feel refreshed.

The next flavor will take you on a beachy tour. Add 2–3 slices of lemon in a jar with 4–5 mint leaves, 2–3 drops of peppermint oil and a little coconut oil. Repeat the above process, add water and refrigerate it for a week. The fragrance is all ready to use.

And the next scent, which is also super easy to make and is a feel-fresh scent, take 3–4 lemon slices in a jar with fresh rosemary twigs, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2–3 drops of lavender oil. Fill the jar with water and repeat the process mentioned above.

These are my go-to natural and homemade scents. There is always room for experiment and exploration, though placing coffee beans in small bags and potpourri jars at the corners of the house absorb any awful smell and add elegance. For an earthier ambience, fresh pine cones, rosemary, and cedar are all excellent choices. And if you like citrus in your kitchen, leave lemon or orange rinds in the corners and in the garbage disposal to absorb the foul smell.

Now, are you ready to explore your scent?