WELL + GOOD
PERFUME TO BALANCE YOUR EMOTIONS, ACCORDING TO A NEUROSCIENTIST
"For a boost of energy, Heretic Parfum’s Smudge is the way to go." -Well + Good
Remember Amortentia, from Harry Potter? It’s the most powerful love potion in the world and it’s entirely based on smell. The steam that emanates from Amortentia smells different to each person, according to what attracts them.
Yes, I did just use a Harry Potter reference. But, however fantastical the world of Hogwarts is, the science behind scents, and how it connects us to and evokes certain emotions is proven true based on “associative learning.” Associative learning is the way that certain events or senses connect us to past experiences, and may trigger a positive or negative feeling associated with that time or memory. The same way that Amortentia smells different to each person, certain fragrances may trigger different emotional reactions in different people. There is “no one size fits all fragrance. Our relationships to certain scents are based on the personal and cultural associations we’ve made to it in our lives,” Rachel Herz, PhD, explains.
According to a 2016 study in scientific journal Brain Sciences, “odors that evoke positive autobiographical memories have the potential to increase positive emotions, decrease negative mood states, disrupt cravings, and reduce physiological indices of stress, including systemic markers of inflammation.” Research says that 75 percent of the emotions we feel every day are affected by smell, and we are 100 times more likely to remember something we smell over something we see, hear, or touch. As soon as we smell something, our amygdala, the part of the brain where emotion and emotional memory is processed, is activated, resulting in an instant emotional response. Hippocrates even said that “Perfume is a remedy for bad moods.”
Throughout history, aromatic plants were used to remedy both physical and mental ailments. The Egyptians used Myrrh to fight anxiety while the Greeks used saffron to release tension and stimulate sleep. Patrick K. Porter, PhD, an award-winning neuroscientist, author, and creator of BrainTap®, explains the science behind why this is and what scents to select based on your current or desired mood.
SMUDGE BY HERETIC:
If you’re needing a quick burst of focus and energy? Dr. Porter recommends frankincense and sage. For a boost of energy, Heretic Parfum’s Smudge is the way to go. With both ingredients, it is great for clarity and motivation.
SHOP SMUDGE
