Try and remember exactly what your favorite scent smells like. It’s actually pretty hard, isn’t it? Yet when you’re exposed to certain scents, you’ll suddenly remember vivid details of a distant childhood memory, a person, or time gone by.
Some scents even affect us physiologically in measurable ways. Scientists studying scent and human physiology have found some really interesting things:
- A faint trace of lemon will make people feel healthier.
- Lavender helps boost your mood.
- A whiff of lavender plus eucalyptus may boost your respiratory rate and feelings of relaxation.
- The scent of Rose oil can help reduce blood pressure.
Findings like these have helped lead to the rise of the Essential Oil industry. As aromatherapists, we can point to scientific findings that show how smell can dramatically affect our moods and body as evidence that essential oils can really help improve your emotional life (2).
Emotion, scent, and intention
But what about being more intentional than that?
In addition to your natural scent, essential oils, perfumes, and colognes add complexity to our feelings associated with smell. We have the ability to intentionally pair scent with strong emotions to deepen those already strong connections.
Perfumes and colognes have strong links to memory, and you can use this link to make your significant other miss you when you’re not around or spark feelings of romance even before your big date night.
Scents are tied to our emotions and memory
It works like this: If you’ve ever smelled a cheap men’s body spray after seventh grade, you probably felt transported back to middle school gym class, right?
In other words, the scent becomes paired in your memory with a time, place, experience or person. And this happens for all of us!
Certain fragrances can give you warm fuzzies because they remind us of certain times or people, like your mom’s perfume, your seventh-grade crush, or the person you want to miss you when you’re not there.
Plus, science has found that the scents most likely to evoke romantic or happy feelings are one that puts you (or him) in a good mood (3).
Evoke: Designed for emotion
This is where Evoke comes in. Plant Therapy’s Evoke fragrances are so much more than just scents: we combined essential oils with essential oil isolates to create deep, complex scents that are made to stick in the memory of you and your loved ones.
Evoke was formulated to be paired with your emotions, to create more than just a memorable scent. Evoke helps you create an experience.
Pairing Evoke Scents and romance
For example, try having your man sniff each Evoke scent and pick his favorite (on you!)
- Create a rollerball for yourself using his (or her) favorite scent, and wear it around them.
- Make a simple perfume spray and spray it on your hair.
- Borrow his hoodie and wear your favorite scent, then give it back smelling like your signature Evoke perfume.
- Leave him notes letting him know you’re thinking of him, scented with his favorite Evoke blend.
Pair these scent cues with small romantic gestures like lingering kisses or running your fingers through his hair. Nuzzle up under his chin and let him breathe in the scent that will become your signature.
Sources:
- Nalls, G. (2010). Dating, Mating, and Olfaction: Little known side effects of hormone-based birth control. Psychology Today.
- Furlow, F. (1996). The Smell of Love. Psychology Today.
- Lafta, A. (2015). How Our Sense Of Smell Makes Us Fall In Love And Stay In Love. Elite Daily.
I love the romance angle. Evoke Jubilation is my favorite. Its smells romantic and very sensual to me.
I wish I can get every single oil I’m always adding to my want to buy list its never ending lol looking forward to some new oils in my collection soon 🙂
The write is writing to a younger audience. Is that intentional?
Josh, we like to style our writing to be as accessible and welcoming to all people as much as possible, regardless of their personal or professional background, how much they already know or do not know about essential oils, or what their age is 🙂 Essential oils can be an intimidating venture at first for sure, so we like to help everyone feel comfortable with the information we present 🙂
every single time I think I have a good solid collection of oils you all come out with something that I absolutely MUST have lol! this line is no exception- I can’t wait to try these and some of the tips in this blog post. Leaving little scented notes is something that my husband would absolutely adore.
This new line sounds great. Can’t wait to try them.
I can’t wait to try the entire line!
can’t wait to try these!!!!
Scents can bring back such strong memories. I just ordered my first Evoke oil and canny wait to try it!
Very interesting. Excited to try this – to evoke memories long forgotten.
Thank you for citing your resources supporting what you are teaching us.
Smell is totally very strongly associated with memories, especially the very good ones. Excited to try this new oil!
Totally agree that scents are strongly tied to memories! Can’t wait to try the Evoke line.
So very curious about the new evoke line. Looking forward to trying 1-2 out!
It is SO true about scents stirring up memories. Every time I smell fresh mint leaves, I am transported to the windmill at my grandpa’s farm! The smell = meaning, feeling, emotion, memories!
Spirit has been my favourite so far on him.
Thank you for this! Please keep the ideas for the Evoke line coming. I bought them all and am looking for ways to use them, not only for myself but for my family as well. This will be nice for Valentine’s Day!
Great article! I like the ideas at the end to evoke emotions. Great jump into Valentine’s day.
Sooooo excited for this line, I cannot wait to smell ALL of them!!
It’s true! Looking forward to trying this oil!
I had to laugh at the comment on cheap men’s body spray (no such thing when I was in school only aftershave or cologne) reminding one of middle school gym class. We were poor so it always reminded me of my daddy or grandpa lol and I love it. Lol