The Psychology of Scent: Using Fragrances to Improve Your Mood

|

Happy Nose, Happy Mood

Much of our days are filled with stress of all kinds- stress from work, stress from our partners, our children, financial stress… the list is endless. Therefore, is it any wonder that we may be going through our days in a mood that’s less than ideal? Yes, we all know that we should be happy no matter what our circumstances are, but that’s much easier said than done. 

If only there were a magic button that we could press that would instantly change our mood from sour to cheerful…

But, wait! There is a magic button! It’s called our nose, and it’s much more powerful than we give it credit for.

The Science of Smell

Our sense of smell is directly tied to our limbic system. The limbic system contains our amygdala, which processes emotions. It also contains the hippocampus, which is responsible for associative learning. That means it’s responsible for the conditioned response we have to a repeated stimulus. 

The amygdala and hippocampus work together to improve or lower our mood when it comes to various stimuli, smells included. In fact, our sense of smell is the most powerful sense when it comes to eliciting an emotional response. The aroma of whatever we’re smelling is transformed in lightning speed to a “like” or “dislike” response in our brain, and no amount of trying to rationally overcome this response will work.

Knowing this, we can use our sense of smell to instantly improve our mood, leading to more positive interactions with others, and subsequently, our entire day and beyond. 

Today we’re going to highlight three fragrances that you can use to immediately improve your mood and state of consciousness.

woman smelling candle | Lèlior Blog

3 Scents to Improve Your Mood

Say hello to sunny days with Capri, our bright and citrusy fragrance oil. Citrus is well-known for its mood-enhancing properties, and has been shown in many studies to create feelings of calm, relaxation, and cheerfulness. Citrus is also a powerful energizer and a great scent to use during the day, especially if you’re suffering through a midday low.

Capri combines Italian lemon, mandarin and orange with petitgrain, an essential oil that comes from the twigs and leaves of the orange tree. This slight bitterness adds an extra punch to this invigorating scent, and it’s wrapped in deliciously warm notes of cardamom and caramel for a hint of sweetness. Musk is added as a beautiful base note, helping to round out this fresh springtime scent.

It’s like happiness in a bottle!

Add Capri to your desktop Le Bonaparte diffuser to enjoy that happy feeling throughout your workday. Your colleagues might get a little worried if they see you skipping through the office, but that’s not your concern. Invite them to your desk for a little splash of sunshine, and soon they’ll be skipping too!

All of us have days when we wish we could just get away from it all. While Lèlior’s fragrances can’t physically transport you to another place, they can certainly telepathically transport you! Get ready to travel to glamorous Champs-Elysees with our fragrance oil named… Champs-Elysees

This gorgeous scenting oil combines the sweet, succulent juiciness of pear with a spicy kick of ginger, adding in exotic Tiger orchid for an exotic floral scent and tea rose for a dash of romance. Sweet and woody base notes of toffee and cedarwood are complemented by the musky, earthy sweetness of Indian patchouli. 

Add this alluring fragrance to your Conception de Luxe Mini diffuser to enjoy the dazzling, complexly layered scents of Champs-Elysees wherever you are in your home or office. Made for scenting up to 1,000 square feet, Conception de Luxe Mini is your first-class ticket to fantasyland whenever you need it!

The end of the day is an opportune time to wind down with the help of the perfect scent. Feel your worries melt away as you’re enchanted by the calming warmth of Celui, a deeply rich fusion of earthy scents. Oud wood, leather, and cardamom are complemented with sweet hints of cinnamon and amber. Sandalwood and musk lend a lush earthiness, balanced out by bright notes of lemon and fresh vetiver. 

Place Celui in your wireless Le Versailles diffuser, a perfect addition to your bedroom. Made for scenting up to 600 square feet, Le Versailles will quietly escort you into dreamland. Enjoy hours of sublime slumber, courtesy of this extraordinary duo.

Scent Your Way to Happiness

Scents are a powerful and much overlooked factor in our daily moods. Lelior’s unique, hand-crafted fragrance oils are a quick and easy way to positively impact your mood, which leads to all sorts of great things. All of our fragrances are completely chemical free and free of parabens, phthalates, and toxins. You can feel good knowing that improving your mood doesn’t have to come at the expense of your health.

Check out our 30+ fragrance selections to find other ways you can elevate your mood. If you’re still not sure which type of fragrance oil is right for you, try our sample set for guidance. 

Don’t let another day go by in a bad mood. Use Lèlior’s uplifting fragrance oils to make your day (and night) a little bit brighter. You deserve it!