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Where is fragrance used?

Everyday encounters

Fra­gran­ce first greets many of us in per­so­nal-care essen­tials. A sham­poo or deo­do­rant that smells fresh can boost con­fi­den­ce and help set a posi­ti­ve tone for the day. In skin­ca­re and cos­me­tics, deli­ca­te scents mask raw mate­rial odours and add a moment of indul­gen­ce to fun­ctio­nal routines.

Insi­de the home, clea­ning sprays, fabric con­di­tio­ners and air-care pro­ducts rely on fra­gran­ce to sig­nal clean­li­ness, era­se unwan­ted smells and crea­te a cho­sen mood — warm and cosy, bright and ener­ge­tic, or calm and spa-like. Becau­se the­se pro­ducts live on tex­ti­les and sur­fa­ces, their scents are engi­nee­red to unfold gra­dually as we move through a room or wear our clothes.

Fine-fra­gran­ce pro­ducts — eau de toi­let­te, par­fum, body mists — let indi­vi­duals express per­so­na­lity, cul­tu­re and memory. Per­fu­mers sha­pe the­se com­plex com­po­si­tions in top”, heart” and base” accords so that the wea­rer enjoys a chan­ging sen­sory story over hours.

Beyond the hou­sehold, care­fully dosed scent enhan­ces sha­red spa­ces. Hotels craft sig­na­tu­re fra­gran­ces to rein­for­ce brand iden­tity; retai­lers use scent zones to invi­te explo­ra­tion; health­ca­re set­tings choo­se gentle notes that sof­ten the cli­ni­cal atmosphe­re. The same scien­ce that ensu­res safety in your laundry deter­gent gui­des the dif­fu­sion sys­tems that work quietly overhead in the­se public environments.

Scents have the ability to alter our emotions and moods more than any other sensory experience. This is because of the unique connection in the brain where scent, emotion, memories and associations are processed.”

Dr Rachel Herz, cog­ni­ti­ve neu­ros­cien­tist and author of The Scent of Desire (Har­per­Co­llins, 2008)