We are frequently being asked: “How do you smell perfume?”
Today on day two of National Fragrance week, organised by the Fragrance Foundation, we are taking a look at (and not for the first time) how do you evaluate or test perfume?
It may seem that the obvious answer is “with your nose” – and in a sense (no pun intended) that is correct.
However, there is so much more to smelling a perfume, than simply taking a sniff …
In an earlier post we discussed how as individuals we have an olfactory blueprint that is totally unique to us.
So, … how we smell perfume or interpret a fragrance or note, will be as individual and unique as you are..
We know that memory formation is linked to our sense of smell.
So if you think how different your life’s experiences or your life’s road map has been when compared to those around you, it explains why some of us love certain notes while others may loathe them…
With National Fragrance Week now underway, what better time to try new Fragrances or Notes and evaluate them as only You can.
From everyone here at PAIRFUM London we just want to say “Try it, Enjoy it” and “Be Your Authentic Self”.
International Women’s Day was first organised by the Socialist Party of America in 1909. In 1910 it was proposed to celebrate it annually every year on the 8th of March.
In some countries International Women’s Day is a public holiday, in others it is a day of protest, however for the most part it is largely ignored.
The fact that we need to have or celebrate an International Women’s Day in 2019, points to the fact that Women over the World do not yet have equal rights. The World Bank has just released a study that found ‘Only Six Countries’ have equal rights for men and women,
YES! you read that correctly only Six countries – just in case you are wondering ‘Who’ these six countries are? then I would hazard a guess that the answer will surprise you as much it did us….
They are – Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden. The surprise was not that these countries have equal rights, the surprise was how many names missing from the list… are from the countries so many of us are proud to call Home.
In this quote, Warren Buffett highlights his view on the potential equal rights for women offer our society: “It’s one of the things that makes me optimistic about America because when I look at what we have accomplished using half our talent for a couple of centuries, and now I think of doubling the talent that is effectively employed — or at least has the chance to be — it makes me very optimistic about this country,”
So from everyone here at PAIRFUM London we want to wish every Woman, who ever you are, what ever you do and where ever you are in the World – “A Happy International Women’s Day”, because without YOU this World would not exist xx
One of our favourite ‘health tips’ is that you can boost your health, mood and memory through the use of perfume.
Did you know that your sense of smell is the strongest of all the five senses as well as being the oldest ?
Or, that 75% of all emotions generated every day are due to smell? Just think about that for a moment… 75% of how you have felt or the emotions you had during a single day were due to scent !!
The reason for this, is that it is the one sense most connected to memory and emotion, and research has proven that we are 100 times more likely to remember something we smell over something we see, hear or touch.
Again, if you think about this for a moment – we are 100 times more lightly to remember something we smell over something we read, see or hear…. and yet we spend years in an education system that teaches us to remember important information, without ever using the strongest sense we have ‘Smell’ to help embed this information into memory…
Mother Nature designed our sense of smell to be the one sense to go directly to the fore brain without going to the thalamus, and one of the most obvious reasons for this is that the information our sense of smell provides us with is so important to our survival, that it needs to reach our brain in as fast a time as possible.
To give you an idea of just how fast the information is relayed – if you are impressed that Formula One race cars can go from 0-60 in as fast as 1.6 seconds,…then Formula One needs to get in the back seat as the entire procedure of olfactory processing takes a mere 200 milliseconds!
Odours and scents affect us all in different ways, by becoming aware of how a particular scent affects you personally, you will be able to enhance your health, mood and indeed memory. A particular scent or odour has no personal significance until it is connected to a space, a moment in time or something that has meaning to us.
Theresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, the research and educational arm of the perfume industry’s Fragrance Foundation. Has said that “Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance,”.
So if we associate a particular scent or perfume with an action or a particular time of day, for example getting ready to fall asleep, relaxing, studying, or waking-up in the morning. Then the brain will form memories or associations to coincide with the inhalation of that specific note.
So if you do wish to improve your health, mood or memory a very simple way to do this is to include one of your favourite perfume notes when preparing for bed, sitting down to relax and unwind or preparing for an exam. It is such an easy thing to do, light one of your favourite perfumed candles, or spray the area you are using with a natural room spray, or place one of your reed diffusers in the room.
From the initial and subsequent encounters with the aroma, you begin forming nerve connections that intertwine the smell with emotions, so by choosing a scent or aroma that you love you can immediately alter your feelings in a positive, healthy and mood enhancing way.
Final Question: Did you enjoy this tip? Would you like us to write more about health tips linked to scent? Alternatively, what are your favourite health tips linked to fragrance or perfume?
Are you having a problem falling asleep or trying to get a good night’s sleep? Yes, … then using a Deep Sleep Spray can help you solve this problem.
One of our most popular products, that customers come back for repeatedly, is our Natural Sleep Spray, that can be used on your pillows, bed sheets, duvet covers, night clothes, or sprayed into the air.
We all know that there are a number of contributing factors for why we can’t jump into bed and sleep, ranging from the age and condition of your mattress and pillow to the temperature in your room. Not to mention noise levels and how dark and electronic free your resting place is.
Some of the causes for a disturbed nights sleep may seem very obvious, but it is surprising how many people, do not consider them a factor when trying to eliminate or alleviate the cause of a sleepless or restless night.
One of the most obvious things is that you do not go to sleep in a brightly lit room, bright light especially blue-ish light that is emitted from T.V.’s, Computer Screens, Mobile phones, all send a signal to our brains that it’s still daytime and prevents the body’s natural release of chemicals critical for restful & deep sleep.
Our bodies release chemicals in a 24-hour cycle, telling us to do certain things at certain times.
Each of these cycles is called a circadian rhythm, one of the most important chemicals involved in this process is melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel sleepy.
The amount of melatonin in our bodies starts increasing in the evening, as natural light decreases, and peaks in the middle of the night, letting us know it is time to sleep.
It then decreases by morning, allowing us to wake up refreshed.
Why is it so important that we get a good nights sleep?
Studies show that four in every ten Americans don’t even get the minimum of seven hours of sleep doctors recommend, and the important word in the previous sentence is ‘MINIMUM’.
This is now considered a public health emergency, as lack of sleep and fatigue leads to both short and long term mental and physical health problems.
Recent studies have shown that Americans currently average only 6.8 hours of sleep per night, down an hour from 1942, which means that they have lost ‘One Full’ hour’s sleep per night since then.
Think of it as having to set your alarm clock an hour earlier every morning … !
This is not something that effects only people living in the USA, but they have recognised the problem and are studying the causes and effects.
As I have mentioned above, study after study has shown that watching a screen before bedtime or while you are lying in bed is an absolute ‘No-no’ – if you wish to drift off to the land of nod and stay there until morning.
So, … whether it’s a TV screen, your laptop, tablet or phone, if you want to fall asleep ditch the pixels until morning.
Expert Tips
The following are some simple tips that will help improve your nights sleep:
Lavender has been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure, potentially putting you in a more relaxed state.
In one study, researchers monitored the brain waves of subjects at night and found that those who sniffed lavender before bed had a deeper nights sleep and felt more invigorated in the morning
If Lavender helps us get a better nights sleep – then “Why is that”?
Well, … you will be delighted to know that there is scientific proof to backup the claim:
Lavender oil is mainly composed of linalyl acetate (which is a naturally occurring phytochemical found in many flowers and spice plants, and is one of the principal components of the essential oils of Lavender and Bergamot) and linalool.
Both are natural chemicals that are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Studies on mice have shown that these compounds inhibit several neurotransmitters and have a sedative and pain-relieving effect.
In humans, lavender has been proven to lower the heart rate and reduces anxiety, leading to a more relaxed and peaceful sleep.
Dr. Chris Winter, MD, is a renowned sleep specialist and author of the book: ‘The Sleep Solution – Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How To Fix It” – He has also been called “The Sleep Whisperer”.
I love this nick name, as it is better to whisper, so you do not wake anyone up.
He stated that scent plays a role in helping people drift off to sleep, with the proviso that the formula contains lavender.
“There are a number of studies that indicate it might have sleep-promoting effects,” he says.
Other notes that are known to help promote relaxation and sleep are Chamomile, Bergamot, Jasmine, Rose, Sandalwood and Valerian.
Recommendations from the Harvard Medical School suggest using dim red lights in the evenings and to expose yourself to bright lights during the day time help to reset your sleep schedule (your internal clock).
In a recent Bedroom Poll by the National Sleep Foundation in the US, 53% of their respondents rated sleeping on sheets with a fresh scent an important contributor to their sleep experience.
If Lavender is not one of your favourite notes, other fragrances that you associate with happy events in your life are also perfect to use.
For example notes or smells that evoke or awaken happy, calming memories, such as walks on the beach or in the woods, a wonderful relaxing holiday, times spent with loved ones, or memories of childhood when sleep came easily at the end of a day well spent.
Dr. Winter, the ‘Sleep Whisperer’, also said that “Sprays can be helpful if we pair a certain smell in our minds with the act of sleep. This is particularly true with travel. If you associate a certain smell with your bedroom, spraying that in your hotel room can trick your brain into thinking you’re at home.”
This is the reason why here at PAIRFUM London, we developed the ‘Voyage’ Spray, it is the perfect travelling partner to take with you on Holiday.
We are a London based Natural Niche Perfumery House and we have been working on Sleep Aid Perfume Sprays for a number of years.
We have heard it said that people don’t buy what they need!, they buy what they want….
Now this may be the case for some very rare and lucky individuals in the World…
However for the rest of us mere mortals, there are certain things that we must take into consideration before buying what we want… not least of which is our bank balance.
Having said that, when we do have a choice, as most of us at one time or another do – then we very rarely buy what we need – we buy what we want.
So, when we do have the wonderful opportunity to choose, especially something for someone we love or something very special for ourselves (and yes we do deserve it)
Then make sure that whatever you choose is like you, unique, special and worth waiting for…
PAIRFUM London was created for those times in Life – when Luxury is a necessity
Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I’d passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.
So, if you feel a smile begin, don’t leave it undetected. Let’s start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected!
This poem that promotes the positivity of smiling is sometimes attributed to the late great Spike Milligan, whether it was written by him or by Karen McLendon-Laumann, we would be delighted to hear from anyone who can confirm the author.
Well, who ever it was that wrote this lovely little ditty, the poem does exactly what it is telling us to do – It makes us SMILE…………
So from everyone here at PAIRFUM London for 2019 we wish you Miles and Miles of Smiles, enough to spread around the World and infect it.
What would be your Top Ten Best Scents For Christmas?
At PAIRFUM London we think that It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!
Would it be the smell of a fresh batch of Nutmeg, Cinnamon & Orange cookies straight from the oven?
Or, how about the scent of a wood fire crackling in the hearth?
Maybe it is the fresh green pine scent of a a real Christmas tree?
How about roasted chestnuts, I am not sure how many families still do this at home, but no Christmas fair is complete without them?
For the Bakers among us it may be the Christmas cake and or Christmas pudding
“Oranges and lemons, Say the bells of St. Clement’s”, but for some people “Oranges and cloves” say Christmas
Gingerbread for all the bakers and the decorators(cakes that is) in all of us, decorating gingerbread cookies and or houses have become a tradition for many.
Peppermint, well it must be a favourite as even Santa loves handing out candy canes, at every corner.
We could not have a – Top Ten Best Scents For Christmas – and not include Mulled Wine..
As Perfumers we would also add the smell of a crisp, bright winters day…
We all have different memories of the holidays, some will recall those same positive feelings from simply experiencing the same scents, sounds or sights. For those of you starting your own family, it is the perfect time to create new memories & create your own traditions to add to the Christmas Story.
So however or wherever you plan to celebrate the festive season, we here at PAIRFUM wish you a Happy, Healthy, Holiday.
Heroes like John Lewis (@JohnLewis), it would appear, come in all shapes and sizes, and crop up in the most unexpected places, …
Mr John Lewis a Virginia based lecturer, has become Twitter UK’s main star in their Christmas advert, …
That’s correct – this Gentleman who describes himself as a “Computer science educator, father of four, social liberal, atheist, and not a retail store“, …
That a lovely Gentleman – who describes himself as an atheist and not a retail store, should find himself very much wrapped up in the Christmas season, it has just got to make you smile, …
You will have to excuse us @JohnLewis, when we have to quote the English Poet William Cowper “God Moves in Mysterious Ways”
Every year Mr Lewis who has a Twitter following of 45k+ followers, receives thousands of tweets about the John Lewis Christmas advert, which he takes the time to reply to with wit & charm.
Mr Lewis, who has owned the Twitter handle @JohnLewis since 2007, has this year been thanked by Twitter by making him the star of the show.
So, … from everyone here at PAIRFUM London “Happy Christmas Mr Lewis” – #NotARetailStore
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