The Power of Fragrance

Posted on 24th April 2021

We forget the scent journey we go through in our everyday lives. At one time or another, we’ve all experienced the power of scent. Fragrances can trigger memories and influence our mood. And although we know this to be true, we wanted to explore what makes the perfect scent such an emotional experience?

The answer lies in the olfactory bulb, which transmits smell from our nose to our brain. It’s closely associated with the limbic system, which controls our memories and emotions. Essentially our nose is like an expressway to our feelings. It’s no wonder that the perfect scent can make us feel like nothing else can.

Speaking of scents our StarLytes candles have been created to take us all on a fragrance journey. From Luxurious Linen designed to calm and revive the senses to Pink Peony designed to life the spirit. But have you ever wondered what give one our fragrance its aroma?

Notes’ are descriptions of scents in a fragrance, and each fragrance consists of three different levels.

Top Note

The initial, lighter smell of the fragrance which lasts around 8-15 minutes. Examples of these notes include citruses, powdery scents and light florals. The top notes give us our first impression of a fragrance.

Heart or Middle Note

Middle notes are the second wave of a fragrance; these notes develop after the top note clears. Heart notes most often include heavier floral scents.

Base Note

The last to develop. This is where you will smell the bolder notes of the scent, such as smokes and leathers. They add depth to a fragrance and generally aren’t noticeable until a short time after the fragrance appears.

These three layers called the fragrance triangle will compete with each other to create the scent we smell. So the next time you’re enjoying a familiar and fruity scent remember there’s more to fragrance than meets the nose.