‘SMELL IS THE
MOST EVOCATIVE
SENSE WE HAVE ’
promotion
most evocative and reactive sense we have. ‘This is called
the Proustian effect, in which aromas have more power to
elicit vivid and emotional memories than other stimuli,’
explains psychologist Dr Céline Manetta, consumer
research scientist at International Flavors & Fragrances.
So it stands to reason that, when selecting a scent, we take
all this into consideration and choose fragrances tailored
to how we want to feel: smells that can improve our mood,
optimise our performance or relax our state of mind. While
we each have our own library of smell associations that will
bring about very personal and specific feelings, some scents
work on a general level. In one study**, for instance, citrus
was shown to improve feelings of wellness, while lavender
improved mood – and both had a positive impact on task-
related performances. Other research*** has demonstrated
that people who spend time in a fragrant garden full of
aromas such as jasmine, rose, iris and peony are likely to see
a significant improvement in mood, alertness and calmness.
If it’s a feeling of sensuality that you want to conjure up,
there’s only one need-to-know note: musk. ‘At IFF, we have
a diagnostic tool that was developed
by psychologists to understand the
emotional resonance of fragrance
ingredients,’ explains Dr Manetta.
‘We’ve found that musk notes are,
emotionally speaking, the ones most
often associated with sensuality.’
Master perfumer and fragrance
historian Roja Dove agrees. ‘Musk
has the power to seduce because
it is, quite literally, an animalic
note close to the smell of our own
bodies and pheromones,’ he says.
‘Today it’s synthetically recreated
for both ethical and economic
reasons, but still enhances the
smell of our own skin, which has
a subconscious effect on those
who inhale it. The primitive part
of their sense of smell kicks in
and it’s quite the aphrodisiac.’
This affinity with human skin
has meant that, for centuries, musk
has arguably been perfumery’s
most widely used ingredient,
appearing in countless fragrances.
But in 2004, world renowned
perfumers Christine Nagel and
Francis Kurkdjian liberated
musk from its base-note comfort
zone and put it, and all its
sensuality, centre stage when
they created the original narciso
rodriguez for her eau de toilette.
Musk featured as a pivotal heart note – to a feverish
reception – and made the fragrance a global bestseller.
To this day, musk has remained at the heart of all
narciso rodriguez fragrances, each of which, in its
own way, uses the ingredient to capture feelings of
sensuality and duality in women; passionate yet
understated, elegant yet modern, intense yet pure.
Musk’s mercurial ability to enhance our natural
smell makes it a must-have ingredient for anyone
wanting to amplify their sensuality. But its simplicity
also means it can be layered with other notes, from
fruits to florals, to cleverly combine a sensual feeling
with whatever else is required – be it calm on a cosy
winter’s night, energy for the festive season or
empowerment when the moment requires it.
Since this link between our fragrance choices and
an improved state of mind is a matter of science, what
more reason do we need to exploit this olfactive alchemy
and invest in a wardrobe of fragrances that make us
feel our best selves? It would be rude not to...67
December 2019 | REDONLINE.CO.UK*NCBI.NLM.N
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11550LAYER UP
To create a perfume that’s
personal to you, tailor your
scent to your mood with clever
combinations of for her pure musc
and other narciso rodriguez
fragrances. Whether you’re looking
to bring energy or a touch of
sophistication to your day, layering
scents will open up new,
unique ways of wearing your
wardrobe of fragrance...Sensual and seductive...
Add the original for her
eau de toilette for a giddy-
making musk medleyUplifted and energised...
Blend with the peppy, peachy
pops of for her eau de parfum
for an invigorating boostCalm and peaceful...
Mix with the peony and rose
notes of for her fleur musc, or
keep it simple and wear aloneFragrances available
at johnlewis.com