According to Health Impact News article, “Fragrances contain chemicals that have narcotic-like properties. The substances might not produce a traditional narcotic high, but they do cause dependency, which triggers the need for repeated use of the product to avoid the discomfort and irritability of withdrawal.”
In the World of PAIRFUM, a 'CognoScenti' is a person who 'Loves' perfume. In other words, a connoisseur who can distinguish between a good and a bad fragrance. Somebody who would not be able to, or even wish to create a perfume themselves.
Perfume Evokes Feelings
Perfumes are much more than just a smell. They have the power to evoke feelings of love, energy, power, happiness, awe, sensuality and peace. One of the most common feelings is lust.
Gasoline, coffee, glue or wet earth, these addictive smells obsess us. They have the power to send us back to distant memories.
Many studies describe that the inhalation of fragrances highly affect the brain function since the fragrance compounds are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and interact with receptors in the central nervous system [7,8].
There are MORE chemicals in perfume and cologne than in cigarette smoke. Each puff of cigarette smoke has 250 chemicals while perfume and cologne can have up to 3000 different chemicals that make up a signature scent.
They may smell sweet, but fragrances can make a person feel sick. About 1 in 3 people report having health problems when exposed to fragranced products. Those problems include asthma attacks, hay fever, headache, migraine, dizziness, breathing problems, rashes, congestion, nausea and seizures.
Scientists believe that our sense of smell ties directly into our limbic system, the process responsible for our memory and feelings – which is what makes it so powerful. It is why I am so obsessed with scent – a wonderful scent, combined with a powerful memory, becomes a marker for that experience.
According to Health Impact News article, “Fragrances contain chemicals that have narcotic-like properties. The substances might not produce a traditional narcotic high, but they do cause dependency, which triggers the need for repeated use of the product to avoid the discomfort and irritability of withdrawal.” So, yes.
Soothing scents such as lavender can relax women, leading to increased feelings of arousal. Vanilla is a crowd-pleasing scent that both men and women find attractive. Applying peppermint on your lips can help you seal the deal with your date.
There's a simple, psychological explanation for how scent works to boost your mood. "Smells through the olfactory system have strong ties to the memory and fear centered of the brain (its why we love that new baby smell or can pick up smoke or gas smells as a warning super quickly)," said Dr. Appleton.
So why does scent smell so different on everyone? “The pH balance of the skin differs slightly, which can change the way a scent smells," says Donovan. Use a shower gel designed for sensitive skin that will help keep your pH in check. “Scent can even be affected by your diet,” he adds.
According to research, men are attracted to the fragrances that claim aphrodisiac tendencies such as vanilla and cinnamon. They are also attracted to Vetiver, the grass indigenous to India which has a similar smell to that of a lemongrass.
You can stop buying perfume all of the time by limiting your full-sized bottle purchases only to your signature scents and a few other scents for variety. The good news is that there's no need to get pinchpenny about your perfume collection.
If an “aromatherapy” product is intended to treat or prevent disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body, it's a drug.
The link between scent and sex
While they can't tap into our noses, perfume adverts can tap into our emotions through erotic advertising. Our sense of smell is strongly tied to our emotions and sexual desires, we can create deep emotional connections to various smells and this is exactly what perfume adverts play on.
Too much fragrance not only is a turnoff, it can give people migraines or even allergic reactions. The problem is that some people don't have a very good sense of smell or they've become desensitized to the fragrance they wear every day. According to TLC, wearing too much perfume can also be an indicator of depression.
Too little will go unnoticed, and too much will attract attention for all the wrong reasons, as well as getting up your own nose – but how many sprays is too many? We recommend no more than 5, no less than 2 and space them out (wrists, neck and body) to make the scent even.
Olfactory adaptation
The fact that we no longer smell our perfume is part of a physiological process of olfaction. With our own scent, the stimulation of our olfactory sensors is permanent. This is also the case with the smell of our home, or a perfume that we wear very often.
University of Kent research suggests that men can distinguish between the scents of sexually aroused and non-aroused women. The detection of sexual arousal through smell may function as an additional channel in the communication of sexual interest and provide further verification of human sexual interest.
The answer has to do with hormones—specifically, pheromones. “Pheromones are chemicals that animals and humans produce, which change and influence the behavior of another animal or human of the same species,” says Erica Spiegelman, wellness specialist, recovery counselor, and author of The Rewired Life.
Turns out, female horniness may have a distinct scent, and men can apparently pick up on it. According to new research from the University of Kent, men can distinguish between the scent of a woman who's turned on and one who's not feeling it.
Here's the bad news: Synthetic chemicals in products like plastics and fragrances can mimic hormones and interfere with or disrupt the delicate endocrine dance. We're exposed to these chemicals daily, and we're especially vulnerable to them during phases of accelerated development—in utero and throughout childhood.
Tissue Test. To test whether you're heavy handed with your favourite fragrance, spray it on as you normally would. Wait for five seconds and then dab a tissue on the spot. If the tissue sticks, it's a sure sign you've gone overboard.
Schlessinger has some bad news: Being around perfume or cologne can actually be dangerous for those who are allergic. "Common symptoms range from headaches, watery eyes, and sneezing to dizziness, asthma attacks, and difficulty breathing," he warns.