Blog

03.04.25

Over the past four years of exploring scent, I’ve come to understand how profoundly it influences the human mind. Scent bypasses conscious thought; it is an immediate, instinctual response. Unlike other senses that require interpretation—like sight or sound—scent is processed almost instantaneously. There’s no internal monologue of “I think that smells bad”— there is simply “That smells bad.”

This is because scent is processed by the olfactory system, which has a direct link to the limbic system—the part of the brain responsible for emotions, memory, and instinct. Unlike visual or auditory stimuli, which must pass through the thalamus (the brain’s sensory relay center), scent molecules bind directly to receptors in the nose, sending signals straight to the olfactory bulb. This direct pathway is why certain smells can trigger deep emotional memories or reactions before we even recognize them.

The more we train our noses to distinguish between scents, the more we expand our sensory awareness of the world. Learning to differentiate notes in fragrance—whether in natural oils, perfumes, or even everyday environments—deepens our appreciation for the complexities of scent. Much like a musician hones their ear for sound, we can refine our ability to detect and interpret fragrance, revealing a hidden layer of beauty in the world around us.

—Shanice

02.04.25

Over the past four years of exploring scent, I’ve come to understand how profoundly it influences the human mind. Scent bypasses conscious thought; it is an immediate, instinctual response. Unlike other senses that require interpretation—like sight or sound—scent is processed almost instantaneously. There’s no internal monologue of “I think that smells bad”— there is simply “That smells bad.”

This is because scent is processed by the olfactory system, which has a direct link to the limbic system—the part of the brain responsible for emotions, memory, and instinct. Unlike visual or auditory stimuli, which must pass through the thalamus (the brain’s sensory relay center), scent molecules bind directly to receptors in the nose, sending signals straight to the olfactory bulb. This direct pathway is why certain smells can trigger deep emotional memories or reactions before we even recognize them.

The more we train our noses to distinguish between scents, the more we expand our sensory awareness of the world. Learning to differentiate notes in fragrance—whether in natural oils, perfumes, or even everyday environments—deepens our appreciation for the complexities of scent. Much like a musician hones their ear for sound, we can refine our ability to detect and interpret fragrance, revealing a hidden layer of beauty in the world around us.

—Shanice