Is vanilla a scent that can take you back to your childhood with just a whiff? Do you feel at ease just by being near camomile? If you have, then you know first-hand the impact a scent can have on your senses. And this is all due to the olfactory bulb, the part of the brain responsible for detecting scents located in the limbic system, the same area of the brain that stores emotions and memories.
That’s why a certain scent can instantly transport you back in time to a specific moment in your life. It’s been shown that different scents can have opposite effects on you, either energising you or calming you, based on the notes and the concentration. To make the most of this knowledge, you can use the help of selected fragrances in your home to create a warm and homely atmosphere that would be deeply rooted in your memory.
Ways of Incorporating Fragrances at Home
Wax or Soy Candles
Most people favour lighting a scented candle when they want to fill their home with a pleasant aroma. Candles are the most widely used form of home fragrance because they not only give off a lovely scent but also create a relaxing atmosphere with their soft light and decorative containers.
Paraffin wax has a higher melting point because of its crystal structure. This will shorten the life of your candles because it takes more energy to burn. When compared to paraffin wax candles, soy wax candles have a lower melting point and a longer burn time. Compared to the paraffin counterparts, the soy based their fragrance more effectively.
Candles, while beautiful, do require some upkeep and are thus best suited for high-traffic areas like living rooms and kitchens. Once the melt pool reaches the edges of the jar, the fragrance is released, but only if you commit to at least three hours of burn time and regularly maintain the wick.
Oil Burners
Scented oils burned in decorative oil burners have been used for centuries to create ambience in a space. Although similar to the diffusers, the burners vaporise scents either with heat from electricity or candles. On top of this, they’re cheaper, and come in a range of designs and styles, the most common being the burner with cup-shaped holder where you add water and your choice of oils, plus with a space underneath and another holder where you add the candle as the heating source.
Buying an oil burner is great as it would also get you more involved in aromatherapy. Don’t feel surprised if after you acquire it you want to get your hands on a subscription box of essential oils to vaporise or even create your own unique blends for a customised fragrance in your home. Although easy to use, you need to be cautious with how and where you use the burner if it’s that with candles.
Put a half to three-quarters-full water glass on top and add three to five drops of the chosen oil. Burn a candle at the burner’s base and keep out of the reach of children, pets, and anything that could catch fire. The oil and water will heat and evaporate, filling the room with a pleasant aroma. Besides the pleasant scents, another benefit of using one of the fancy essential oil burners Australia homeware shops have is that it looks nice and can serve as a beautiful home décor piece.
Some of the popular designs include the burners with holders made from ceramics, copper, and even soapstone. The reason these are the preferred choices is because they’re low in maintenance, however to simplify the process, be sure to clean them up after every use. As for the oil burners themselves, you’re sure to find lots of choices material-wise, but if you care about decoration a wooden design is perfect to team up with your wood furniture.
Wax Melts
To avoid the dangers of burning wicks, you can use wickless candles or wax melts and warmers. Fragrant wax melts and diffuses into the air when warmed without flame. A room can be perfumed with melted wax in a matter of minutes, but warmers can be a bit of a pain to maintain because of the constant need to empty the container and refill it with a new fragrance.
Diffusers
Reed diffusers are another flameless alternative for use in private areas like bathrooms, entryways, and laundry rooms. Reed diffusers, in contrast to their plug-in counterparts, don’t need access to electricity; however, finding the sweet spot for fragrance output may take some trial and error.
When the sticks dry out, the aroma can become overpowering if you turn them over all at once. In order to prevent the reed diffuser from being accidentally knocked over, it should be displayed in a secure location. Spilled diffuser oil can leave stains on carpets and upholstery, negating the calming effects of aromatherapy. Diffusers that use essential oils are essentially humidifiers with added benefits, as they not only clean the air but also fragrance it.
Gel Beads and Sprays
The use of a room spray can provide a quick infusion of scent in a pinch. Room sprays are great for quickly masking odours in small spaces like bathrooms, kitchens, and closets, despite the fact that the scent fades after a few sprays. Similar to how candles take time to fill a large room with aroma, scented gel beads and plug-in fragrance diffusers fill a small room with aroma quickly but continuously.
Incense Sticks
The act of striking a match and burning a stick of incense is described as “very elemental, analogue, and balanced.” To fill the room with fragrant smoke, light a stick of Palo Santo and let it burn for one minute. Palo Santo, a type of tree native to South America, has naturally scented properties with hints of mint and citrus, while incense comes in a wide range of fragrances.
Dried Fruit
Got some extra citrus peels hanging around your home? Did you know that you can dehydrate grapefruits, oranges, lemons, and limes to use in a fruity citrus wreath? Dust the dried fruit with fine glitter for a sparkly touch, then attach the slices to a foam wreath form with straight pins. Mount the wreath above your fireplace to infuse the room with a fresh citrus scent usually very popular with children!
