The human sense of scent and fragrance is awesomely powerful. It is one of the most sensitive senses we have – we can detect molecules even at a concentration as low as one part per billion – a concentration of 0.0000001%. Around 3% of our human genes are involved in scent detection, and humans can detect around 10,000 different odours.
Not only that, but with the detection of scents comes an unique emotional reaction. There are direct connections between the effects of a smell and the parts of the brain associated with emotions and memories. The olfactory nerve (smell) travels right next to the amygdala and the hippocampus, both involved with strong emotions, memories and learning.
This is the reason why fragrances evoke very strong associations with situations and places. They embed deep-seated recollections which reach back to our childhood. Fragrances affect people differently, based on their cultures, hpast experiences, and expectations. Whether we realise it or not, we all have a relationship with fragrance, deeply embedded in our psyche. We experience fragrance similarly to the way we experience music – it influences our brain systems involved with perception and memory.
In the words of a research paper:
Odours are uniquely capable of eliciting emotion. The first and most basic response we have to any scent is liking/disliking—a hedonic emotional response… Why olfaction is so potently tied to emotion is due to the mechanism by which odours come to acquire meaning, associative learning, and the neurological organization of olfaction and emotion.
Neurobiology of Sensation and Reward. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011
So is easy to understand how scents around us have a real and powerful effect on our mood. Further investigative studies on this subject can be found here, here and here.
The Master Perfumer
At Viveur, we offer our clients the opportunity to integrate quality fragrances into the ambience of any space. In doing so we are privileged to be able to work with one of the very few independent master perfumers in the world, Lorenzo Dante Ferro.
“Master Perfumers make it their personal quest to develop a fragrance creation which is beautiful and harmonic: almost as part of a personal mission. In this way perfumers become true ambassadors of the world: representing the hundreds of people who have painstakingly cultivated fields, gathered thousands of flowers and plants to extract into absolutes or distil into precious essential oils for perfume is a labour of love which expresses the very essence of civilization.
When one makes this consideration, the philosophy behind fine fragrance creation grows increasingly more important, for a bottle of perfume is a precious, living and expressive medium that contains the world” – Lorenzo Dante Ferro.
The creation of an exclusive fragrance requires many hours of delicate attention. It uses all the creativity, experience, sensitivity and culture of the true artisan. The accuracy required in analysing and measuring the impact of each of the many ingredients, is a sight to behold.
The results of using fragrance
So how do we translate this unique human ability to enhance our client experiences?
The answer is first we must understand the cultural and geographical background of the users, so as to provide a fragrance with a relevant emotional connection. As part of our truly personalised service, we will explore the client’s fragrance relationship, including their own personal fragrances and the plants most often found in their areas of the world. Clients can visit the perfume studio in person and spend the necessary time there to experience the process for themselves.
Once a fragrance has been selected or created with the aid of the Master Perfumer, Viveur will use our own diffusion technology to distribute the scents delicately and accurately throughout the chosen interiors. Wind down in the evening with the calming scent of lavender, relaxing the body and and mind to improve sleep quality. Awaken refreshed in the morning with the energising scent of mandarin, leaving you in peak condition for the day.
To understand more about how fragrance can enhance your experiences, and to select specific fragrance types that you appreciate, try our design tool here.
