Aromatherapy for better living

The Japanese have always been ahead of the curve. A while back they worked out that pumping citrus scents into the office workplace improved productivity and reduced mistakes made by data entry workers; and so they did. Incredulous? Well, read on.

C Russell Brumfield, author of Whiff! The Revolution of Scent Communication in the Information Age, claims ‘science shows that specific scents can increase sales from 20 to over 90 per cent in some studies’. It’s a claim some Las Vegas casinos have bought into; research shows the city’s scented environments report a 45 per cent increase of revenue at the slot machines. If all of this just sounds like lavender-induced hyperbole, Brumfield backs many research studies that show how essential oils and subsequent aromas are being dubbed the next generation in healthcare treatment and diagnosis. It’s no surprise, really – the human nose has 347 scent receptors, and scent does set off cognitive functions and highly effective bio-feedback triggers and treatments.

Relax using soothing home scents

On the domestic front, home scents have progressed beyond shoving some mothballs into cupboards or overzealously spritzing Haze odour neutralisers to rid cigarette smells before mum walks into the room. These days, sticks, candles, oils, mists and even the humble Glade air freshener lend our personal spaces aromatic character. 

Candles

Aqua di Parma Scent Colonia candles

They come in all shapes and forms and leave a lasting scent wherever you place them. There’s also something to be said about the mesmerising (and calming) effects of a candle’s flickering flame.

Our pick: Aqua di Parma Scent Colonia candles in elegant glass jars. The slow burning wax (each of the small candles lasts ten hours) releases a subtle, vanilla-laced amber scent.

Sprays and mists

Molton Brown Blu Maquis Air

Best used in kitchens and bathrooms, sprays and mists freshen the home with an instant burst of fragrance, eliminating cooking or musty odours.

Our pick: For a no-frills kitchen and pet odour terminator, reach for the everyday Glade Lemon Zest aerosol spray. Or splurge on the Molton Brown Blu Maquis Air room fragrance. The Mediterranean- inspired scent of rosemary, nutmeg and other spices gives off a relaxing summer vibe.

Diffusion sticks

L’Occitane Home Perfume Diffuser

These soak up fragrance slowly and release them back into the room in a gradual, long-lasting manner. The sticks fit in easily with many modern decor schemes, and can perform double duty as a sideboard centrepiece in living or dining spaces.

Our pick: If you missed this year’s sakura season, the L’Occitane Home Perfume Diffuser in Cherry Blossom is the next best thing.

Essential oils

L’Artisan Parfumeur Chez Moi

These ensure your space remains well-scented over long periods of time. ‘Essential oils when inhaled, takes only four seconds to reach the brain and can thus quickly aid in either stimulating the mind or help in relaxing,’ says Ashlyn Aw, product manager of Escentials.

Our pick: L’Artisan Parfumeur Chez Moi, a battery-powered, heat-free diffuser system using oil-infused pearls.

Combining fragrances

If you’re familiar with the practice of perfume layering, extend the habit to your home. Decorate by combining scents using pillow mists, living-room sprays and candles. Pick different themes for different rooms, ambernote scents for the bedroom, uplifting citrus ones for the bathrooms.

Our pick: Mix and match from Jo Malone’s range of products. White Jasmine Mint candles give you a floral country garden feel; heady Basil and Verbena Living Cologne to cleanse a space.

Where to buy:

• Aqua di Parma Scent Colonia candles, $157 (box of four), $105 (large candle) from Escentials, TANGS Orchard, TANGS Scent Bar and TANGS Beauty Hall (310 & 320 Orchard Road; Tel: 6732 4002)
• Glade aerosol sprays, $3 (320ml) sold island-wide at supermarkets and convenience stores.
• Molton Brown Blu Maquis Air, $76 (100ml) from Molton Brown (#B1-51 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road; Tel: 6736 4636; website)
• L’Occitane Home Perfume Diffuser in Cherry Blossom, $78 (includes 15 sticks) from L’Occitane (#02-05 Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Rd; Tel: 6738 0997; website)
• L’Artisan Parfumeur Chez Moi, $386 (for diffuser box and one pearl) from Escentials at TANGS Orchard, TANGS Scent Bar and TANGS Beauty Hall (310 & 320 Orchard Road; Tel: 6732 4002)
• Jo Malone: Living Cologne, $140 (300ml); Linen Spray, $95 (100ml); Home Candle, $115 (200g); Fragrance Combining candle (set of 3), $410/300g (#02-12B Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road; Tel: 6738 6842)