Creating a mood with scents
Have you ever noticed how the warm scent of a candle wafting through the air can be uplifting, energizing, or make you feel warm inside? Or maybe there's a certain body spray, soap, or perfume that just keeps you going through the day.
Did you wonder why maybe that lemon-scented candle smelled fresh and seemed to energize you or even motivate you to clean? Or why the aroma of baking bread made you feel safe and secure? Wonder no longer, study after study has shown that scents do affect your mood! Take a look below of some scents that can really enhance your moods:
Home made air freshner
Don't fill the air in the your home with chemicals. Making your own room freshner is a breeze. Use the juice of three lemons and a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and fill with water. For a longer lasting spray, add several drops of lemon essential oil to a bottle of distilled water.
You can use this recipe and add any scent to your home by using a few drops of essential oil to the mix.
Infuse the air with incense
There is always at least one stick of incense burning somewhere in my home. I find the scented perfume relaxing and it has a calming effect when I'm feeling stressed, not to mention that my home always smells lovely. You'll find hundreds of different scents and I like to try different ones all the time, remembering which ones are my favourites for special occasions or adding specific scents to perk me up or calm me down.
Aromatic oils
Using an oil burner with a small tealight candle is a very affordable way to add scents to your home. I find that adding warm water to the burner cup and then a few drops of essential oil lasts much longer and softens the strength so that it is not too overpowering. Here are some essential oils that you might like in your home:
Citrus - Energy
Need a pick-me-up? Grab a cup of java and light a citrus candle, citrus scents enhance energy and boost mood; so look for candles with lemon, lime, grapefruit, verbena, or orange scents (neroli).
Lavender - Relaxation
When it's time to wind down try burning a lavender candle. In studies, lavender has been found to correlate with slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and lower arterial pressure. It has also been found to decrease muscle tension. Other scents that have been found to have relaxing effects are bergamot and sandalwood.
Juniper - Uplifting, Clean
If you want to create a cheerful, clean environment in your home, choose candles scented with mint or pine. Often these scents can be not only uplifting and motivating, but just give that "clean" feel. When you or your guests walk in, these scents will be a fresh breeze to welcome anyone.
Jasmine, Gardenia, Sandalwood, and Rose - Romantic
There's romance in the air if you're burning scents such as these. Floral and woody scents give that wistful, romantic feel to a room.
Season Enhancing Scents
Delve into the season with your favourite candles scents! Autumn's a great time for burning spicy candles, as is winter. To create that cosy winter environment, choose cinnamon, apple, berry, and pine candles. Fresh candle scents such as cucumber melon are great for spring, as well as fresh cut grass candles which carry into summer. Nothing says summer like a nice citrus candle scent drifting through the air.