Good morning all and happy Spring Break!
Thanks so much for all of the entries for the Daman book giveaway! We have a couple of days left before it is over, so if you haven't entered yet, get cracking!
We got so much done this weekend. I started off Saturday by weed whacking the yard and then fixing the gate to my garden. I then went to Home Depot and bought lots of plants for the garden. I bought: Sweet Basil, Cinnamon Basil, Yellow Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, three different varieties of Tomatoes, Zucchini, Lavender, and Jalapenos.
Working in the garden with all of those sweet smelling plants (Lavender, Basil, Rosemary...) just made me feel so good and calm. It was therapeutic to work in the dirt and see progress in my effort.
This morning I saw
this article about how fragrance can help make you happy. By now, most of us if not all, have heard or used aromatherapy to elevate our spirits or calm our senses, but I thought the refresher was a great idea as well as timely.
According to the article, the sense of smell has the shortest pathway to the brain and can affect mood very quickly. Yes! So taking care of your skin, putting on your makeup, perfume, doing your hair, all of that can really affect your mood due to the pleasurable experience of application as well as the use of fragrance in those products to elevate mood. Now we have even more reason to primp and preen!
So, what is a happy scent? Here are a few:
Lavender aids relaxation
Roses and heliotrope have a sedative affect (I have to remember this for the next time I take a flight)
Cucumber and green apple help with claustrophobia
Citrus has been shown to have invigorating properties that aid concentration and boost spirits
Did you know that part of the benefits of some anti-aging products is that they use fragrance to calm and relax? They help us to be less stressed and therefore we are less likely to make expressions that make us look older? Who knew? I've also noticed that some of them use citrus fragrances. It would seem to give the impression that they are "working" because they smell "invigorating."
But the best way to make an instant "boost" to ones demeanor is to use perfume.
I have to confess that I haven't bought any new perfume, or had any given to me in a very long time. That isn't to say I don't use perfume, I just don't use it that often since I had small children. Now that the rascals are getting bigger, I find that I do wear perfume more often. Which brings me to this story:
6 years ago when I was planning our wedding, I read an article about a perfume called
Child. Actress Jennie Garth raved that every time she wore it, men would go crazy or some similar response. So, on a whim, I ordered a small rollerball of it. It is rather pricey perfume and I didn't want to pay a fortune for something that I may not like. I did like it and I do get compliments when I wear it. Recently I had not worn it for a while, so I put some on for a trip to Wal-mart with the family. (Insert Wal-mart joke here!) As I was at the pharmacy counter, the young (in high school) man behind the counter looked up and said, "Wow, you smell great!" I sheepishly thanked him and told him that I hadn't worn perfume in a while. He then told me I need to wear it all of the time. Later my husband asked me about the guy "flirting" with me at the pharmacy. I told him about our conversation and he agreed that I should wear it more often.
Anyway, I guess my point is that fragrance is a part of our lives and affects us in ways we may not be aware of. Whether it is the subliminal impression a beauty company wants us to have about the products we use, or how others may perceive or appreciate us, fragrance is everywhere and can be a morale boost.
Out of curiosity, what fragrance do you wear? What products do you love that have a fragrance and how do they make you feel?
