Scent of Desire and researcher on the psychological science of smell.
Smell and emotional memory have a fundamental neurological link, making it possible (but not guaranteed) to change your mood with a whiff of freshly baked cookies. But thereâs a catch: Our brains quickly acclimate to scentsâ15 minutes, maxâso a single candle will only go so far.
âMy recommendation is to have a bunch of different scents to create emotional atmospheres and transport yourself somewhere else,â Herz says. When stocking your scent library, consider personal significance. Scents linked to memory, like a flower you grew up smelling or a perfume worn on a special vacation, are especially emotionally potent.