Don’t you just love the fresh, crisp air that returns every spring? Whether you’re into the floral notes, the organic allure of fresh cut grass, or the zesty burst of citrusy essential oils, there’s always an array of time-tested fragrances and scents that are fun and rewarding to explore every year.
Scents and smells are intrinsically bound to colours. We associate powerful aromas with deep and rich hues. And since the most trending colours of 2017 are all about vividness, revitalization and refreshment, our scent choices below reference back to these emerging influences.
There are a multitude of ways you can bring the refreshing smells of nature right into your home, be it through oil diffusers, incense-style burning, candles, or simply boiling with water.
LAVENDER
Lavender helps to eliminate feelings of stress and nervous tension, and can even assist blood circulation and treat respiratory problems. It had a mild sleep-inducing quality that make it a great addition to the bedroom, or resting quarters of your home. It also acts as a good bug repellent, so you can use it on your patio or sun porch. Its tonic odour is floral and piney, and has a fresh camphor smell to it.
ROSEMARY & LEMON
Occupying a space somewhere between cool freshness and rich warmth, the combination of rosemary and lemon is a great way to balance the scent of your home to feel clean, crisp, and comfy. Simply slice a lemon or two and mix with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary in a pot of water. Boil for an hour or so to infuse your home with the vaporized smells of both these beautiful ingredients.
PINE/CEDAR
Boasting freshness in spades, these well known tree scents can inspire powerful bouts of revitalization and decrease feelings of stress. Pine in particular is packed with vitamin C, much like citrus fruits, and is used to alleviate tension and anxiety and inspire calmness. In Japan, the scent of pine has long been used in a practice called ‘shinrin-yoku,’ or “taking in the atmosphere of the forest.” Studies have shown that walks through pine forests can significantly reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
Cedar is much the same - a vibrant scent teeming with liveliness and an almost minty goodness. Both pine, cedar needles and bows can be boiled in water to release their scent, but can also be found in the form of essential oils. What’s more, pine and cedar can be burnt in the home, much like incense. A subtle scent of campfire smoke can do wonders for the atmosphere of a stuffy room. Try burning a small amount of pine or cedar in the living room to inspire conversation, decrease stress and initiate deep breathing reminiscent of walks in the woods.
BEESWAX
The most natural and purest form of wax comes directly from nature and features a stunningly warm honey scent when burned in the home. The scent is rich, inviting, and comforting, while at the same time fosters an organic character that helps to freshen and liven up your abode. Beeswax candles are virtually dripless, and burn cleaner than traditional paraben candles. The yellow amber colouring provides a gentle and pleasant ambiance, which makes a beeswax candle the perfect companion for reading nooks, bedrooms and living room mantelpieces.
CITRUS
Known for its ability to spark a fire in people, citrus is piping hot with energizing zests and aromas. Fruits like lime, lemon, grapefruit and orange all help to increase mental alertness and sharpness. Lime essential oils offer the strongest citrus scents, and is a key ingredient in our All Natural Glass Cleaner. Lemon and grapefruit, meanwhile, can provide you with a lasting aroma for hours on end. Oranges, including blood oranges and bitter oranges, are quite warm by comparison, but any citrus scent is always a great addition to the home office, kitchen, or living room.
FLORAL
Old school and traditional floral notes are staples of every springtime mentality. Bringing flowers into the home has been a tradition of many cultures and households for generations, and takes its inspiration from bringing the outdoors inside. Notes like lavender, rose, hibiscus, lily, daisy, and other pollinators makes for a signature scent that we all associate with springtime. Further, the visual presence and floral notes of flowers can unto itself inspire us to breathe deeper and quite literally take the time to ‘stop and smell the roses.’
SAGE
Sage isn’t just a great smelling herb - it’s been used as a spiritual cleanser by First Nations groups throughout North America for eons. It is also anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and disinfectant substance. Its smell is both warm and inviting, and rings remnants of campfire, clove, and subtle pine. Sage also stimulates the brain, nervous and circulatory systems. Try this herb all around the house for an invigorating, natural, and purposeful scent.
GINGER
Often called the oil of empowerment, ginger is said to instill feelings of strength and motivation in its users. The aroma of ginger is powerful, sharp, and glowing. It blends exceptionally well with allspice and citrus scents, rosemary, and eucalyptus. Because of its strength, ginger should be used sparingly until you know your tolerance to its scent. In an oil diffuser, ginger paired with lemon creates a vibrant and energizing aroma that’s sure to please.
LEMONGRASS
An aroma known to inspire cleansing feelings, lemongrass is both citrusy and grassy (go figure!) allowing for the refreshing scent of spring to enter the home and liven up the space with bright, zesty citrus scents. Its subtle nature can also be a tad pungent if you happen to enjoy burning the grass to release its aroma. Lemongrass is similar in scope to rosemary, and can help to clear energy from a busy home. You can either boil lemongrass in its natural form, burn it as incense, or use as an essential oil in a diffuser. Lemongrass pairs particularly well with geranium, lavender and eucalyptus oils.
ROMAN/ENGLISH CHAMOMILE
The ancient Romans used chamomile as a scent to inspire mental clarity and courage. Its aroma is chalked-full of fruits, herbs, and grasses, and has a touch of sweetness to it. Said to soothe the systems of the body, chamomile is a staple ingredient of many herbal teas and body rubs thanks to its therapeutic effect on the mind and body. When used as a scent for the home, chamomile can prepare you for a great night’s sleep, making it a great scent to experiment with in the bedroom, or even for late night conversation. Chamomile pairs very well with sage and lavender. It can be boiled to release its scent - even used as a bath bomb.
-
Do you have any favourite scents from nature? Comment below or visit our Facebook page to continue the discussion.
