“Human beings are defenseless against scent. They can’t hide from it because they can’t see it, or touch it, or hold it. All by itself it crawls into their brains, and by the time they’re in love with it, or the person it’s coming from, it’s too late. They’re tied to it forever, through the long, tight leash of memory” - Margot Berwin, Scent of Darkness.
Ever since I was a little girl, I have been obsessed with scents. Whether it be in the form of perfume, flowers, spices, or my mother's cooking, I have always found it so interesting how scents work like a time machine. They bring us back to certain moments and memories that we thought we had forgotten. A simple whiff of perfume or the air outside can transport you back several years, several identities before the person you are now. Here are some of my favorite scents:
1. The First Day of Fall
My favorite day of the year is when the heat breaks; when I walk out of my house and the air smells like going back to school as a child in September. It is a mix of cool and warm, comforting and something brand new and exciting. It is the smell of nostalgia and making new friends. It is the smell of coming home.
2. Violets
My mother's favorite candies are called "Violets." They smell like flowers, taste like soap, and make me think of her. Most of my friends scowl whenever I offer them one, but I have grown to love the taste. I now look for the scent everywhere; in perfume, candles, lotions, detergents. I even tracked down a specific violet-scented perfume I smelled on a passerby because I simply just had to have it.
3. Garlic and Oil
This is a given for any Italian. It is the smell of Sundays and your grandmother and a delicious dinner that is about to be in the works. While the scent may stay in your hair and in your breath for days on end, nothing quite beats it. It smells like family.
4. Guerlain- La Petit Robe Noire
Every time I go on vacation, I try and buy a small bottle of perfume and wear it throughout the trip. At home, it brings you back to the beach, the mountains, or in this case, the city of love. I went to Paris with my family for the first time in high school. We had a female taxi driver who wore entirely too much perfume. With that being said, it had to be the nicest thing I'd ever smelled. After I had her write down the name, I ran and bought the perfume and it has been a favorite ever since.
5. Lavender Oil
Before you put new sheets and pillowcases on your bed, douse your mattress and pillows in lavender oil. The scent comes through the fabric and promotes sleep, stress relief, and helps reduce anxiety. It also gives your room a fresh scent that travels all throughout the house.
