Scents are some of the most evocative avenues of capturing memory we have access to. There is something about smelling a familiar scent that make you feel like you’re right back in the moment when you first encountered it.
Though it is impossible to really travel back in time and relive certain moments, experiencing scent memories may be the closest method we have to doing so. If you’re like me and often feel consumed by a longing to return to a previous time in your life, I suggest reconnecting with scents from that time.
We as humans move about the world primarily through sight. However, the survival of our ancestors relied on their sense of smell, and these primitive instincts still exist in our brains. Consequently, we associate emotions and memories with certain smells.
Changing your personal scent with the seasons isn’t a new concept, but there is certainly a sense of renewal that comes with it. Just as scents can bring us back to who we once were, they can also serve as representations of who we are now. Whether it’s through scented candles, body lotions, soaps or perfumes, adopting a different scent with each season can be a subtle but extremely powerful way to stay connected to yourself in the present.
Most people favor light, citrusy scents in the summertime and switch over to cozier, woody scents in the autumn. As a result, we associate these scent categories become associated with those seasons, giving allowing us to mentally transport back to those seasons whenever we smell them.
These are some common scent categories that people gravitate towards during the fall months.
Gourmands
Scents that feature sweet, edible notes reminiscent of baked goods and sweet treats are often characterized as gourmand, a term which originally describes someone who loves to eat. Baking becomes more enjoyable during the colder months due to the warmth and comfort it provides — gourmand scents have the same effect. There is a sense of grounded comfort provided by these fragrances.
The sweet, creamy notes of gourmand scents evoke a sense of warmth and gentleness that we search for when the weather gets colder and the days become shorter. Year after year, these scents call us back to previous seasons, giving us comfort through the nostalgia they provide. Gourmand fragrances seem to wrap us in memory, reminding us of simpler, cozier moments even as we create new ones.
Smoky, spicy scents
Scents with spicy or woody notes comprise the more sophisticated, abstract side of the fall fragrance range. These types of scents tend to feel more mature than a sweet gourmand, providing a scent profile that is dimensional and energetic. Amber, cinnamon, clove and sandalwood notes give any basic scent an element of excitement, which can be perfect for embracing new changes with the autumn season.
These types of notes provide an invigorating element to any fall fragrance. They possess a quality of vitality that can make any home or space feel alive, providing a spark in cold autumn weather.
Pumpkin and apple
Pumpkin and apple are perhaps the most classically autumn scent characteristics and are often heavy with the nostalgia of seasons past. They are the notes most reminiscent of fall. A single whiff can conjure memories of orange leaves crunching underfoot, a stroll through an orchard or a gathering around a table full of comfort food.
The familiar notes of apple pies baking in an oven or pumpkin spice beverages carry not only pleasant aromas but the emotional texture of the fall season itself. These fresh apple and pumpkin scents are more than simply agents of nostalgia, though; they are tangible reminders of the passage of time and past versions of ourselves. They allow us to revisit who we once were while also grounding us with who we are still becoming.
The quiet beauty of scent is that it never exists only in the past; each time we encounter a certain scent, we associate it with a new memory or layer of experience. A cinnamon vanilla candle that once brought you cozy solitude while studying might now symbolize a new opportunity or a season of change. Smells of freshly baked Thanksgiving desserts or of a walk through an apple orchard remind us that we can return to the same scents each year, yet they always have the potential to mean something slightly different than they did the year before.
As the days become shorter and the air becomes chillier, allow yourself to embrace your favorite scents of the fall season. Let them serve not just as reminders of the past but as time capsules open to new memories you can look back on for years to come.
