Spring Fragrance Simmer

Fragrance can evoke powerful memories and intense emotion.  This Spring Fragrance Simmer is not an exception.

Think oven-baked cinnamon buns, fresh cut grass……or wet dog (sorry!)  Much like an audio track, scent also provides a background that enriches our daily lives and connects memories to them. Fragrance can soothe, stimulate, even irritate. Neuroscience claims that the sense of smell may have a stronger link to memory and emotion than any of our other senses. Taste, sight, sound and touch are relayed to the thalamus which then sends information to relevant parts of the brain for processing. Two of these areas are the hippocampus (responsible for memory) and the amygdala (emotional processing). Interestingly, scent entirely skips the thalamus “middleman” and goes straight to the olfactory bulb which is directly plugged into those memory/emotional processing areas.  Real estate agents aren’t kidding when they demand scented candles or baking off chocolate chip cookies for open house day; science backs them up!

Personally, I am a fan of lilacs, fresh-mown grass or anything that conjures up holiday baking or my grandmother.  And, honestly, the scent of coconut sun oil can make me close my eyes and sigh.  How about you?  What scents move and inspire you?

In an effort to incorporate pleasant fragrant snapshots into my daily life, I have sample-sniffed enough candle jars to induce dizziness.  I have dabbled in essential oils like a pharmaceutical witch and spritzed enough rose petal spray to embalm my home for the ages. 

Fragrance Options

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I adore the romanticism of candlelight in any season of the year. It is with wax and wicks that I truly began considering scent as it relates to cleaner living. Bottom line, many candles contain toxic ingredients. Countless department store brands are adorned with beautiful names and graphics but may be constructed with lead-core wicks and petroleum-based waxes. There are safer, greener options to choose from and I look forward to chatting about that in another post.

Essential oils, on the other hand, enchant my inner hippie. They are highly aromatic, concentrated, volatile liquids which are distilled from plants. And, they have been around for centuries. I’m inclined to pour them into a diffuser to change up the mood in a room; spritz them with vinegar and water on my countertops for an eco-friendly cleanse; or deposit dreamy droplets on my pillow for a peaceful night’s sleep.  

Although that “part perfume/part potion” reputation of essential oil can be appealing, it is important to do your homework. There are a number of factors that impact the safety and quality of the intended use of your oils.  Those key words in my description above are important to pay attention to: concentrated and volatile.  Seek out a reputable resource on the subject of oils so you can enjoy this fragrance choice safely.  

Kitchen Simmers

While seeking safe, clean fragrance choices, a work colleague had gifted me a simmer pack during the holidays. It brought to mind how my grandmother would set a small pan of water over the gas stove flame and sprinkle in pantry spices before company arrived. When cinnamon, nutmeg and clove are at a simmer, the house smells like the holidays.  Intensify the fragrance layers by substituting the water out with apple cider, orange or cranberry juice. Your refrigerator and cupboard always have spices, fruits and herbs available that reflect the season.  In the spring, we are looking forward to fresh breezes, new buds on the trees and a sense of awakening.

This Spring Fragrance Simmer is bright and citrus-y.  The vanilla and rosemary add warm and appealing undertones.  Welcome in the new season with this fresh simmer pot.  You can cool it and store it in a jar to get a few fragrant uses from it.

Related Links:

If you are interested in other seasonal fragrances, you might like these:

• Grain Alcohol Sanitizing Spray (nice lemon scent for cleaning)
• Valentine’s Day Fragrance Simmer
• Pumpkin Spice Project (3-part muffin recipe, aromatherapy, and bird seed project)
• Holiday Fragrance Simmer