Anytime I get a whiff of fresh laundry, it takes me back to my college days. I lived in a small apartment building in Orange County. Every time I passed by the community laundromat, I'd be hit by bursts of hot, laundry detergent scented air. Now whenever I smell laundry detergent, it reminds of those days. I see my apartment building & the exact section where the hot air would come out from. I can picture myself walking to my classes for the day. It's crazy that all these thoughts & emotions & memories come from one scent.
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| Favorite scent #4: Rain on asphalt |
If you want to get technical, your ability to smell comes from specialized sensory cells known as olfactory sensory neurons. These can be found in a small patch of tissue deep within your nose & the cells connect directly to your brain, according to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).
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| Favorite scent #7: Fresh baked bread |
The microscopic molecules released by the things around us stimulate these receptors, such as fresh-cut grass or your daily cup of spiced chai tea. Your sense of smell reaches the olfactory sensory neurons through two different pathways: through your nostrils & through a channel that connects the roof of the throat to the nose (NIDCD). That's why a big part of food & eating is scent as well as taste.
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| Favorite scent #21: Cinnamon |
Scents & smells can trigger memories & emotions. Scientists found evidence that odors trigger more vivid emotional memories compared to images. For example, the scent of your grandma's perfume versus just the box of her perfume. This can be both a good or a bad thing. Sometimes the smell can bring along negative emotions or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). So yeah, that's your miniature science lesson for the day.
Take a look at my 25 favorite scents & see if you like them too. Apparently I quite enjoy the smell of various foods. I don't think that's a bad thing. Some of these scents make me feel warm & cozy inside, bring me back to a particular moment in my life, or quite frankly just smell really good. Okay let's get to it.
Take a look at my 25 favorite scents & see if you like them too. Apparently I quite enjoy the smell of various foods. I don't think that's a bad thing. Some of these scents make me feel warm & cozy inside, bring me back to a particular moment in my life, or quite frankly just smell really good. Okay let's get to it.
1. Fresh laundry
2. Rose water
3. Coconut
4. Rain on asphalt
5. Sweet pea body spray
6. Soy sauce
7. Fresh baked bread
8. Incense
9. Newly purchased clothes
10. Guava
11. Ocean air
12. Sauteed onions & garlic
13. Puppies
14. Vegemite
15. Vacuumed carpet
16. A peeled orange
17. Pineapple
18. The back of my boyfriend's neck
19. Old books
20. Vanilla sugar
21. Cinnamon
22. Bonfires
23. Earl Grey tea
24. Nutella
25. Lavender
24. Nutella
25. Lavender
Love this list- old books <3
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great and unique post! It's really interesting :)
ReplyDeleteA few of your favourites are also mine: onion and garlic, bonfires, sea air and fresh laundry. But I also really love cut grass, Christmas/Easter/Thanksgiving turkey in the oven. I wouldn't necessarily put it on the list of favourites, but I had a hand cream with me on my last trip and every time I smell it it reminds me of my trip :)
Erin
http://sexycardi.blogspot.ca
I can relate about the hand cream. When I went on my trip in 2010 I used a particular perfume & I'll always remember it. :]
DeleteIt's definitely amazing how a smell can bring back so many memories. One weird one for me is the smell of homemade chili-- my Mum used to make chili every Autumn and it just reminds me of my childhood for some strange reason!
ReplyDeleteI can totally related to #18 as well haha!
www.lindseyginge.com
Homemade chili is a good one & I can understand how it would remind you of your childhood :]
DeleteI've recently started using essential oils and I love them! I can't believe how much they impact my mood. I've been having so much fun mixing my own blends! My 3 fave scents at the moment are the smell right after it rains, lavender and tea tree oil blend, and my boyfriend's pillow.
ReplyDeleteI live in southern New Mexico so rain is kind of a huge deal here. Creosote and mesquite bushes are native plants and when it rains it activates the scent of these plants and mixed together it smells like heaven. The whole town will smell amazing and it's such unique scent that often when people move away, they say it's what they miss the most. Great post!
I love essential oils as well. They can be really soothing. That's interesting about the mesquite & creosote; I bet that's such a magnificent smell. :]
DeleteSome of them are really interesting! I also like the smell of newly mowed grass :) x
ReplyDeletewww.elabellaworld.com
Newly mowed grass is a classic although not my personal fave. :]
DeleteFrom this list, I really like the smell of lavender, old books and a peeled orange. It is true that scents can trigger our memories in much a stronger way than images.
ReplyDeletehttp://modaodaradosti.blogspot.ba/
Very true. :]
DeleteThe smell of fresh laundry is probably my number one favorite scent! I'm always buying new detergents and fabric softeners! And baked bread comes in at a close second!
ReplyDeleteLauren
http://oliverstwistblog.com
I love laundry is well & trying new detergents just to find a perfect fit. I really like to brand called Ariel in the Netherlands. :]
Deletelove your list! I'd have to add babies to the list xo Jamie
ReplyDeletewww.candystilettos.com
Babies is a good one. :]
DeleteGreat listing and I must say, I love the smell of fresh baked breads too. What I love more is watching butter melt while spreading on it and finally eating it. YUM!! Ha!
ReplyDeletemissymayification.blogspot.co.uk
Watching the butter melt & then adding a little bit of garlic salt. Nothing beats that smell either. :]
DeleteLove the list! I love the smell of old books, and baked bread. Oh and the smell of pumpkin pie baking!!! Or mulled spices.
ReplyDeleteHow could I not have thought of that? Pumpkin pie & mulled spices for the win. :]
DeleteHmmm what a lovely list, we definitely share the same love of scent haha the smell of earl grey tea is one of my favourites too, especially in winter! <3
ReplyDeleteI have a new outfit post up on the blog, would love to know your thoughts:
* Electric Sunrise - Fashion and Lifestyle Blog *
x
There's something about Earl Grey tea that is so comforting. :]
DeleteYou're right certain scents bring back memories. I love the smell of vanilla extract, melting cheese and coconut. Great post.
ReplyDeletewww.stylenbeautylounge.com
Pure vanilla extract & vanilla beans are the best. :]
DeleteHands down fresh baked bread is one of my top 3 scents and what's better is I can easily baked them because I have a bread machine. Haha!
ReplyDeleteShireen | Reflection of Sanity
Wow if only I had a bread machine. It would make baking bread that much simpler! :]
DeleteThis is the best post ! Scents are the greatest, I feel like they are very unappreciated - one of my favorites is gas... so weird but it's just so good.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jess
Http://jessprainstyle.com
You're not the only one who likes gasoline, Jess. It's a popular favorite scent. :]
DeleteI LOVEEE fresh laundry, soysauce, lavendar, incense !
ReplyDeletethank you so much for visiting my blog! I'm a new follower of yourrs!
Lauren xx | <a href="http://laurlauu.blogspot.co.uk”>laurlauu.blogspot.co.uk</a>
And thank you for stopping by, Lauren. :]
DeleteThis post was so unique! I loved it! I love going into a bakery and smelling their freshly cooked bread! MOUTH WATERING!
ReplyDelete-xoxo, Shell
(http://acourageousbeauty.com/)
Mouthwatering is absolutely the right term to use. :D
DeleteI agree with this post. Love fresh laundry, the smell of old books or newspaper, the smell of new books, lavender, roses, the smell after rain and the yummy smell of fresh baked bread.
ReplyDeleteHannie Arden,
huemorist.blogspot.com.
The smell of newspaper is a good one & roses too. :]
DeleteWhat an interesting post! I personally love the smell of laundry and bread.
ReplyDeleteAvanti
xxx
avantigarde.wordpress.com
pretty interesting post, my dear
ReplyDelete'm loving the fresh-baked bread and the grass after the rain, my favourite scents, and of course, the lavender and the jasmine
kisses
http://www.theitalianglam.com/
Gotta love jasmine. :]
DeleteSuch an original post!
ReplyDeleteFresh bread is indeed yummy.
I personally like the smell of wet wood.
Celien | The Losing Struggle
If you'd like to follow each other on Bloglovin, just comment on my blogposts and let me know!
Cute post idea :) My favorite smells are probably vanilla and the smell of fresh grass aftera heavy rain :D
ReplyDeletexo-marie.blogspot.com
Those are great ones Marie. :]
DeleteSuch a fun and different post! I love the smell of freshly baked bread, grass, and the smell of old books :)
ReplyDeletewww.thesparklingdarling.com
great list! I don't know my favorite scent yet though :(
ReplyDeleteDice, Wildest Heart
Keep sniffing. :]
Deletesuch a lovely pics
ReplyDeletehttp://abdelkhalekleblog.blogspot.com/
What a fantastic ida for a blog post. I'm always curious to know what the favourite smells of others are, so it was a brilliant insight to discover yours. My favourite scents include freshly-baked bread, cinnamon and funnily enough, petrol!
ReplyDeleteGabrielle | A Glass Of Ice
x
Those are some great & classic scents, Gabrielle. :]
DeleteThe science of scent is incredibly interesting and I'm so glad you shared this on the blog!
ReplyDeleteThere's one particular scent that always reminds me of my childhood -- the smell of a freshly switched-on air conditioner, if that makes sense. I used to spend ALL of my time in a particular air conditioned room when I was younger, and those were definitely the best times of my life. So, whenever I smell that, I just remember the old days and feel a myriad of emotions, mostly nostalgia. It's incredible.
May | THE MAYDEN
That's a really interesting & intricate one, May. Thanks for sharing a little bit about yourself. :]
DeleteFab post, Carmen! I think we all have tonnes of memories that are brought back with something as simple as a scent. I had it yesterday in a shop when somebody walked past wearing the perfume my late psychology teacher used to wear! The other scent I absolutely love is Oleander flowers... they smell just like play dough - seriously! It's so good!
ReplyDeleteSuzy x
www.suzyturner.com
That's so cool, Suzy. Isn't it crazy to think what kind of memories come up with the particular smell? Memories we wouldn't even recall otherwise. :]
DeleteThis was the most lovely Saturday read, thank you! xx
ReplyDeleteMy Little “Gypset” Box Review
I LOVE your list! Girl, so good. I was expecting like, plum notes in a Guerlain perfume, but you made it AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteMy 3 favs? I'll say bergamot (and cornflowers in a cuppa of Earl Grey), patchouli, and freshly baked rye bagels with cumin seeds (I worked in a kosher bakery for a time).
I do have a couple favorite perfumes but nothing on my most favorite list. I understand you're liking for the rye bagels. I worked in a bakery myself at one point. :]
DeleteSuch a nice idea! My favorites got to be rain on asphalt, sea and freshly baked cinamon rolls :)
ReplyDelete-Leta | The Nerdy Me
Freshly baked cinnamon rolls sounds amazing right about now. :]
DeleteLove the idea!!! My favourite 3 are: smell of fresh coffee in the morning, the smell of the sea which brings back good childhood memories and the smell of fresh bread! By the way, I've nominated you for a sunshine award on my blog, hope you enjoy the questions :) Have a lovely Sunday
ReplyDeleteFresh coffee in the morning is a good one! Thanks so much. :]
DeleteOoh I like this idea for a post, so original.
ReplyDeleteI love the smell of a forest after it has rained,
fresh baked cookies and flower shops. :)
la-ailurophile.blogspot.de
Flower shops! That's a great one Laura. :]
DeleteI love fresh laundry and the ocean air too
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
The Bandwagon Chic | Instagram | Bloglovin | Snapchat: bandwagonchic
i love this :) you have such a wonderful blog! and you can check out my giveaway if you're interested!
ReplyDeletemfashionfreak♥blog
giveaway
Great post !! :)
ReplyDeleteplease follow my blog : THE COLORFUL THOUGHTS
OMG 'Rain on asphalt' and 'Old books' - reminds me on my childhood!! Not even sure why, but I like it! Also 'ocean air', 'fresh baked bread'..and Nutella of course! :))
ReplyDeleteYes there's something about them that just brings me back to my childhood. :]
DeleteLaundry scent is definitely a top contender for me as well.
ReplyDeleteXo
With Love Banke | A Fashion Blog
What a great list! My boyfriend thinks I'm weird because I love how the back of his neck smells haha. Lovely post!
ReplyDeletexo Kiki
http://colormekiki.com/
I'm with you Kiki. There something so amazing about the back of the boyfriend's neck!!! :]
DeleteGreat list including a lot of my favorites. One more would be added to my list wet earth, during and after a rain. Intoxicating.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the 411?
Afro-Centric Times
Reflective Style
Intoxicating indeed. That's a good one Pamela. :]
DeleteLovely photos! I love the smell of coconut and will always pick something with that scent over others XD xx
ReplyDeleteCoconut is so good. :]
Deleteawww. this is such a lovely post. I do have these moments too and I really like it when I'm unexpectedly reminded by a certain smell with a particular memory,especially if the memory is good. scent is such a strong reminder of emotion. I have scents that i stopped wearing because they remind of some heartbreaks i've encountered in life.
ReplyDeleteJessica | notjessfashion.com