Smells invoke memories, whether pleasant or not so pleasant. We all have favourite smells.
My brother has lost his sense of smell. He had an accident many years ago which resulted in a head injury. As a result he has very little sense of smell. This also means he has a lesser sense of taste as the two senses are very intertwined. Scientists have even released new information over the last few days that suggests we smell with our tongues too! Maybe there is hope for him yet?
Some smells are popular favourites of pretty much everyone. Most people like the smell of freshly cut grass, unless you suffer badly from hay fever. Then you will probably be cursing rather than sniffing the air! Freshly brewed coffee is another that gets people sniffing the air, and weirdly enough my husband doesn't really drink coffee or particularly like it, but he does like the smell of coffee. Fresh bread. Now that is a smell that supermarkets use to entice customers in to buy food. It tends to make your stomach growl with appreciation an even if you are not hungry can still make your mind believe you are. I must admit that the smell of just baked bread is one of my favourite smells.
Did you know that some media areas suggest that if you have certain smells in the air in your house when you have potential buyers there, it can provide a particular ambiance? So the smell of fresh bread makes the property appear homely, as can the smell of fresh flowers, coffee again, and even baked cakes. It's all about creating an atmosphere so the buyers can imagine themselves in that place as if it were their own.
We all know that smell at the dentist? The antiseptic quite sharp smell of the dental mouth wash. Yuk. Makes me totally avoid the place! I can't smell TCP without it bringing back memories of when I had my two sons in hospital. Years ago everything was cleaned with the disinfectant and your clothes and body smelt of it for ages. Those were the days of matrons and cleaning staff, and everything being scrubbed hard. If it smelt of disinfectant it was clean, and boy did everything smell of disinfectant,
Who doesn't like the smell of freshly washed clothes and bedding? I've recently changed my washing liquid and everything smells very faintly like lavender. Lavender is supposed to help you relax and sleep but I hate to say that it doesn't seem to be working for me. I still like the smell though. While we are on about washing liquids and softeners and conditioners, what person came up with smells described as 'diamond rose' or platinum white'? How do they smell? I haven't a clue, but I am one of those people who will open the lids of fabric conditioners and smell before I buy. I like to know what I am inviting in to my house! Same as air fresheners which I like to use because I have cats, and I feel it's important my house doesn't smell of animals as a first impression.
I can't smell Chanel no.5 without thinking back years ago when my mother used it as her 'special going out perfume'. She's still living thankfully, and that perfume and lily of the valley are all about her for me. If I smell Olay beauty fluid in that iconic bottle it's my grandmother I think of. She always used it on her face and any smell of it reminds me of her. Certain aftershaves remind me of places, people and memories. I suppose that is the same as eating a certain food? The mind is very powerful, and connect it with a particular smell or taste and it remembers. Neil thinks I am mad because I often tell him 'I can smell rain'. I can, but it's probably the smell of the rain as it hits the warm ground although rain does have a smell. I'm frequently right which he finds annoying! It reminds me of hot summer days gone by when it rains in the evening.
Here a few of my favourite smells -
Newly cut grass
Freshly baked bread
The sea and beach, whatever time of year
Marmite, spread on buttered toast
Chanel no.5
Cinnamon, especially at Christmas
The forest in summer
My cats fur (don't ask!)
Those wild roses you find randomly growing somewhere
Old books in dusty shops
The herb basil
I could go on and on really. What are yours?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3096334/Our-50-favourite-smells-revealed-20-worst.html
https://www.livescience.com/65308-your-tongue-smells-like-a-nose.html
http://www.sirc.org/publik/smell_human.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3096334/Our-50-favourite-smells-revealed-20-worst.html
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