If the Tibetan monks helped themselves to meditate incense smoke, if the lovers offered perfumed roses, if the Greek doctors inhaled the cardamon infusions to the exhausted warriors, it was because they knew from experience that all these notes had power over their minds. It's up to us too.

The mysterious journey from the nostril to the brain

These are two American researchers, Linda Burk and Richard Axel, Nobel Prize winner in 2004 who, by studying our olfactory receptors and their links with our brain, have understood how to activate and excite them (for the record we have 300 to 400 receptors against 2000 in the great trunk of the elephant and 170 on the antennae of the bees)! To make simple it is possible today, thanks to the scanner, to locate the seat of our emotions, the limbic system.

Any external stimulation, such as an odor, for example, that "tickles" our receptors sends a chemical message to the brain that then pushes the sympathetic or parasympathetic systems to activate.

Secretions of hormones such as adrenaline or acetylcholine will then cause physical and physiological changes: changes in heart rate, respiration, blood pressure.

Changes so fast that emotion is first felt by the body before it is even analyzed by the mind.

In this way, we can better understand how we can influence our minds, our well-being thanks to the science of odors: aromachology.

These perfumes that care for the mind and the body

In the 1980s, large Japanese companies, including Shiseido, measured the effect of certain notes on the body through the recording of brainwaves. Essential oil diffusers were used in schools, hospitals and public places.

It soon became clear that notes of lavender diffused in a car park calmed the anxiety of the users, that lemony notes allowed the shorthanded ones to type faster than their neighbors who did not benefit from it.

Other odors were also intended to open up the appetite or to facilitate the concentration of the employees who dreamed of meeting.

Another successful experiment in the hospital on 10 patients suffering from depression and sleep disorders. The notes of an anti-stress perfume (Zen in this case) were broadcast in their room. After 11 weeks, 7 of them had normal nights and could do without antidepressants, while three others managed to reduce them by half.

Today in France, in several hospitals, aromachology workshops are offered to stimulate Alzheimer's patients (some of whom have started to verbalize) as well as those suffering from stroke sequelae.

A perfumer (founder of Perfume of the Empire), Marc Antoine Corticchiato, with his project "Parfums des Anges" helps to relieve young people with cancer.

What note for what effect?

Whatever our personality these notes are reputed (measurement of the brain waves in support) have undeniable effects on our states of souls.

The rose, the peony, the gardenia soothe all the bamboo, relaxing.

The Sandal is a vector of serenity while the galbanum is a powerful relaxing psycho.

Jasmine, lemony notes, basil and pine stimulate mental energy while Neroli calls for sleep.

The aromachology, new credo of the perfume houses

Some houses like Shiseido have exploited the benefits of aromachology for several years in their fragrances. But today several brands have just been created to make us benefit from these "feel good" odors.

Shiseido of course, continues his research and after relaxing or energizing fragrances a few years ago (unfortunately they are no longer on sale in France) formulated after multiple measurements on titillated waves in the brain a perfume whose wood Kyara and valerian extracts increase alpha waves and reduce the stress hormone. It's Zen.

A brand new brand of Perfumes, Anima Vinci, released in September a line of five Eaux de Parfums: "Each composition contains a main ingredient for its benefit" mindful "explains Nathalie Vinciguerra, its Founder. concentration, jasmine for self-confidence for example ".

A doctor in pharmacy and aromachology and an ex-L'Oréal expert in cosmetic care had the idea to formulate a line of seven anti-aging serums that exploits the notes of essential oils to breathe before applying them on the skin to erase all that marks our face: anxiety, insomnia, lack of self-confidence, loss of energy.

To find the one that suits us best a mini test is also available on the site www.dermapositive.com.

Finally, a whole new line of premium care, makes sensation in the United Kingdom. For its totally revolutionary high-tech formulas its creator, Sue Nabi chose a unique note: galbanum and its psycho relaxing effects. The English women are already addicts!

Thanks to Hirac Gurden, Director of Research in Neurosciences at the CNRS.