Friday, 11ᵗʰ August 2023 | Asenath Chione, Historian
The Scent That Could Enchant All Men
Cleopatra VII is one of the most famous women in history. She is not only known for her title as the “most beautiful” but also as a “seductress of men." But what sets Cleopatra apart from her beauty? It is known that this Egyptian queen’s presence is enough to delight all men around her. They describe her scent as being similar to the sweetest and most fragrant flower incense that could envelop the entire room.
She didn’t only have one, but two lovers who became obsessed with her. Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were the two Roman Emperors who were ready to fight a war for Cleopatra and offer her what they had. They simply couldn’t resist any request she made. It was found 7000 years later by archaeologists that Cleopatra’s scent still lingers on her belongings despite the few millennia that have passed.
A chemist was shocked to find out that Cleopatra’s traces could last seven millennia and that her scent still lingers. She was also fascinated by the fact that the scent could have an amusing effect on other people. After years of testing the chemical composition they got from what was believed to be Cleopatra’s tomb, she finally found the secret:
Why Are We Attracted To A Good Scent?
Zoe Report says that the reason we are attracted to a good scent is that our sense of smell is directly linked to the limbic system of the brain, which is responsible for our emotions and memories. When we smell a pleasant aroma, it triggers a positive emotional response within us, making us feel happy and relaxed. This is why many people use aromatherapy as a means of relaxation or stress relief.
Figure: Odor Affects the Brain and Causes a Reaction
Additionally, scent can also produce memories and associations with certain people, places, or experiences. For example, the smell of fresh-baked cookies may remind you of your grandmother's recipe during a cozy family holiday gathering. Our attraction to different scents can also be an evolutionary adaptation from nature. We inherited the ability from our ancestors to react to certain odors, such as food or predators, that were crucial for survival during the old times.
How Does Our Brain React to Odors?
Aromas can stimulate various parts of the limbic system and affect both our physical and emotional responses. When we inhale a scent, odor molecules from the object source interact with receptors in the olfactory epithelium (the tissue at the top of your nasal cavity), which sends a signal to your brain's olfactory bulb. It causes brain activity to be amplified, similar to when we are in love.
Figure: Odor Causes the Brain to Have Scent Attraction
From there, information is sent to various regions responsible for processing sensory information such as emotions, memories, and behavior. Odors can stimulate different reactions depending on how your brain processes them. For example, certain scents may trigger feelings of relaxation or happiness, while others may cause fear or sadness.
When we inhale pleasant odors such as those from White Lotus, Cardamom, Myrrh, and Olive, it stimulates the production and release of feel-good chemicals like Oxytocin, Dopamine, and Serotonin inside our brains, leading to a positive emotional response.
Figure: Stimulated Brain Releasing Oxytocin, Dopamine, and Serotonin
Dopamine is often referred to as the "feel-good hormone” because it's associated with pleasure and reward. It plays a key role in motivation, learning, and attention. Serotonin is known as the "happy hormone" because it's thought to contribute to feelings of happiness and well-being. It regulates mood, appetite, sleep, memory, and other functions.
Oxytocin is often called the "love hormone" because it's released during moments of intimacy such as hugging or cuddling. But it also plays a wider social role in promoting trust between people, which can help build strong social bonds.
White Lotus Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
A study was used to observe changes in brain activation in response to white lotus flower odor molecules. It was found that Dimethoxybenzene and Cineole vapor increased brain activation in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain involved in cognitive processes. It then connects impulses to the Hippocampus region, which is responsible for the “attraction and love” emotion when it releases different kinds of hormones. It increases the blood supply by increasing the heart rate, which mimics the reaction when we are in love.
Figure: Brain Stimulation Causes Heart to Beat Faster Like When We’re In Love
When a person feels attraction, the brain sends signals to the heart that can trigger a physiological response. Hormones like Oxytocin can cause an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and circulation. The heart rate increases by triggering the release of adrenaline, which accelerates blood flow throughout the body.
From Hate to Love in 2 Weeks
Day 1
Sakura has been secretly in love with Kenzo ever since they were high school freshmen. After a year, she gathered the courage to confess her feelings through a love letter. However, Kenzo rejected her and returned the letter. She asked why, and Kenzo replied that her presence was unbearable because she didn’t like her scent, which is comparable to a withered flower, and he hates it. To her dismay, she searched online to improve herself. Sakura found a solution made from White Lotus, Cardamom, Myrrh, and Olive. During the first day of using the essence, she passed by Kenzo, and he continued staring at her and caught glimpses of her when their class started.
Day 3
On the third day, Kenzo confronted Sakura and apologized for his rudeness. He asked her if he could make it up and invited her for a cup of tea in a nearby cafe. Sakura was shocked and happy deep inside, but she kept her composure so as not to look too obvious. Kenzo couldn’t help but compliment Sakura’s sweet story and say that he was hooked by it. He then asked if she could give him another chance to go on another date. And so they continued hanging out together until a few days later.
Day 14
After two weeks, Kenzo confessed to Sakura that he had the wrong impression of her and realized that he wanted her to be his girlfriend. Sakura couldn’t express how happy and excited she was, and she accepted Kenzo as her boyfriend. She kept using the essence when they were together, and they became an inseparable couple. They went to the same college after graduation and started planning for their future together.
“(translated from Japanese to English) I wasn't aware that our scent can affect how other people treat us. If you smell bad, they stay away from you, but if you smell nice, they are drawn closer to you. This was what the White Lotus flower essence taught me.”
Sakura H., 20, Osaka, JP
Your Smell Affects If People Will Treat You Well
When it comes to making a lasting impression, the power of scent cannot be underestimated in how people see us. If we smell good, it has the power to positively affect the mood and mindset of people around us in various ways, which explains why we are drawn to the source of the scent! Try Allurite™ today to find out how applying a pleasant aroma to yourself could benefit you. Please see the link below.
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