Every May the lilacs bloom, and instantly, I am 14 years old.
I am transported to my family farm, and I have walked across the hay field that is turning a vibrant green, but is still not tall with grass. I am standing at the corner of the field where two lilac bushes stand - one is a light purple colour and the other is a deep dark purple.
I bury my face in the flowers and the green leaves and inhale deeply - heavenly.
I am sure you have a scent that immediately transports you to somewhere else. A smell that brings you a sudden and vivid memory. This phenomenon is called "The Proust Effect" named after the French author Marcel Proust who wrote about it in his book "In Search of Lost Time."
Part of the science behind The Proust Effect is the way scent is processed and stored by our amazing brains.
Information from our other 4 senses pass through the thalamus (your brain’s relay station) for "processing" before reaching the cortex of the brain (which is responsible for many of the brain’s higher functions).
Unlike our other senses, scent has a direct pathway to the limbic system (the emotional brain), and bypasses the conscious processing part of the brain. The memory, the scent, and the emotion are all directly linked together. So when you experience the scent, you experience not only a connecting memory, but the emotion too.
This is the magic that makes the Proust Effect so deep, complex and vivid. Scent really can connect us to our inner selves.
Treating yourself with a Season or Hemisphere Botanical Eau De Parfum can create a Proust Effect. Your preferred Season may remind you of a holiday you took, a romance (summer or otherwise), or a ritual you do to take care of yourself.
Our botanical perfumes are here to spark joy and enhance your experience of nature's cycles of the year. I trust that you will make your own personal Proust Effect that serves you and brings you joy.
What's your favorite Proust Effect?