“It just smells of home to me”.
That’s what Jonnie said to me the other day when he got a waft of a perfume I had just sprayed. It was one I had worn for years but hadn’t recently and as we both smelled it we reminisced about how that particular smell does that and how the perfume my mum wears reminds us of a house they lived in for a decade. The power of smell for me is HUGE. HUGE. I mean who doesn’t get reminded of certain places of situations when they smell a scent associated with that person on place?
I had a really unfortunate incident with attending a press lunch where we were welcome with a glass of pine liqueur and all I could think about was cleaning products my granny used to use. Awkward.
But all of this is why I was thrilled when Scentered got in touch with me recently to ask if I wanted to try out the Scentered Signature Collection of Wellbeing Ritual Balms. If you don’t know about Scentered then let me bring you up to speed.
Scentered® is a mindfulness lifestyle brand that has created a unique Wellbeing Ritual, teaching people how to use the power or our sense of smell as a tool to direct our thoughts, emotions and actions to live happier lives.
Essentially they create balms and candles, using plant based products and the finest ingredients from around the world, to create a personal sensory experience. By applying the balms to pulse points you can get an instant hit that allows you to mindfully transition your mindset as you inhale the aromas. The candles do that whilst creating a calming ambience to a whole room.
The balms are not perfumes, they aren’t designed for you to smell throughout the day, they are designed for you to use and inhale as you prepare for the day, to sleep or get an afternoon boost.
The collection I was sent has five balms in a gorgeous zipped case. There was one each of the following:
De-Stress
Focus
Happy
Escape; and
Sleep Well
These are all things I need at regular intervals throughout my day, especially since I hit the menopause. As somebody who has a mind that can wander and feel foggy I have food “Focus” to be an absolute godsend. It is made from rosemary, mint and clary sage. I find that when my mind starts to wander I apply this to my wrist and spend a minute or two just breathing in and out as I inhale. I find within in a minute or two the fug clears and I can carry on with what I was doing again.
Before I go to bed, after brushing my teeth, I apply “Sleep Well’ (Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Palmarosa to my neck so I can smell it as I fall alseep.
Escape is packed with Oud, Frankincense and Sandalwood. Happy contains Grapefruit, Lemon Myrtle and Spearmint. And finally De-Stress is Chamomile, Neroli, and Mandarin scented.
I have been using these balms for a few months now and now find myself reaching for them before I have even really consciously realised how I am feeling. For instance when I got in from driving back from a day in London earlier this week I wandered over to my desk and applied the de-stress balm to my wrists before I had put my car keys down.
You can buy single balms from £14.90 or gift sets from £25. I was sent the Signature Ritual Collection (£81) and you can also build your own bundle (and get 10% off) too.