Your sense of smell is incredibly powerful, and it’s linked to memory and mood in ways that we don’t yet fully understand. We all know that a bad smell can quickly put us in a bad mood. But have you ever thought about how a pleasant smell could put you in a good mood?

Pleasant smells in the home are linked to cleanliness, which can help us to feel more relaxed. We can take this further by embracing the power of aromatherapy to help influence our moods.

For example, lavender is commonly used for relaxation, while citrus scents might be used to help boost focus. How does this work exactly?

Scents are known to trigger neurotransmitters, which means they can directly affect and alter your brain chemistry. Certain scents can release neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, which can help you to feel more happy or relaxed.

Scents are also linked to the limbic system, which is the emotional centre of the brain. This is why memorable scents can trigger strong emotions. If you’ve ever walked past someone wearing the same perfume or cologne as your ex, you’ll know all too well how powerful this can be.

Once we understand how scents affect our moods, we can use this to our advantage. Playing with scent layering in your home will allow you to optimise the use of scent to make you feel more relaxed and content.

Approaches to scent layering

Scent layering requires an understanding of how different scents work together. It can take some trial and error to work out which scents work for you and your home. After all, the size of the space and airflow can have a big impact on how you experience this scent.

Choosing non-toxic candles is non-negotiable if you want to avoid the many risks associated with paraffin wax and synthetic fragrance. This means your home will be scented with all natural essential oils, which produce a much more subtle scent. This makes it easier to layer your scents, as none of your choices are likely to be overpowering.

Here are some of our favourite approaches to scent layering in the home.

A simple way to layer scents in your home is to choose different styles for different rooms. Think bright and fresh for your bathroom, relaxing and serene for your bedroom and warm and welcoming for your lounge space.

The principle behind this approach is that there are some scents that just make sense in certain rooms. It also allows you to place the emphasis on the use of each room.

For the bathroom, consider bright and fresh fragrances like the Le Matcha Natural Candle, or something citrus-inspired like the Clarity Lemon Verbena Natural Candle.

In your bedroom, look for relaxing scents like lavender, or romantic floral scents, like rose. Best sellers include the Rose Geranium Natural Candle and the You Are Loved Lavender & Orange Blossom Candle.

For relaxing evenings in your lounge, look for earthy scents, like the Mahogany Woods Natural Candle. A stunning daytime scent to liven up your home would be the Fresh Linen collection.

By mood

Another way to layer scents throughout your home is to plan a rotation of candles that will influence your moods. Rotating your scents can also help to keep the scents stronger, as you won’t become accustomed to one scent and “tune it out”.

If you want to feel more relaxed and calm, you need the French Lavender Natural Candle. For focus, try the Love You, Mean It Rosemary Thyme Natural Candle, which contains basil to help prevent mental fatigue.

And if you want to feel energised in your home, you need the uplifting power of bergamot and citrus. Try the Coconut Water x @Dontletthemfoolyou2 Natural Candle, which contains uplifting bergamot and juniper.

By time of day

Finally, you can layer scents throughout the day to create different mood profiles throughout your home.

For example, in the morning you might want a serene and uplifting scent that will help you to set your intentions for the day. In the middle of the day, keep your flow going with an earthy and grounding scent. And at the end of the day, when it’s time to slow down and relax, it’s time to bring out the cosy campfire scent.

Try the following scents to get you started on your scent layering journey. You’ll notice that there’s a common scent between each candle, which creates harmony as your transition between scents during the day.

In the morning, try the Create Ambiance Mandarin Orange & Lemongrass Candle, which is bright and citrusy for an optimistic start. Next, carry on the mandarin orange scent with the Romance Tahitian Tonka Natural Candle, which is complex, heady and grounding. Finally, wind down in the evening with the Mahogany Woods Natural 3-Wick Candle, which continues the earthy mood.

These are three very different scents, but there is a common scent layer connecting each one, which helps to create a sense of harmony as you transition between stages of the day.