Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 4

Did you know that no two apples smell alike? It’s true. Because every scent that we perceive is composed of a specific and complex combination of molecules, the scent of every apple is unique to itself.  No two apples have identical scents because no two apples are composed of the same combination of molecules.  One apple may be larger, have been exposed to more sunlight, water, nutrients, insecticides or herbicides than its partner hanging next to it on the very same tree.

These slight differences—however miniscule they may be—have a bearing on an apple’s molecular make up, and therefore, have a bearing on its scent.  You might say that every apple has its own “fingerprint,” or “scentprint.”

Each individual also has his or her own unique “scentprint”.  As individuals, we too have our own unique scents.  Factors that determine various body scents include our age, physical condition, medications, illnesses, hormones, biorhythms, the foods we eat, the minerals in the water we drink, our skin and hair colour, and the chemicals in the air we breathe.

Remember the way your skin smelled the last time you ate garlic fingers?  Or how about the last time you ate watermelon?  Think of the scents of the vegetables that were in the salad you ate for lunch—the cucumbers, the red peppers and Spanish onions.  Have you ever noticed that the scents of these foods end up lingering on your skin long after you have washed your hands?  Sometimes even after you’ve had a shower?  Not only are you what you eat, but you end up smelling like the foods that you eat as well!

Consider this: unlike the apples we’ve discussed, whose scents are relatively uniform, every part of our bodies—our hair, mouth, eyes, elbows, underarms, feet, etc.—also have their own scents that contribute to our overall unique scent.

Now add perfume to this equation.  We know that no two perfumes have the same scent.  But did you know that the perfume you put on your throat will smell differently than that which you put on your wrist?  Because different parts of our bodies have various scents, a perfume’s odour is dependent on not only the individual, but on the part of the body of that individual to which it is applied.  And because the scent of our bodies changes from one hour to the next, depending on its exposure to the air and our own body’s biorhythms . . .

How do scents affect the way in which we relate to each other?

According to scientists, within seconds of meeting new people we make sensory decisions about them, one of which is based on how they smell.  According to the Sense of Smell Institute, “deep friendships and romantic alliances are dependent upon, what scientists identify as, ‘olfactory bonding.’”

Not surprisingly, studies show that fragrances have a large impact on how others feel about us and how we feel about others.  In a study by Drs. John Nezlek and Glenn Shean, subjects claimed that when they wore their favourite fragrances they felt better about themselves and felt more comfortable in social situations.  The study also indicated that fragrances were more crucial in opposite-sex interactions.  Moreover, it was shown that as an individual’s appreciation for a fragrance increases so do their social skills.