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As part of my new partnership with Afterpay I was delighted to discuss the psychological power of perfume with Glamour

“Scents evoke more emotional memories than other memory cues, with studies showing that people remember 35% of what they smell, but only 5% of what they see. Scents hold a unique power to instantly transport us back to times of intimacy or joy, like time capsules they can momentarily awaken emotions deep within our conscience.”

“It’s an indicator that we’ve turned to perfume as an act of self care and a wearable reminder of happier times, during this year of ups and downs. Traumatic events can cause us to engage in nostalgia where we transport ourselves to fonder times. A phenomenon known as the Proust Memory Effect.” 

“Tuning into our senses can be incredibly grounding and ultimately improve our mental wellbeing. It can be challenging to detach from past and future demands, but being surrounded by pleasant sights, sounds, tastes or smells can make a significant difference when trying to create a moment of peace and relaxation.” 

Read the full article over on Glamour to learn more about how perfume can connect us to a time, place and emotion. 

Photo from Glamour.co.uk

Shakaila Forbes-Bell

Author Shakaila Forbes-Bell

Shakaila Forbes-Bell is a Fashion Psychologist and writer who has been featured in Marie Claire UK, i-D, Who What Wear, All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, Fashion Bomb Daily, The Voice Newspaper, Gal-Dem, Black Matters US and more.

More posts by Shakaila Forbes-Bell

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