Can you really smell your way to success? Of course not, the very notion is frankly ridiculous. But that doesn’t mean we should overlook the importance of the humble human olfactory system. Smell, after all, plays a critical role in our daily experiences and emotions.
How many times, for example, have you been reminded of a place, a person, or an experience by a smell? There is, you seen, a surprisingly profound connection between our noses and our limbic system, which is the part of the brain most closely associated with memory, emotion, and, most pertinently in the case of this article, our creativity.
The Science of Scent
There have been countless neuroscientific studies into the link between scent and memory, with one recent study finding that those exposed to certain smells revealed 226% greater recall than those not exposed. Brain imaging also revealed improved integrity in the memory-related brain pathways that typically declines with age in older subjects.
It's not ancient alchemy; it’s legitimate science and there are many scientists who will attest that certain scents can enhance cognitive functions and creative thinking. For instance, the smell of lavender is often associated with relaxation and might aid in creative problem-solving by reducing stress. Citrus fragrances, meanwhile, are known to increase alertness and could potentially enhance innovative thinking.
Can a Fragrance Really Make You More Creative?
Research has demonstrated that specific scents can influence mood and cognitive abilities. For example, a study by the University of Northumbria found that exposure to the aroma of rosemary essential oil improved cognitive performance and mood.
Certain fragrances can also evoke powerful emotional responses by stimulating the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, which in turn can unleash creative thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Beautiful Thinking
Taking the idea of (literally) creative scents to their logical conclusion, a limited-edition room fragrance designed specifically to inspire creative thought was developed by Free the Birds this year in collaboration with acclaimed independent perfumier Sarah McCartney.
The fragrance is a brainchild of Free the Birds’ three founders, who have each infused their passion for creativity into the scent. Partner and Creative Strategy Director, Paul Domenet, emphasises the dual goal of the project: “Celebrating creative thinking and supporting the creative sector through charity.” Indeed, all profits from the sale of ‘Beautiful Thinking’ will be donated to Create, a charity championing the wellbeing of adults and young people through creative arts.
Nicky Goulder, Founding CEO of Create, highlights the alignment of their mission with Free the Birds' values, underlining the importance of creativity in enhancing well-being and empowering lives.
She explains: “Beautiful Thinking is more than just a scent; it's a symbol of the symbiotic relationship between creativity and olfactory experiences. It serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, not just for individuals seeking a burst of creativity, but also as a meaningful contribution to the broader creative community.”
Scent as a Tool
The fragrance in question (which Free the Birds were kind enough to send me a sample of) is an amalgamation of the following three scents: -
Peppermint: Known for improving mental clarity, peppermint in the fragrance aims to clear the mind, making way for unobstructed creative thinking.
Cashmerian Velvet: The comforting woody notes of Cashmerian Velvet are included to create a soothing environment conducive to creativity.
Clearwood with Patchouli: Believed to aid focus, this component helps maintain a steady stream of concentration, essential for the creative process.
The fragrance has been enhancing my office for the last three weeks now and, while I can’t honestly say whether it’s made me more creative, it’s certainly pleasant enough that my wife’s commented positively on several occasions. I also use my office as a music studio, and I must admit I appear to have got a little more done this month than last.
The Smell of the Future?
Of course, the real test would be in a shared workspace and that’s always going to be more difficult to track as scent preferences are highly individual. It could be that finding a fragrance that personally resonates with someone could be key to unlocking their creative potential and that’s a very subjective thing indeed. Could the answer be individual desk-based scents, perfectly tailored to suit each creative?
Ultimately, it’s all a bit of fun and while the link between scent and creativity is promising, individual differences in scent perception and the subjective nature of creativity mean it’s going to be almost impossible to prove. The exploration of scent's role in enhancing creativity is still in its nascent stages, but there is certainly potential there and as research continues to unfold, I’ll certainly be keeping my nose to the ground.
