I love the Autumn Season….it brings with it a certain inevitability as Summer slips over the horizon. Nights start to draw in as the days get shorter, and carefree summer days become a distant memory.

Trees begin to shed their leaves in a blaze of fire hued glory - the final performance before they bare their souls to the wintry demons that lay in wait just around the corner.

That cold crisp early morning start with the sunrise shimmering just above the horizon. Sunday afternoon strolls inhaling the rich musty smell of the soil, a sweet cloying scent hinting at the decay yet to come - a whiff of woodsmoke or an early afternoon bonfire - the ritual burning of the last of the garden finery.

Iridescent cobwebs bejewelled with the gems of early morning dew, a vague haze of mist forming a make-shift blanket over meadows and streams.

Kicking crisp copper leaves underfoot, hunting for the biggest and best conkers to soak in vinegar overnight. Plump hedgehogs waddling across the back lawn into the rotting undergrowth. Spinning Jennys performing gymnastic displays as they fall to earth, twisting and twirling - the sound of geese honking overhead as they prepare to migrate from one location to another.

As hedgehogs, squirrels, badgers, foxes and bats prepare for their winter hibernation, so too do I. Warm cozy nights in front of a roaring log fire (I wish! It’s gas all the way – but a girl can dream eh?!) with the blinds drawn and a good book. Changing into PJ’s as soon as you get home from work with the odd glass of wine thrown in for good measure. Autumn is a time to take stock, recharge your batteries and plan for new beginnings that only the Spring can bring.

I’d like to share this beautiful poem that I’ve recently found, that sums up the season perfectly

Come Little Leaves

Come little leaves said the wind one day,

Come O’er the meadows with me and play,

Put on your dress of red and gold,

For the Summer is gone and the days grow cold,

Down they came fluttering one and all,

Over the brown fields they danced and flew,

Singing the soft little songs they knew,

Dancing and whirling the little leaves went,

Winter had called them, and they were content,

Soon, fast asleep in their earthly beds,

The snow laid  a coverlet over their heads

…By George Cooper

We have some lovely evocative new fragrances that are suitable for burner oils, candles, soaps and reeds to help you relax and unwind whilst enjoying the scents of the season. If there are any that you would like to try, then please just contact either myself or Helen and we will arrange a small sample for you.

Library 34308

Come on in – sit yourself down and let this enveloping scent settle around you like a comforting blanket. Immerse yourself in leather backed books and well worn furniture. Contains essential oils of cedarwood, guaiacwood, smooth sandalwood, earthy patchouli and spicy ginger.

Oakwood 20497

Close your eyes and imagine relaxing into an oversized chesterfield sofa. The scent of vintage leather and tweed overcoats combine with rich woody undertones – a timeless masterpiece containing essential oils of cedarwood and geranium.

 Autumn Leaves 33092

Take a bracing walk through russet and copper coloured fallen leaves. This scent encompasses smouldering leaves, damp softwood and the fresh clean herbal notes of crisp october mornings. Containing essential oils of rosemary, eucalyptus, geranium, mimosa, bergamot, cedarwood and sandalwood.

Cocoa & Log Fire 24313

Curl yourself up in front of a crackling blazing log fire and cup your hands around a sweet mug of hot chocolate. This wonderful aroma is warm and comforting with essential oils of patchouli, cedarwood, lemon, sweet vanilla, clary sage and olibanum.

We have a vast array of the more intense, heavier fragrances traditionally associated with colder seasons and are currently working on our Spring 2013 ranges – please email for further information on upcoming trends - our contact details are available here on the website.

We are always having a look at the latest fragrances on the market, whether that is a new washing powder, or a new shampoo or a new designer perfume launch. It helps us to know that we are keeping up to date with all the latest market trends. There is however, something that we have noticed over the past few months – there seems to be a merging of the sexes.

Many of the newer fragrances that are aimed at men seem to have become the new favourites of our female office staff, with many of us naming one of them as our spritz of choice at the minute, in particular Carolina Herrera’s 212 VIP for men and Viktor & Rolfs Spicebomb.

I decided to ask around family and friends and came up with the same results….it seems that spritzing a sneaky squirt of your boyfriend/husbands aftershave is as widespread as borrowing his razor!

Back in the early perfume heyday of the 18th century there was no dividing line between male and female fragrances – in fact the dividing line was one of class and social standing instead. The most powerful men drenched their lapels and handkerchiefs with fragrance – usually a heavy floral blend, whilst the downtrodden masses blended into the background with the unforgettable stench of ‘Eau de Filth’.

The notion of gender in perfumery only came around in the early 20th century, coinciding with the influences of modern advertising methods. Fragrance became intertwined with fashion and so the flapper girls of the 1920′s became the new target demographic. Ms Monroe heaped glamour onto fragrance by the bucket load in the 50′s with her now infamous quote of wearing only Chanel No.5 to bed - it would have had to have been a brave man to wear a floral scent after that revelation!

The first efforts to woo the male back onboard were heavily advertised as a shaving routine add-on. And so the humble aftershave was born and the whole world seemed to smell of either Old Spice, English Leather or Burma Shave.

Eventually more and more colognes (note – NOT perfumes!!) became available embracing notes that were considered to be a masculine domain – spicy, leathery, woodsy and musky.

Fresh and lighter citrus notes have been an attempt to close the gap – think CK1 – and even more recently the addition of woody and musk notes being added to many female targeted scents have closed it even further.

Ancient men and women knew the power of aromatics, smearing them all over their bodies without any regard for whether spikenard or myrrh were considered to be feminine or masculine. Its a matter of what works well on your skin – so the next time you are looking for a new bottle of perfume – why not check out some of the newly launched male intentions – i’m off to top up my spicebomb!!

We have a large range of fragrance submissions here at Carvansons that are designed to be the creme de la creme of the current trending scents – if you have any new products that need a fragrance then please contact either myself or Helen, and we will be more than happy to send some samples for you to have a look at – all of which comply with current IFRA regulations.

Did you know that smell was the first and only existing sense? In the oceans of way back when, sight and speech had not yet been developed. Multicelled organisms relied on the detection of odours and chemicals to eat, and to stay out of harms way.

In our modern times, the sense of smell has lost its predominance in most western cultures, and we tend to rely heavily on our vision - defining and describing our surroundings in a highly visual manner. There are, however, still pockets of olfactory reliance around the globe…..

For example, there is a tribe known as the Ongee from the Andaman Islands where their whole world is defined by smell.

 Their calendar is based around the odours of flowers that come into bloom at specific times of the year. Each season is named after a particular odour. Personal identity is also defined by smell. In order to refer to oneself, one touches the tip of one’s nose - a gesture interpreted as ‘me and my odour’.

When first meeting a member of the Ongee tribe, instead of asking ‘how are you?’ you would instead ask ‘konyune onorange-tanka?’ which means ‘how is your nose?’ This is followed by a strange etiquette. If the person responds that they feel heavy with odour, then the greeter must inhale deeply in order to remove some of the surplus, but if the greeter feels a little short on odour then the only polite redress would be to blow on them to bestow a little extra scent.

In India, an ancient text declares ‘I will smell thee on the head, that is the greatest sign of tender love’, and is considered the equivalent of a western hug or kiss.

In certain Arabian countries it is considered impolite to deny someone the smell of your breath whilst speaking as it conveys a shameful avoidance of involvement.

In cultures where the sense of smell is still highly valued, the mixing of odours is often very carefully regulated. In the Amazon, each tribe is believed to share a similar odour, and so marriage is only allowed between persons of different odours which prevents relationships between close family members from occuring.

The Malay Temiar people go one step further……they believe that everyone has an odour soul located at the base of the spine. If you pass too closely behind a person then this soul is disturbed and mingles with your body often causing disease. This is prevented by calling out ‘Odour Odour’ whenever you approach a person from behind, which then forewarns the odour soul of the impending intrusion.

Our western interpretations of which perfumes and aftershaves cause an attraction effect would be way off the mark if you wanted a night out in Ethiopia. Here there is no scent more beautiful, than the odour of cattle. Men wash their hands in the urine and smear their bodies with manure. The women get off a little more lightly, rubbing butter into their heads, shoulders and various other body parts in order to make themselves smell more attractive (or maybe just to mask the smell of the manure?!?)

If you are invited for a meal in certain Arab countries, a perfume box containing between 4 and 8 bottles of oils is passed around, and each guest anoints herself with different scents using a glass dropper. This signifies the end of your visit and guests must depart as soon as the perfume ritual is completed. The  ritual serves to promote a feeling of bonding and unity, and the social prestige of the hostess is enhanced by the pleasant smells she imparts to her guests.

So, the next time you are invited round to a dinner party and your host brings out the perfume – that’s your cue to order your taxi!

Do you have any smell or scent rituals that you’d like to share with us?

 Even with the very best intentions in the world I dont think there’ll be many people who can say they managed to stay away from calorie laden chocolate eggs et al this past weekend.  If you did then I send you the most heartfelt congratulations (and just how the heck did you manage it!!!).

So I thought we would dedicate this weeks blog to one of the worlds favourite indulgencies. First of all I’d like to run a few facts by you for good measure….

It is thought that Cocoa is a mis-spelling of the Mayan word Cacao meaning ‘God Food’ originating over 2500 years ago. It was held in such high regard that it was even used as currency.

17000 people in Belgium work in the chocolate industry.

It takes up to 270 cocoa beans to make up 1 pound of chocolate.

Almost half of the worlds chocolate is consumed in America.

More than twice as many women than men crave and eat chocolate and it has been observed that no other sweets or candies can satisfy the craving – just the chocolate itself.

Chocolate notes crop up in fragrances with quite some regularity, and apart from the obvious choices such as Thierry Muglers Angel series of perfumes, which are seen as the quintessential chocolate scents, there are quite a few others on the shelf that may surprise you.

Ralph Lauren launched Big Pony (for men) which has a winning combination of velvet musks and dark chocolate.  Armani Diamonds for men is another best seller, but this time the chocolate is hidden away in the base notes, and so leaves a subtle trail in your wake.  If  just a hint of indulgence is required, then Lacoste Elegance (another male fragrance) combines chocolate with spicy nutmeg and fresh top notes for a surprisingly light scent.

Womens scents include Gucci Flora Glamorous Magnolia which uses a subtle cocoa hint to anchor the citrus zest and green leaves that make up the main composition. Boutique desinger Annick Goutal used creamy chocolate notes to balance girlish playful blackcurrant buds and luscious vanilla pods in her Eau de Charlotte fragrance.

We have a good range of chocolate and candy fragrances to curb that craving without the calories – and you cant say fairer than that can you! How about a chocolate lime or a chocolate orange, or even good old fashioned sweets such as peardrops, lemon bonbons and strawberry laces.

If it all gets a tad too much, it has been noted that a splash of vanilla across the wrist does a sterling job of sating the appetite. Well thats all from me, I’m off for a penny chew or two

Well we’re only half way through January, and I, like probably half the female population, have embarked on a new improved diet. A survey by XLS-Medical has suggested that 92% of us have fallen off the waggon already anyway!

We all need as many extra tips as we can get and so I have been researching if and how everyday fragrances can help to boost weight loss.

The average human nose recognises over 10,000 scents, and so you would think that at least some of those might aid appetite suppression….well I have good news for you, there are a few oils that will.

According to researchers in Osaka University Japan, rats exposed to the scent of grapefruit oil for 15 minute intervals, 3 times a week had reduced appetites and also lost weight.

The Smell & Taste Institute in Chicago studied a  group of 3,000 overweight people, giving half of them scents of either banana, green apple or peppermint to smell whenever they had a craving coming on, and overall, they lost around 5lb a month more than the non-sniffing group.

Other studies have used cinnamon, vanilla and fruits with varying results. Peppermint oil has been proven to improve awareness and alertness, and if sniffed throughout a workout, reduces perceived fatigue, resulting in greater stamina and a better gym performance.

Aromatherapy has the enhanced benefit of tricking the body into feeling fuller with less food. This is also seen in the newly discovered Christmas Dinner Syndrome. This is the theory that surrounding yourself in food scents suppresses your appetite significantly. This is borne out by the fact that the chef/cook who has spent all day in the kitchen preparing the Christmas meal (or dinner party fayre), sits down to eat, only to realise that they are no longer hungry – the cravings have disappeared (personally I’m not sure whether that’s just because you are tasting everything as you go along – or is that just me ).

So there you have it, I will be frantically sniffing a concoction of banana, apple & grapefruit oils for the rest of the week to see whether it makes a difference, and failing that I shall be treating myself to a new set of plates – blue is a supposed natural appetite suppressant! ;P

Let me know if you have tried any of the above or if you have any extra information as to whether it works.

Growing from the mud at the bottom of ponds, streams and marshes, the exquisite lotus flower rises above the water unfurling its delicate petals towards the sun.

It possesses an amazing ability to flourish in a variety of environments ranging from clear ponds to muddy marshes.  With its exceptionally hardy seed pods that can remain quiescent during cold, dry seasons, it is no wonder that the lotus symbolises immortality and resurrection. Seeds of the Indian lotus can germinate some 200 years after they are shed!

In Buddhism the lotus represents purity and divine birth.  Buddhist say this is how people should rise above everything which is dukkha. A flower may be very beautiful and have a wonderful scent, but it soon withers and dies. This shows that nothing in life is perfect. (Dukkha is loosely translated into English as suffering)

In fact the lotus flower has symbolised spiritual enlightenment across many religions over the years, with many deities being pictured sat on a lotus flower, rising from within it, or holding a lotus blossom.

Alabaster vessels found in Tutankhamuns tomb when it was opened in 1922 contained lotus oil that had still retained its scent after 3,000 years. Cleopatra was said to have bathed in a lotus bath every day. At the time lotus, cinnamon and marjoram were among the most commonly used top notes in perfumery.

The lotus flower contains many euphoric chemicals that can produce a powerful hypnotic effect. Many historians believe that the Egyptians used it to induce an ecstatic state and create hallucinations. It was used as a sedative and also as an aphrodisiac.

You need to plan to pay a premium for true exotic oils such as lotus. If the price seems to good to be true, then it usually will be. The true oil is very rare and only available in very small quantities. It takes around 100 flowers to make 1 gram of oil. Only 1000 to 3000 grams of the true white lotus oil has ever been exported as far as we know, and you can expect to pay over £200 for approx. 5mls.

It has a beautiful delicate fragrance and is effective in improving skin conditions, mild fungal infections, fever and cholera.

And finally, it is the most famous flower associated with good Feng Shui, used to create an environment of harmony, peace and good energy, inspiring contentment and new opportunities…..maybe we should be hosing the streets of London tonight not with water but with lotus oil!!

It seems that all you need these days to make a splash in the fragrance market, is a wacky idea and then its all systems go.

There have been quite a few new launches that are using scent to help promote brands, and I have picked out some of the unusual attempts to share with you today….

Our nation as a whole has a reputation of being heavy tea drinkers, and so Tetleys have taken this on board and designed ‘Le Brew’ – a limited edition tea scented perfume. In addition to the tea note (which in itself isn’t unusual, think Elizabeth Arden Green Tea amongst others), the perfume also has notes of clary sage and oak moss which are designed to give the fragrance a fresh spring like feel. The bottle is available on Tetleys eBay site for the princely sum of £15, and in my opinion it might be a worthwhile investment just for the novelty value.

Never seen as a company to be out of the limelight, even Microsoft have jumped on the fragrance bandwagon with the launch of 2 fragrances under the umbrella name of Liquid Money. These are broken down into a his and hers duo set, and have been underwritten by Vice President Patrick McCarthy. Designed to enhance self confidence, the bottles are said to contain the aroma of freshly minted dollar bills alongside notes such as pink grapefruit and Hawaiian wedding flowers. The bottle is packed with shredded US dollar bills –  a brilliant marketing concept in my opinion. And in another shrewd move, Mr McCarthy has trademarked the word ‘Money’ in relation to fragrance, obviously with a view to launch further perfumes along the line.

The next one I found spins quite a tail (pardon the pun!). It involves a Parisienne butcher by the name of John Fargginay in the 1920′s. Apparently the story goes that he could elevate his customers mood by a secret blend of 11 pure essential oils and the addition of – wait for it – a bacon aroma. After a massive fire on July 4th, 1924, the recipe was seemingly lost in the realms of legend. Well, that is until now! The magical elixier has been recreated by a certain John Leydon, and there are now 2 versions in the range – Bacon Classic and Bacon Gold. The fragrances were launched in April and already there have been well over 5,ooo orders at $36 each, a nice little earner if you ask me.

And finally on another strange note, an Italian fragrance brand, Blood Concept, have launched a range of fragrances  based on different blood types. The designers Giovanni Castelli and Antonio Zuddas  have spent years perfecting the range. At the moment there are 4 main types, A, B, AB and O. Each has a metallic base tang that supposedly denotes the element of iron found in blood. Each is sold in a recreation of an ancient medicine bottle complete with dropper to give an authentic final twist. When asked what the original concept was the designers replied with the following…’the odours trace the evolution of manhood through time, and its evolution of information, history and mutation, so well kept in the vital flushing of blood’ ……..??? nope – I didnt get it either, but if anyone does then please feel free to explain in laymans terms.

I could carry on, as the norm seems to be the more unusual and fantastical the better but I thought it would be nice if we could get some ideas for scent marketing going ourselves just to see what we could come up with, go on…..give it a try and leave me a reply, and on that note i’ll leave it up to yourselves to check out the route Lady GaGa is going down for her new perfume!! Bye for now…..

Its at this time of the year that most people start to either look forward to or yearn for a good holiday (Icelandic volcanos permitting of course!). I’m looking forward to a break next week, it’s my annual family jaunt down south – in this case it’s going to be Dorset. I haven’t been there before as we usually head towards Cornwall and occasionally Devon, so i’m really looking forward it. I just hope the predicted heatwave arrives in time otherwise we’ll be the ones sat on the beach in Poole, hoods up, eating fish n chips, shivering and teeth chattering but determined to have our chippy tea outdoors in true British spirit – ‘because it is our holidays!’

So we have been having a chat in the office about holidays, and holiday memories, and whether certain places can be remembered by a specific scent.

Both Anne-Marie and Linda have said their main olfactory memory for Tunisia and Spain is the beautifully fragranced Jasmine, and for Greece the main flower memory would be Geraniums. Name any one of the seaside resorts around the UK, and you’ll remember the smell of hot sugary doughnuts, battered fish and chips complete with salt and vinegar and the smell of the sea and the ozone as you walk along the promenade. The smell of freshly cut grass reminds Aimi of all her summer dog shows and camping trips.

Mr Chris cant smell a fragrance by the name of Seychelles without remembering his holidays in North Wales. Its a scent that reminds him of walks along by the sea with the smell of ozone in the air. For Miss Chris, its the smell of that first smattering of rain as the heavens open after a long dusty dry spell, that reminds her of her festival days – one in particular actually, Billy Idol at last years Download festival who took to the stage just as the heatwave broke.

Any beach in the world usually has a lingering aroma of coconut suncream that you just cant escape. Companies such as Thompson and First Choice have utilised this information, and as you walk into one of their stores to book your annual summer holiday you will be blasted with the scent of suntan lotion as you walk in the door. Apparently this puts you in the mood for a holiday before you’ve even picked out your brochure, and therefore gives them the edge when it comes to securing a deposit from you before you leave the store.

They aren’t the only big companies using scent to put you in a feel good holiday mood. Fred Olsen apparently rubs coconut oil into the backs of  their seats to promote caribbean cruise sales. The big hotel chains cottoned on to the fact that their customers associate holidays with certain scents years ago.  Chains such as the Shangri-La,  Le Meridien, The Dorchester and Mandarin Oriental to name but a few, have all decided to make an impression through scent. Of course a comfortable lobby, beds and high quality service are essential, but among the more subtle cues, fragrance plays a big part. Data has shown that the subtle use of fragrance creates memories and drives loyalty to the brand.

You can even take a bottle of the signature scent home with you to remind you of your week in the sun.

Due to the global recession still being in full flow, even the budget hotels such as Travelodge and Holiday Inn have started trialling scented bedlinen in an effort to relax their guests. Aromas such as freshly mown grass, to remind you of summer, or sweet apple pie to remind you of home.

So i’ll keep all my senses on heightened alert next week to see what scent memories I can bring back from the hopefully sunny Dorset coast – unhurried mornings, restful afternoons and leisurely evenings. Let me know if there are any fragrances that particularly remind you of your holidays…….

I thought we would have a little chemistry lesson this week – my only problem was trying to choose a subject that wasnt too boring for the average layman (myself included).

And so I decided on a brilliant little chemical called Iso E Super. You’ll probably already know the smell as it’s hidden (sometimes not very well) in many of the fine fragrances that you can buy today. Its been around for a number of years now, and was created by International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) It is a brilliant addition to the world of perfumery. In previous years it has always had a supporting role in fragrances, but more recently it has been thrust into a leading role.

So, what on earth is Iso E Super, and why has it suddenly been thrust into the limelight? Well, its official description is as follows ‘a smooth woody amber with unique aspects, giving it a velvet like sensation. It is used to impart fullness and subtle strength to existing fragrances. It is a superb floralizer found in the majority of new fine fragrances, and is also a useful addition to soaps and fabric softeners’.

Almost transparent in colour it has a vague sweet cedarwood-like scent imparting a male, woodsy, musky type aroma.

It is known as the invisible fragrance, and has also been likened to a modern day Love Potion No.9! The reason for this is that it has been known to mimic the action of human pheromones. Although not a pheromone itself, it has the effect of other people noticing you or your fragrance but not quite being able to put their finger on the reason why. This is because ordinary fragrances are designed to project themselves over a wide radius, whilst Iso E Super is designed to cling to the skin, swapping itself between opulence and simplicity, sometimes being quite noticable, sometimes undetectable.

On this note, you might like to research the fragrance Molecule 01, which is currently being sold at very high prices around the world. This fine fragrance is literally just Iso E Super bottled. The theory behind using this chemical on its own as a fragrance was that it would create an appealing effect to those smelling it on the wearer without it being perceived as a ‘perfume’. It really is the ultimate skin scent much like natural ambergris, it creates its own magic, weaving its invisible scent. It has a staying power on the skin for 6-8 hours.

We had a little experiment between ourselves here in the office last weekend, and all had some type of a result. Nichola was asked in her local shop what fragrance she was wearing and how nice it was, I was accosted by my daughter as i walked through the door to be asked ‘What is that wonderful smell?’, and poor Helen had to share a seat with a stranger on the bus all the way home even though there were plenty of seats elsewhere!

It certainly does seem to have an effect on other people and to be honest I have even worn it a few times instead of perfume on a night out…if you get the chance you must try it….it really does have striking results, and let me know how you get on……

Isnt it amazing how much nicer the world seems when the sun is shining?

 I dont know whether it is the fact that we are all a lot happier wearing less layers, or whether it is the warmth of the sun on our skin setting off our happiness hormones, but there is definitely an uplift in the general atmosphere. Even at work it doesnt seem quite as bad knowing that the sun will still shining on our way home, (and the annual firemens trip around the factory to check the safety of the building DEFINITELY lifted the mood amongst us ladies in the office!). Also, the evenings are getting longer and brighter, so there is always the chance of a late night sneaky glass of vino in the back garden in the dappled disappearing sunlight.

Like most people I know, my life has it’s fair share of ups and downs, amounting to a certain level of stress on a daily basis. What with working full-time, trying to run a family home, and family members with long term ill health, I often resort to using some form of aromatherapy or other to soothe my shattered soul.

This usually takes the form of a beautifully scented candle (I do seem to keep Jo Malone, Diptyque and the like in business single handedly!), or maybe a few drops of essential oil in my bath. I’m never quite sure whether it is the actual properties of the oils themselves that manage to calm and de-stress me or whether its the whole aromachology aspect of the scent, but something definitely hits the spot!

I was asked the other day what the difference was between aromatherapy and aromachology, so here is a quick description for both…

Aromatherapy is the systematic use of volatile plant oils (essential oils) for the treatment or prevention of disease. Essential oils have been used since ancient times as a healing aid and work by assisting the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself. The oils consist of tiny aromatic molecules that are readily absorbed via the skin, and whilst breathing, through the lungs. These molecules then enter the bloodstream and are carried around the body where they can deliver their beneficial healing powers.

Aromachology is seen as the study of how a variety of aromas affect the brain and the physiological makeup of the human body. In brief, it is about how we act and react to individual fragrances and how our body reacts when we experience them. In essence it is a study of how fragrances in general can provide a feel good factor and affect your general mood.

Here are a few of the main essential oils along with an odour description and their main properties.

• Aniseed – sweet odour – softening, soothing and moisturising
• Basil – green aromatic – relaxing
• Bay – strong clove like – softening, soothing
• Benzoin – sweet vanilla like – relaxing, stimulating, soothing, moisturising
• Bergamot – spicy citrus – refreshing, uplifting
• Camphor – pungent – stimulating
• Cedarwood – sweet turpentine like – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Chamomile – sweet herbal – relaxing, calming
• Cinnamon – warm, spicy – stimulant, aphrodisiac
• Clary Sage – warm, nutty – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Cypress – smoky, woody – relaxing
• Eucalyptus – medicinal aromatic – stimulant, relaxing
• Frankincense – spicy, balsamic – relaxing
• Geranium – strong floral – relaxing, soothing
• Jasmine – intense powdery floral -  calming, aphrodisiac, uplifting
• Lavender – sweet floral – relaxing, stimulant
• Lemon – sharp citrus – uplifting, stimulant, refreshing
• Myrhh – camphor like aromatic – relaxing, soothing
• Neroli – sweet floral – soothing, relaxing, calming
• Nutmeg – sweet spicy – stimulating
• Patchouli – sweet rich herbaceous - relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Peppermint – clean menthol – relaxing, stimulating
• Pine – clean, balsamic – revitalising
• Rose – soft sweet floral – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Rosemary – warm, medicinal woody
• Sandalwood – warm creamy woody – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Ylang – intense sweet – relaxing, soothing, aphrodisiac

So the next time you are in need of a relaxing evening make sure your candle is scented with the likes of rose and sandalwood, or for an uplifting fragrance, use a sharp lemon, orange or grapefruit, and let me know whether it has the desired effect.

As for me i’ll be dreaming of chilling on a deserted beach with a good book and the wind in my hair………Have a happy Easter weekend.