The connection between scent, memory and the familiar fragrances we return to.
Certain smells can bring back a memory almost instantly. The scent of a real Christmas tree, freshly washed bedding or something cooking in the kitchen can remind us of a particular place, person or time in our lives.
It's one reason familiar fragrances can feel so comforting. Scent has a particularly close relationship with the parts of the brain involved in memory and emotion, which helps explain why a smell can trigger a feeling before we've consciously worked out what it reminds us of.
And sometimes, that feeling is simply home.
In this article
- Our sense of smell is closely connected to memory and emotion.
- Familiar fragrances can bring back surprisingly vivid childhood memories.
- A scent doesn't need to be traditionally relaxing to feel comforting.
- Personal associations matter as much as the fragrance itself.
- Bringing familiar scents into the home can help create a sense of comfort and belonging.
Why do smells bring back memories?
Have you ever caught a familiar smell somewhere unexpected and suddenly remembered something you hadn't thought about in years?
It might be a particular perfume, the smell of freshly cut grass or the distinctive scent of a place you used to visit.
This happens partly because the brain processes smell differently from our other senses. Information from the nose reaches areas involved in emotion and memory through relatively direct pathways, including connections with the amygdala and hippocampus.
That doesn't mean every fragrance will trigger a memory. But when a smell is strongly associated with a particular experience, encountering it again can bring back some of the feelings connected with that time.
Researchers sometimes refer to this as the Proust phenomenon, named after the writer Marcel Proust, whose description of a cake dipped in tea became a famous example of an involuntary memory.
What's interesting is how personal these associations can be.
The smell of pine might remind one person of childhood Christmases. For someone else, it might bring back walks through a forest or holidays in the countryside.
It's the experience attached to the fragrance that makes it meaningful.
The smell of a real Christmas tree
For me, it's the smell of a real Christmas tree.
I remember having one at home as a child, and that unmistakable scent of pine filling the room.
Even now, I associate it with being at home, feeling safe and the excitement of that particular time of year.
It's difficult to separate the fragrance from the memory. I don't necessarily picture one specific Christmas or remember exactly what was happening. It's more that the smell brings back a feeling I recognise immediately.
And I think that's what makes scent so interesting.
We can spend ages choosing fragrances because we like their individual notes, but sometimes the ones we're most drawn to have very little to do with how they're described.
They simply remind us of something good.
Why familiar fragrances can feel comforting
When we think about relaxing fragrances, lavender, chamomile and sandalwood often come to mind.
But comfort isn't limited to fragrances traditionally associated with relaxation.
For some people, it's the smell of coffee first thing in the morning. For others, freshly laundered sheets, a favourite perfume or woodsmoke.
These fragrances can become familiar through repetition. We encounter them in particular places, around particular people or during experiences that matter to us.
Over time, the association can become part of how we remember those experiences.
Of course, scent memories aren't always positive. A fragrance that feels comforting to one person may be unpleasant to someone else.
That's why choosing a home fragrance is such a personal thing.
The most comforting scent isn't necessarily the one described as calming. Sometimes it's simply the one that reminds you of somewhere you loved being.
Bringing familiar scents into the home
Our homes have their own distinctive smells, even if we don't always notice them.
Cooking, furniture, fabrics, fresh air and the products we use all contribute to the way a space smells.
Home fragrance gives us an opportunity to introduce something deliberately.
That might be a floral candle in the bedroom, a warm woody fragrance in the living room or something green and botanical that reminds us of being outdoors.
It's worth thinking about the scents you're naturally drawn to, rather than choosing a fragrance purely because it's fashionable or associated with a particular mood.
Is there a smell you always notice when you're away from home?
A fragrance you associate with someone you love?
Something that reminds you of a favourite season or place?
Those associations can be a useful starting point when choosing a candle scent by mood
You might also find that your preferences change throughout the year. Lighter fragrances can feel appealing in summer, while woody, resinous and more atmospheric scents often come into their own during autumn and winter.
There's no rule that says a fragrance has to belong to a particular season, though.
If you love it, you can enjoy it whenever you like.
The inspiration behind Fir
That childhood association with real Christmas trees influenced the inspiration for Fir Candle.
I wanted to capture something of that familiar evergreen fragrance, but without making a candle that felt exclusively Christmassy.
Fir combines pine and eucalyptus with cedarwood and deeper woody notes. It's green and resinous, with the recognisable character of evergreen trees softened by the warmth of wood.
For me, it's nostalgic. But it also works as an atmospheric fragrance for winter evenings, whether you're settling down with a book, spending time at home or simply enjoying a quieter evening.
It's a scent that brings a little of the outside indoors.
And although Christmas was the starting point, I like the idea of enjoying that familiar woodland fragrance throughout the colder months, long after the decorations have been packed away.
Making a fragrance part of your evening
A familiar scent can become one of the small things you associate with being at home.
It doesn't need an elaborate routine.
You might light a candle while reading, after finishing work or when you settle down for the evening.
Using a fragrance regularly in a particular setting can help it become part of that experience. Over time, you may begin to associate the scent with that familiar part of your day.
If you're interested in creating a little more separation between a busy day and the evening, our guide to creating an evening wind-down ritual at home is a useful place to start.
The important thing is choosing something you genuinely enjoy, rather than following a prescribed idea of what relaxation should smell like.
A fragrance that's personal to you
One of the things I love about scent is that two people can experience exactly the same fragrance and associate it with completely different things.
For me, pine brings back childhood Christmases and the feeling of being at home.
For someone else, it might be a favourite woodland walk or a holiday somewhere surrounded by trees.
Neither association is more meaningful than the other.
Perhaps that's why certain fragrances stay with us for so long. They become connected to the people, places and experiences that have shaped our lives.
And sometimes, all it takes is a familiar smell to bring a little of that feeling back.
Explore the collection
Discover Fir — Green, resinous candle for winter evenings
Explore Ember — A deeper, warming fragrance for atmospheric evenings
