Planning a wedding can evoke different feelings, from excitement to feeling overwhelmed and of course nerves. If you are prone to overthinking and getting nervous about big events, you’re not alone most of us, at some point, suffer from nerves, especially in the lead up to the big day. Today on National Fragrance Day we have some top tips from perfumer Karen Gilbert who shares her expert advice on how to deal with those pre-wedding nerves using fragrance…
“Our sense of smell is intertwined with our memory, mood and emotions. The part of our brain that processes smell is also responsible for storing memories and from birth we are consciously building associations between smells and the world around us. It, therefore, makes sense that smells we associate with happy times and pleasant experiences will make us feel good and those we have linked with memories we would rather forget are not those we will be drawn to.
This is going to be different for everyone BUT there will also be some common themes dependent on upbringing and culture. From a young age, we are exposed to products that smell a certain way and so we are fairly conditioned (by marketers) to have specific associations. So the smell of citrus = fresh and energising. Synthetic white musk notes = clean laundry. Soft powdery notes = baby products.”
“With the increase in popularity of aromatherapy, more studies have been done to discover the effects of chemical components of essential oils on the body and mind and it’s now fairly common knowledge that lavender can help with sleep and chamomile to calm nerves. However, no matter how effective the chemical components are in theory, in practice if a person hates a particular smell it is NOT going to make them feel calm or relaxed so perception is an extremely important factor even in aromatherapy.
Anything that makes us feel better and kicks starts our own natural rhythms is going to be better in the long term than a drug. It might not be a quick fix but it will most definitely have fewer side effects. Sleeping pills even herbal ones can make you feel groggy the next day so definitely best avoided before a big day. Relaxing in a scented bath will help you to feel calm and relaxed naturally.”
Which Scent is Best to Calm Our Nerves?
“Anything that makes us feel better and kicks starts our own natural rhythms is going to be better in the long term than a drug. It might not be a quick fix but it will most definitely have fewer side effects. Sleeping pills even herbal ones can make you feel groggy the next day so definitely best avoided before a big day. Relaxing in a scented bath will help you to feel calm and relaxed naturally. A drop of your favourite calming blend on a cotton wool pad in your handbag, A solid balm that’s easy to carry or a little rollerball or handbag spray is the best so you always have it to hand when you need it. Start thinking about the scent you want to wear on your wedding day too because the chances are you will want to make sure that it doesn’t clash with your “calm the nerves scent”.”
Which Scent Will Help with Sleep?
“I’m a big fan of the bath and creating scented rituals to get through challenging times. Your favourite candle, Epsom salts and a blend of lavender and clary sage always hit the spot for me. Along with Lavender Vetiver and Jasmine have also been found to help to get you in the right state for sleep so you could make up your own pillow spritz or a couple of drops on a tissue by your pillow to help you drift off.”
Which Scent is Best for Confidence?
“I’d definitely recommend something zingy and citrusy in the shower to give a boost to start the day. Anything with Rosemary is great for clearing the mind too. If you want to spray something on for a quick boost I’d go for a citrus cologne or an “aura spritz” with a low level of fragrance that gets you going on first sniff butt hat isn’t going to hang around and interfere with your daytime perfume.”
Which Scent Helps with Hormones?
My ultimate favourite for anything premenstrual is my all-time fave Clary Sage although it is contraindicated with alcohol so possibly not the best choice for the big day itself but in the run-up I would definitely use it in massage oil and in the bath (providing you are not pregnant of course!)
Which Scents are Sensual for the Wedding Night?
“Either tropical heady florals (In Indonesia, Ylang Ylang flowers are spread on newlyweds’ beds on their wedding night ) or soft oriental ambers work depending on your mood and what scents you personally wear. A beautifully scented dry oil (I love vanilla and sandalwood scents) will give your skin a sensual sheen without getting on your clothes and can be layered with a complimentary scent.”
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