Since my graduation (2021) I have developed a fascination for the medium of scent. In the past year I have been doing (literature) research into the effect of scent in all kinds of areas. From the functioning of our olfactory system and the vibration of scent molecules to the (potential) cure of parosmia. I strive to write a weekly post about my research and hope to be able to inspire fellow scent enthusiasts and not yet scent enthusiasts. In my graduation work ''(Un)silenced Time'' I used 'Calone', a fragrance that is reminiscent of ozone and thunderstorm, but it is also strongly reminiscent of watermelon. The smell was pungent, somewhat overpowering in the room but it is the beginning of my fascination. Since then I started training my nose. You can already help your nose by paying more attention to the smells in your environment, but it is more effective to smell fragrances. Do not judge these substances based on what they are, but based on how you can describe them: is it soft or hard? Round or square? Is it powdery or creamy? When you learn to describe smells, you learn to identify them.
I developed a 'lust for scent'. Smelling helps us understand our body and our environment better. There are scents that have a positive effect on the state of mind. It can contribute to listening better, being more patient and improving our solution-oriented ability. Unfortunately, in the Netherlands we still pay too little attention to smell. It is not woven into our culture as it is in cultures where people live in a warmer climate. That makes sense somehow. Scent molecules are slow, but the vibration increases as it gets warmer. The humidity ensures that scent molecules linger longer. At the moment we are still in winter, which is characterized by the absence of scent. In addition, the receptors in our nose work less well in the cold. Let's look forward to August's scent explosion. It is almost inevitable to avoid the landscape of smell: from fragrant flowers to rotting garbage, from the pleasant sweet smell to an overwhelming sour smell of pollen. Towards the end of summer we all are 'suffering' a bit from a lust for scent.
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