When contemplating summer, what's the initial thought that springs to mind? It could be the comforting sensation of the sun's rays enveloping your skin or the thrill of embarking on an adventure during the summer vacation.
At EVA Candles, our primary objective is to offer you the most exceptional and stimulating scented candles made from premium soy wax. Therefore, when pondering summer, we naturally reflect on the fragrances associated with it. In this blog post, we will delve into the characteristics that make some of these aromas extraordinary and elucidate why they contribute to our overall sense of wellness.
Have you heard of petrichor? It’s the amazing, earthy scent that rises into the air after the first rain touches the ground following a period of hot, dry weather. For many people it’s one of the most evocative scents. It comes from ‘petros’ (the Greek word for stone) and ‘ichor’ (the essence that flowed through the gods in Greek mythology). Scientists started looking at the phenomenon in the 1960s and discovered that, during periods of dry weather, plants release aromatic oils into the surface layer of the soil. When rain eventually hits the dry earth it forms tiny bubbles that burst and release the aromatic oils into the air, along with a molecule called geosmin which gives the soil its characteristic earthy aroma. It’s a process similar to Champagne bubbles releasing the fragrance of the wine. That’s how the scent of petrichor is created, but why does it smell so incredible? Some scientists think it’s because our ancestors associated it with the return of life-giving water after a period of drought. Whatever the reason, we know that it’s one of our favourite scents of summer.
Rain or shine, there’s always something special about the smell of the sea, and many of us look forward to heading to the beach when summer comes around. The Victorians attributed all kinds of health benefits to taking in the sea air. They thought it had special properties because of ozone, but we now know that marine algae and phytoplankton release a compound called dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, which is dispersed into the air along with salts and other constituents by the sea spray, creating the characteristic smell of the sea. Small fish eat the plankton and birds eat the fish so even seabirds are attracted to the aroma of DMS, because they know it means the water is healthy and full of life. In higher concentrations the smell of DMS is not unlike boiled beetroot or asparagus, so why do we find it so appealing? Perhaps it’s because we subconsciously associate it with life and a healthy environment, and it turns out that DMS may be essential to a healthy biosphere and a stable climate for our planet, so the sea air is a worthy contender for a favourite scent of summer.
What scent do you associate the most with the long, hot summers of your childhood? If you said “the smell of freshly cut grass” then you’re in good company. It’s a scent that can transport you back in time to those seemingly endless summers spent outdoors. The aroma itself is a collection of organic compounds called green leaf volatiles that the grass produces when it is cut. In dry conditions these aromatics, some of them plant pheromones, are released into the air creating an enticing, fragrant haze. These green leaf volatiles are also associated with fresh fruit and vegetables so, like petrichor and the smell of the sea, it’s a fragrance that we associate with life, abundance, health and happiness, and the intimate link between scent and memory fixes it in our minds.
We hope you enjoyed reading about some of our favourite scents of summer. We love to bring you the scents and sensations of nature, the seasons and other special moments in our range of luxury scented candles. Check out Zanzibar, Storm Watch, Japanese Bamboo, Green Apple And Cucumber to enjoy the scents of summer all year round from the comfort of your home.
Wherever you find yourself this summer we hope that you find this season as inspiring, uplifting and sustaining as we do here at EVA Candles.