The Science of Scent

Can Describing an Odor Make It Harder to Recognize?

Does writing down an odor help you recognize it later? A study of Chinese university students tested when verbal descriptions hinder recognition and when the difference disappears.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can a Cream’s Fragrance Change How It Feels?

Four experiments in France and China explored how fragrance affects face-cream liking, perceived texture, and post-use well-being, with effects that varied by context.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Do Equally Liked Perfumes Affect Mood in the Same Way?

A study of 58 women explored how three similarly liked perfumes related to everyday mood. Most findings were exploratory, not proof of lasting benefits.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can Photographs of Wood Change How an Odour Feels?

Wood photographs influenced odour pleasantness ratings, while exploratory EEG results suggested possible effects of meaning and sensory congruence.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can Reaction Times Measure a Perfume’s Mood Associations?

An olfactory priming task linked perfumes with faster responses to relaxing or energizing words, without establishing physiological or therapeutic effects.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Do “For Men” and “For Women” Labels Change a Perfume’s Color Associations?

Four experiments with commercial perfumes examined how perceived gender and descriptions relate to the colors people associate with a fragrance.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

How much do fragrance diffusers change the air in our homes?

How much does a fragrance diffuser change the air in an occupied home? Measurements in 60 UK households showed that existing sources and ventilation, as well as product emissions, influence how clearly a change can be detected.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Do Perfume Descriptions Affect Scent Memory?

French and German ingredient descriptions reveal possible links between grammatical gender, gender associations, and fragrance memory, with mixed results.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can Light Tell Perfumes Apart?

A light-based technique measures chirality in perfume vapour and follows changes in pine emissions, without ranking fragrance quality or proving authenticity.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can Linalool Oxidation Products Elicit Eczema?

Repeated exposure to linalool hydroperoxides elicited eczema in some already-sensitized patients, with fewer reactions at lower concentrations.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent