The power of scent
Olfaction and the brain are closely linked, as evidenced by the incredible power of evocation and the emotions experienced when capturing just a scent wafting through the air! Buried sensations rise to the surface, forgotten memories emerge, and new reactions occur. This has surely happened to you… the scent of a cake, a forest dampened by rain, or flowers that move you and make you feel happy or sad… by what mystery?
Decoding...
A Scientific Connection
The memory of scents is primarily emotional.
Olfaction is universal, it exists from birth and is closely linked to taste.
Humans have about ten million olfactory receptors, while dogs have over 200 million!
When we smell a scent, which is the volatile molecules in the atmosphere, the olfactory receptors in our nasal cavity send a signal to the brain. It goes to the limbic system, which processes emotions, and to the hippocampus, which stores memories. This is how the brain intimately associates a scent with a memory, completely unconsciously. Thesereminiscences were famously described by Marcel Proust with the famous madeleine, which inundated him with childhood memories when he dipped it in linden tea for Tante Léonie in Combray to calm her in the evening.
Scent affects our emotions, our psyche, and our body.
It has a balancing, calming, or stimulating role, for example. The limbic system sends information to the nervous system, which releases hormones such as dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline, altering our behaviors. A cascade reaction triggered by a simple scent, incredible, isn’t it?
“Smelling a pleasant perfume activates the reward circuit in the same way that sugar or drugs can. That’s how powerful it is,” explains Nathalie Mandairon, a research director at CNRS in Lyon.
For example, green scents are known to be soothing and reduce stress.
Scientifically Proven Powers
To the extent that aromatherapy is increasingly used in the medical field: this therapy uses the impact of scents to treat past traumas, addiction, or depression, and to recover memory, especially in cases of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, where the loss of smell is the first symptom of the disease, before memory problems. Smelling a scent projects you into the past and can awaken memories in a patient suffering from a neurodegenerative disease, says olfactotherapist Patty Canac.
Childhood Scents and Linden
Childhood scents, scents related to an event, or to a lover, or to travels…
Scents associated with childhood memories are probably the most indelible and evoke a multitude of emotions.From the smell of wax to a mother’s perfume, to the garden of the family home, to the aroma of a grandmother’s recipe, we all have these fragrances buried within us that recall a lost childhood.
A true Proustian madeleine, the scent of linden
In June and July, when this light but intoxicating scent wafts through the air, invading village squares, Parisian parks, the alleys of the Palace of Versailles, and school courtyards, it brings back memories of summer, bursts of nature, sensations of warmth, and a comforting something.
Your Testimonials on Linden Evocations
“The linden, it still proudly stands, protective, in the middle of my grandparents’ garden, and for me, it brings back dozens of childhood memories… The sweet and enchanting scent of its flowers that we carefully collected. Its shade in the summer when the sun was too hot. It witnessed generations passing through this house, sheltered heated games of belote, never-ending meals, laughter, tears too, children’s games, and the naps of the elderly. It’s all that and much more.
“In the city of Nice, Avenue Jean Medecin… I leave the cinema, and with my head in the air, I inhale the intoxicating scent of lindens… of course, a man bumps into me, I apologize profusely, he invites me for a drink… a few months later, he became my companion… thank you, linden tree scent!”
“For me, the linden tree is the protective tree; it remains in the precious memories of another life in Bougival. Majestic and gigantic, it watched over our room, offering a benevolent shade in the summer when the sun was too hot. A tender green tone flooded the room when the linden tree played with the sun, and its scent offered an unparalleled fragrance to our nights. I had renamed our old pink-tinted house ‘the Linden House’ because I liked to believe that it was above all the master of the place. Since then, every linden tree I encounter on a walk, on a bike ride, in town, or in the countryside gives me its incomparable scent like a perfume that accompanies my memories.”
“So many childhood memories with my grandmother who dried linden and verbena to make herbal teas. She made sachets for the parish fair, and I helped her! The linden trees in the schoolyard where we sought a bit of coolness to play hopscotch, jump rope, or jacks.”
“It’s the scent I associate with the memory of a stormy evening when I was coming home from school. A scent mixed with the smell of warm, wet earth and that of the soaked white cotton t-shirt. A soothing memory.”
When olfactotherapist Patty Canac talks about the linden tree:
“It’s a very endearing flower that has been around since ancient times, with a pastel elegance…
It soothes the mind; it’s a subtle scent that always floats in the air, a divine scent. It brings classical music with its timeless soft notes. It has a strong memory dimension! The linden tree is reassuring; it calms, tranquilizes, brings serenity, but also offers a moment of silence… You take a lounge chair, a book; it’s a moment with yourself, an effluence that promotes introspection.
Alain Baraton, the chief gardener of Versailles, says that the linden tree is fabulous because it’s ‘the past in the present.’ It’s the long dress, relaxation, the cup of tea in the shade. There’s a family aspect to the linden tree, something intimate, yet also shared.
Personally, when I smell linden, it takes me back to moments of childhood joy and happiness; I look around with a different perspective and think, ‘here, I am well.’ Linden trees have accompanied the world; they are part of history, were sacred plants, and were used by druids, but they are still very relevant today.”
"L'Eau Qui Enlac", TiL's fragrance
Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian has completely recreated the scent of linden because it is a silent flower, meaning it cannot be extracted.
This is where the expertise of the “nose” and the magic of interpretation come into play.
"L'Eau qui Enlace", our eau de toilette, enveloping and tender, is an addictive and moving fragrance that combines the sunny heart of linden with the joyful sparkle of bergamot and the powdery caress of musk. A subtle reminiscence of childhood.
Words from the perfymer, Francis Kurkdjian:
“Linden is the scent of my childhood, the streets of my hometown, the end of spring heralding the heat of summer. It’s also the scent of the TiL estate that I’ve known for two decades. There, the large-flowered Tomentosa lindens are particularly fragrant on summer evenings or in the cool of early mornings. So, I let my own memories speak to create a free and sentimental interpretation, like an olfactory postcard imbued with the memory of this moving place. I sought to capture the brilliance of its bloom that welcomes bees and their buzzing of joy in the breeze of its leaves and flowers! From this story emerged a simple formula, with a contemporary touch, that incorporates all facets of the linden flower, both slightly green and honeyed, powdery and orange. It’s the idea of gentle, caressing, and luminous sensuality that I believe corresponds well to our times…”
Words from an olfactotherapist, Patty Canac:
“L’Eau Qui Enlace goes far beyond a fragrance that smells good; it brings comfort because it operates in the realm of pure emotion. Many perfumes are created to seduce. This one brings well-being and puts you in a ‘posture,’ which is very rare: the desire to sit down, settle in, read, dream…”
Words from you, the users, who talk about it best!
“A real walk under the linden trees. An enveloping scent while being discreet. It’s fresh and sweet at the same time, like candy…”
“A truly exceptional discovery , a scent…. I don't even have words... Just flawless and I will recommend it as long as it exists... Thank you to the creators for creating this marvel ! »
"A magnificent perfume that transports you under a large linden tree in bloom ... Or makes you think of a delicious linden honey, soothing, relaxing... A Proust effect, a perfume that you wear for yourself.."
“A marvel of delicacy and softness. »
“Soft, subtle, and warm, a fragrance that evokes the sweetness of the first spring evenings, under the lime trees. »
“A scent of spring linden, subtle and fresh . Addictive ! »
Words from scientists
Feeling to experience, the proof by neuroscience: "L’Eau Qui Enlace" underwent rigorous testing by neuroscientists in a study. Professor Aubert and Doctor Francis Vial (Emospin) developed a protocol to measure the emotional impact of a fragrance using three parameters:
1. Respiratory rhythm, which plays a significant role in scent perception: if pleasant, it triggers a slowing of the respiratory rhythm and an increase in the volume of inhalation. If unpleasant, it limits inspirations, even momentarily blocking them.
2. Emotional load transmitted by voice (prosody or tone of voice).
3. Psychometric analysis: selection of emotional attributes.
This protocol was followed to measure the emotional impact of the TiL fragrance, "L’Eau Qui Enlace", with the following results:
- It triggers a state of relaxation and calm.
- It decreases the respiratory rhythm by 15%, a significant reduction.
- It achieves a very high consensus on three emotions it affects: joy, relaxation, and comfort, the emotions we probably need the most right now…
What a beautiful conclusion about linden than that of Elisabeth Martorell, Beauty editor of French ELLE magazine, who describes "L’Eau Qui Enlace" as: “A little wonder of softness and delicacy, an olfactory hug in a period saturated with overpowering fragrances.”
