Musky, resinous, foul, floral. Add acrid, ethereal, and mint, and you've covered the seven categories of odor and aroma man has inhaled for millennia...
Scent is the most primal of the senses. It bypasses the thinking brain and speaks directly to memory and mood, which is why a single note can summon a childhood kitchen or a long-ago summer in an instant. Perfumers have always known this; increasingly, so do the rest of us.
Used with intention - a calming lavender at night, a bright citrus to start the day, a signature fragrance that becomes part of how others remember you - scent is far more than decoration. It is one of the quiet luxuries available to anyone, at any price, every single day.
Originally published in View AZ Highlife Magazine, Spring 2008.