So far, we’ve explored the psychological effects of scent in general. But the fragrances we use in our daily lives may reveal even more possibilities when viewed through the lens of behavioral science. By combining these perspectives, we may begin to unloc the full potential of fragrance.
I currently live in Vienna, the capital of Austria, and I’ve noticed that many people here skillfully weave scent into their everyday routines—and the ways they do so are quite interesting from a psychological standpoint.
For example, many people layer multiple fragrances to create a personal, one-of-a-kind scent—something that “no one else has.” It’s not unusual for me to catch a whiff of a colleague’s fragrance in the office and instantly picture their face, almost like a Proustian moment. In this sense, fragrance becomes a tool for designing oneself and shaping the sensory impressions one leaves behind. I also have friends who assign scents to specific life contexts—for instance, “a scent reserved only for travel,” or “the fragrance I wore at my wedding, which I never use in everyday life.” This has various psychological implications.
By linking a special memory—such as a wedding day or an important travel—to a specific fragrance, the aesthetic experience triggered by that scent becomes richer, deeper, and more profoundly “special”, as it belongs to that one unique moment in one’s life.
More broadly, psychology tells us that associating certain environments with certain behaviors can help regulate motivation. Fragrance can function in the same way.
By intentionally pairing a scent with a particular context—your “office scent”, your “important presentation” scent, your “weekend scent”—you may be able to subtly guide your mood, mindset, and even performance.
Overall, using different scents throughout our daily life allows us to actively design our routines and support our emotional and cognitive performance.