Smell is possibly the most primal and emotionally evocative of your senses; certain fragrances/odors are inextricably linked with memories both good and bad. Certain ones can transport you vividly back in time: the perfume/cologne your mom or dad wore, the ubiquitous cooked cabbage aroma of granny’s house, pine resin from those mountain vacations… I grew up on the western prairies, and the sunny, hot August smell of an alfalfa field turns me 18 again (waaaaay back) – standing at the roadside with a backpack, thumb out for a ride, headed for the east coast. Good times.

Aromatherapy is a little less subjective, but can be targeted just as specifically to alter mental and physical conditions. We know now that the two states are mutually dependent; given the powerful responses we have to certain scents, isn’t it reasonable to believe that utilizing the appropriate ones can affect, and increase our wellbeing?

Historically, a whole spectrum of effects/benefits have been claimed for the olfactory and topical derivatives of fragrant herbs. Lavender soothes, rosemary stimulates, eucalyptus improves respiratory function, cloves palliate toothache… Contemporary science is still playing catch-up but often confirms that the chemical compounds in popular folk remedies do indeed have topical antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. The influence of aroma on the brain, especially the limbic system is presently less understood but also of potential value in healing modalities.

Wikipedia provides a comprehensive primer, references and a “further reading” list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapy for anyone interested in this topic. Do heed the cautions regarding use of these products; essential oils, for example, are highly concentrated and can have adverse effects if incorrectly administered.………………..

Which leads me to my next topic – involuntary aromatherapy.

Why is it virtually impossible to purchase unscented products? Why do manufacturers assume we want shampoo that smells like papaya, mint toothpaste, cinnamon mouthwash, “spring breeze” or “carribbean cool” deodorant, floral/fruity/spicy lotions and potions targeted for each and every part of our anatomy (watermelon foot scrub – why?)…

I pay an exorbitant price for my “designer” perfume – this is the fragrance I choose, the image I wish to project – why would I want to adulterate it or have it clash with 18 other aromas forced upon me by scent-crazed merchandisers? Why should it cost more to purchase scent-free “sensitive skin” products, if you can find them at all?

And why, really, would anyone want to smell like a fruit or spice? Admittedly, it’s a marginal improvement on dabbing “eau de filet mignon” behind your ears (though that’s a totally appealing aroma, in the right context), but don’t these things actually belong in the kitchen, or the grocery store?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop with personal care products. Now laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dish soaps, floor cleansers, furniture polishes and air fresheners give you a choice of pine, lemon, raspberry, rose, lilac, nutmeg and banana crème pie. Too many choices, essentially leaving you with no choice but to select the least of the available evils. Any one scent might be enjoyable – commingling 28 of them is schizophrenic!

We even perfume our pets; their products are evaluated and advertised on the basis of their appeal to humans! We’ve anthropomorphized them to the point where we forget that they belong to different species – most of them with far keener sensory organs than we have. No one loves the smell of wet dog, or some of the things dogs like to roll in, but there has to be a reasonable middle ground there, without having your Shitzu reeking of Calvin Klein Canine… That’s just cruel, and he’ll probably be shunned and ridiculed by his peers, necessitating multiple, expensive adjustment sessions with the pet psychiatrist…