Social life of Scents

The history of people's scent consumption is back to 100 year A.D. Some first usages come from rituals, and timekeeping, other activities in Asia region countries like China, Japan, and Korea, medical smoke as treatment of dermatological conditions, analgetics, ear and tooth pains, respiratory conditions, and as a repellent. Smoke and vapor are different, as vapor is the general diffusion of volatile organic compounds(VOC), and smoke is a by-product of combustion where we can see in the air carbon particles and VOC.

People interact with odors or scents in a way that involves multiple steps, starting with the initial detection of an odor molecule to the brain's interpretation and emotional response to that scent. The main steps are similar to biosensors and include detection, transduction, signal transmission, perception, and emotional response followed by adaptation. Signal transmission to the olfactory bulb can take from a few milliseconds to a few seconds, depending on the complexity of the odor and its significance to the person.

Back in history, around 1600-1700s scents were applied to different objects such as furniture for example, and had many other use cases. Due to advances in chemistry in the time of 1800s-1900s, the popularity of Perfume rose and today we have nowadays new culture of scents. Some sources mention that today worldwide Chanel No.5 sells a bottle every 30 seconds.

Many luxury brands use perfumes for brand identity and storytelling. Scents are designed to evoke specific feelings and memories as well as cultural associations, creating a multisensory brand experience. For example, Chanel No. 5 symbolizes timeless femininity via its use of aldehydes and floral notes, rooted in Coco Chanel’s vision of modern elegance. Dior’s J’adore combines jasmine and ylang-ylang to embody confidence, reinforced by campaigns featuring iconic figures. Brands like Hermès and Guerlain emphasize heritage and craftsmanship in their storytelling.