Smell: the most underrated sense, yet oftentimes the most visceral.
Scent is so powerful that it can transport us to a feeling or experience we may have buried. Yet we rarely properly appreciate this source of potential catharsis-triggering memories. Here are smells that have particularly positive associations for me. We will start basic: You can never go wrong with a classic vanilla. Never have I ever wanted to bathe myself in a baking ingredient, but vanilla simply does something special to my olfactory receptors. Although I am not an avid perfume wearer, I have multiple vanilla perfumes. I think this is a pretty universally liked smell, and for good reason.
Next we have a more obscure one: the scent of fig — in candles, specifically. I have an artisanal fig candle in my room that brings some color back to my bleak life whenever I take a whiff. Once, when I felt down, I smelled it for a dopamine rush and it actually worked. Don’t ask me if this is a healthy way to process feelings.
Now I’ll pivot to an equally wondrous but somewhat embarrassing smell I love: gasoline. I know what you might be thinking — “What the heck?” I’ve met many gasoline haters. These are the same people who hate EXPO markers and nail polish remover and they are simply wrong in their prejudices. There is something so addicting about toxic things — a rule I apply to smells rather than relationships, of course. However, I won’t lie, too much of this scent can make me lightheaded and doesn’t seem very healthy period.
Next, we have another bizarre one, Home Depot. To me, Home Depot is another scent Wonder of the World. My father, the serial Home Depot-goer that he is, has spent approximately half his life in this store and by proxy, so have I. I’ve grown to appreciate the gigantic home improvement store for many reasons, but chiefly for its extremely specific smell. It really does smell like home — something about allen wrenches, gerbil feeders, toilet seats and electric heaters just does it for me.
Another store makes its way into my list: Michaels. Anyone who has been to Michaels knows that the scent elevates the shopping experience. It reminds me of simpler times: shopping for new oil paints with my aunt on my 11th birthday, sprinting through the aisles to look for a poster board for a last-minute school project or surveying the sticker section with my mom to finally find the perfect set for my scrapbook. The smell is somehow all these moments and more — a mix of pine cones, cinnamon and something akin to childhood wonder.
I’m sure I’ll be adding to and amending this list of favorite smells as the years go by, but for now, certain chemical and department store scents are the big winners for their ability to transport me to earlier and happier times.
