In the wake of the launch of VivaScentz this summer, Givaudan continues their exploration of the links between perfumes and emotions with the launch of MoodScentz, a fragrance technologies platform intended to guide the group’s perfumers and creative teams in crafting mood enhancing fragrances.
Beyond aromatherapy
MoodScentz was launched with the aim to explore the potential of fragrances in increasing emotional wellbeing. Since then, it has significantly evolved under Givaudan’s Scentz platform as the latest neuroscience techniques allowed the company to better understand the underlying mechanisms that take place in the human brain in the presence of odours.
Thus, going beyond the basic aromatherapy approach, it has been possible to develop fragrance design guidelines to create perfumes with scientifically proven mood enhancing benefits.
Mixing blend psychological and neuroscientific measurement techniques with perfumery expertise, the MoodScentz patented technologies form a set of fragrance creation guidelines focusing on three mood effects: “Relaxing” (bringing peace of mind and serenity), “Invigorating” (making consumers feel uplifted and energised), and “Happy” (making consumers feel positive and delighted).
Multi-dimensional statistical techniques
While several studies have highlighted the role of scents in many emotions, the development of neurosciences and of new analytical methods now allow to scientifically demonstrate the emotional effects of specific scents.
For instance, Givaudan scientists have been able to translate the connection between scents and sentiments thanks to the use of the art multi-dimensional statistical techniques.
“To further measure the consumers’ response to different fragrances, our researchers have developed and used Mood Portraits to uncover deeper links between fragrance and emotion through images. This innovative technique involves asking volunteers to select the visuals that represent emotions evoked by a fragrance, avoiding the use of words - eliciting a more spontaneous and discriminatory response,” details Givaudan in a statement.
While the threefold health, economic and ecological crisis that we are experiencing is more conducive to anxiety than to the feeling often associated with happiness, the demand for more well-being is skyrocketing and fragrance and beauty manufacturers are trying, in their own way, to provide news answers.
