Making Sense Out of Scents
A Scent-Sory Experience
Developing the signature natural scents for Dabble & Dollop's products was a purposeful and intentional process deeply rooted in both nature and science. I often describe our product design as "purpose-filled," meaning every aspect was thoughtfully considered. It was essential to craft a sensory experience that appeals to both children and adults, ensuring it was entirely natural and safe.
Did you know that our sense of smell is our most primitive and ancient sense? Our neurobiology is intricately wired to perceive and process scents, making our sense of smell incredibly powerful.
It's important to understand that scent is a physical stimulant made of volatile chemicals – tiny particles that float in our environment. When we inhale these scents, they trigger a biological response in our brains.
The Nose Knows
For instance, when you smell a sweet rose or a freshly baked cake, you're inhaling particles that your brain detects and processes, often evoking pleasant feelings and positively impacting our well-being. Inhaling scents activates neurons in the nose's mucosal lining, a process that is both hard-wired and influenced by learned scent experiences based on our environment.
Olfaction, or the sense of smell, is powerful because it imprints memories and associations unique to each individual over their lifetime. For example, the scent of vanilla might evoke memories of baking cookies at your grandmother's house, often tied to feelings of care and comfort.
We selected scents like strawberry, tangerine, blueberry, lemon, honeydew melon, and vanilla intentionally, backed by science. These natural scents are almost universally experienced as pleasant, as our neurons are pre-disposed to find these scents enjoyable. Our aim was not to create artificial fragrances but to harness nature's sweetest gifts that we are biologically attuned to appreciate.
Better Than Smelling Salts!
Furthermore, scent doesn't just bring pleasure and evoke good memories. It also creates a level of alertness and arousal in the brain. Research by Dr. Noam Sobel, Professor of Neurobiology at the Weizmann Institute of Science, demonstrates that inhaling scents increases brain alertness and arousal. It's a primitive cue signaling the brain to pay attention, enhancing memory retention.
These studies show that the act of smelling can enhance cognition – our ability to learn and remember. While we often process scents subconsciously, we can also use them intentionally to enhance moments or change moods.
Scent, Memory & Connection
This is why we believe that incorporating scent into bath time for children offers a powerful bonding opportunity for parents. Engaging with your child during bath time, with gentle touch and soft conversation, can create lasting memories and positively influence their well-being and cognitive development.
Our products are truly "purpose-filled," designed to elevate the bath time experience by enhancing joy and connection, guided by science. Science and nature are deeply intertwined in our approach. The aromatic ingredients in our scents are completely natural, not artificial or synthetic. They are nature's pure gifts, and enjoying these during bath time should be a familial, comforting, safe, and sensory experience.
