Have you ever been out and about and suddenly get a whiff of a scent that immediately conjures a memory? That happens to me frequently. I can be at the store, at work, or out for a walk and get a brief whiff of a random scent and it suddenly brings up a memory. It’s amazing how scents can stir up your emotions.
There is a direct connection between our sense of smell and our emotions, memories, and behaviors. Scents tap into our emotional centers.
I could get into the science of it all, but you can Google it to learn more about it.
In addition to evoking a memory, scents can also affect your mood. This is why aromatherapy is so popular these days. There are scientific studies about how scents can alter human behaviors and mood.
I’m sure you have discovered this yourself. Have you ever smelled something and it makes you feel more energized, or another scent that makes you feel more calm and relaxed.
Different scents can trigger different feelings. Here are some examples;
- Grounding & Comfort (Woody/Warm): Sandalwood, cedarwood, amber, and vanilla mimic feelings of safety, warmth, and stability. They can lower stress levels and make people feel secure or deeply relaxed.
- Energy & Focus (Citrus/Mint): Lemon, grapefruit, and peppermint stimulate the nervous system. They can increase alertness, boost cognitive performance, and combat mental fatigue.
- Sensuality & Confidence (Floral/Spice): Jasmine, rose, and deep spices like black pepper or cardamom can stimulate feelings of intimacy, mystery, and personal power.
- Calm & Peace (Herbal): Lavender and chamomile are scientifically proven to reduce heart rate and lower cortisol (stress hormone) level.
I love to wear perfume. I have a variety of perfumes to choose from. I always choose the perfume I use based on how I am feeling that day as well as where I am going. If I’m just running errands around town or going to work I will wear a light fragrance. If I am going out on a date with my husband or to a party I’ll wear a more prominent scent.
Some people opt to have a signature scent – a scent that they wear every day regardless of what they are doing. However, I personally feel that most people opt for a variety of scents like I do. They choose a perfume that either matches the mood they are currently in, or helps them manifest the mood they want to have.
I recently received to review a collection of scents from the brand 5 Sens.
5 SENS is a modern, indie fragrance brand launched in 2022 by entrepreneur Divya Gugnani (who also co-founded Wander Beauty). The brand stands out by redefining traditional perfumery around emotions and vibes, operating under the core ethos: “We make feelings, not fragrance.”
If you visit the brand’s website you’ll notice that they have the option to shop by your mood – Confident, Happy, Romantic, Flirty, Mellow and Cozy. They also have core scents – In Too Deep, Happy Tears, Life of the Party, Burn for You, Catch Feelings, Right There, and Twin Flame.
The brand takes things seriously. They want to offer consumers the best fragrances using sustainable practices. Their products are clean, Vegan, Cruelty-Free.
According to the brand;
We use glass for our fragrance bottles, which can be upcycled and recycled, and recyclable wood for our caps, with the inner part made from 35% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. Even our outer carton packaging is fully recyclable paperboard.
5 Sens also partners with some great organizations.
I received to review one of each of their scents. 5 Sens sent me their Ignite Your Senses Collection. This collection includes five scents in glass bottles. Their size and shape make them great for traveling and simply tossing into your bag for on-the-go touch ups. I like that the bottles are in a rectangle shape. It keeps them from rolling away.
I am not a perfume expert. I cannot tell you what the top, middle and bottom notes are when it comes to perfume. Often I can’t pinpoint specific fragrances but I can tell you what the scent makes me think of (envision). This is why a brand like 5 Sens is perfect for me because my “nose” is driven by how a scent makes me feel or the memories it conjures up.
I want you to take note of the scents found in each of the 5 Sens products. They use fragrances such as Damask Rose, Indian Sandalwood, Lychee, Italian Bergamot, Saffron, Ambrox, Black Currant and Arabian Jasmine. These are not typical fragrances used in perfumes.
Happy Tears
Orange Blossom, Arabian Jasmine, White Peach, Vanilla, Creamy Musk
Oh my goodness. This scent DOES make me happy! It’s very light and airy. You can definitely smell the orange bloom, vanilla and Arabian jasmine. When I smell this scent I think back to summer time when I was a child. I would spend my summers playing outdoors with my cousins or friends. Fresh air, green grass, flowers, blue skies… I can picture it all when I smell this scent. It’s a great every day scent if you are looking for something that can go to the office, run errands and go out at night.
This scent energizes me too.
Catch Feelings
Lychee, Ruby Grapefruit, Damask Rose, Vetiver Roots, Suede
This is a bit of a “deeper” scent, for lack of a better description. I can smell something that reminds me of suede, and I believe the other scent I pick up on is the vetiver roots. This scent has a more Earthy scent – but in a good way.
I don’t know why but the very first time I smelled this scent I thought about the drive-in movie theater I used to go to when I was younger. I honestly cannot see any correlation between the two. That is just the first thing that came to mind – the drive-in near the woods at night time. How strange is that? It just emphasizes the fact that scents can make you “feel” things. I always enjoyed going to the drive-in. It’s also a great memory for me. Still, this is such a unique fragrance. I would have thought it would have reminded me of something else, perhaps traveling around Europe (I did when I was younger) instead of the drive-in theater.
Cucumber Leaves, Cardamom, Osmanthus Blossom, Indian Sandalwood, and White Musk
Twin Flame
Cucumber Leaves, Cardamom, Osmanthus Blossom, Indian Sandalwood, White Musk
I consider this another “happy” fragrance. It’s also light like Happy Tears, but a little more deeper with the addition of scents like white musk and sandalwood. Unlike Happy Tears that energizes me, this scent I find more calming and soothing. It’s the kind of scent that makes me think of home. I can envision sitting in the living room with my extended family reminiscing about things and sharing stories. How is that for a “vision.” Ha Ha.
In Too Deep
Tahitian Vanilla, Italian Bergamot, Sparkling Sugar, Australian Sandalwood, Musk
I can’t pinpoint any specific memories or feelings with this scent. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a lovely fragrance. I just can’t precisely express how this scent makes me feel or if it makes me have any thoughts and memories when I smell it. I really do like the scent. It can easily go from the office to a night on the town. It’s not too light and not too “deep.” I think the vanilla and sugar soften the musk and Australian sandalwood fragrances.
I think this does have a bit of a “homey” feel to it, similar to Twin Flame. It’s also calming.
Life of the Party
Blackcurrant, Peach Blossom, Saffron, Midnight Jasmine, Ambrox
I can see why this scent was given the name “Life of the Party.” It’s a very invigorating scent. Fun, flirty, happy, energizing… these are words I can easily use to describe this scent.
I’d say this scent has soft, velvety warm and “clean.” It’s a very natural scent. It doesn’t smell like flowers, citrus or woodsy. It’s a complex scent, but in a good way. I liken it to Unami. Hopefully that makes sense.
I wouldn’t use the term “perfume” for this scent. It’s just that – a scent. A natural scent.
As I mentioned before, I am not a fragrance of perfume expert by any means. If you have ever read any of my perfume reviews I often write about what the scents remind me of and what I can smell from them (fragrance scents). I don’t know much about “notes.”
Out of all the scents Happy Tears would be my favorite. There is something about it that resonates with me. It’s very much a “me” scent. I’m a happy-go-lucky person.
The 5 Sens website gives you more detailed information about the scents to help you choose the best one for you. I would recommend the brand’s Discovery Kit. It provides you with smaller samples of the scents I reviewed. It’s a great way to narrow down your favorite(s) before committing to a larger bottle.
The brand’s Ignite Your Senses bundle is the same one I received to review. This set is great if you want to have all the scents available to you in a larger amount (as compared to the Discovery Kit).
There are other bundles available including build your own bundle too.
If you would like to learn more about 5 Sens visit the brand at 5Sens.co (notice it’s not .com, it’s .co). You can also find the brand on social media.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
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