Why can smells change our mood? The reason is that the olfactory molecules we perceive through smell send direct signals to our brain through the limbic system, which is the part that is connected to emotions, memory and mood. For this reason, we react immediately and instinctively to the smells we perceive around us.
Is there the perfect fragrance for every occasion? There certainly is, although selecting it is no easy task and there is no single valid choice. Perfumer Ramón Monegal explains that, just as we adapt our image to express an attitude, the olfactory expression must be in line with it. "You can have a personal fragrance with which you feel more identified and play with others, depending on the occasion," he reveals.
Perfume is part of non-verbal communication, just like the clothes we wear. Contrary to what many people think, both attire and fragrance are not frivolous or superficial. They contribute to forming an opinion about our person.
When deciding on a perfume for a job interview, Monegal favours musks, as they are dense but not invasive scents. They send a message of attraction, but subtle; it is not like the flower, which is more of a protagonist. "In a job interview, you have to convey an image of security and stability, and for that I would use woods and roots, but always in a subtle way. I would never use too much perfume because it could send the wrong message," she says.
