Calming scents are known to promote relaxation and reduce stress & anxiety. In our fast-paced world, the need for practical stress relief has never been more necessary.

Life is demanding, so we’re here to make calming scents easy. We’ll explore the science of these soothing aromas and how scented candles, essential oils, and aromatherapy massage can all help.

Plus, we’ll reveal 5 of the most calming scents to achieve balance and tranquility amidst the chaos.

RELATED: Calming scents meet confidence with these scented affirmation candles

Relax with these 5 Calming Scents

1. Bergamot to Improve Mood and Promote Happiness

Bergamot is a fresh and uplifting aroma with citrus and floral notes.

It smells like a mix of lemon and bitter orange and is often used in aromatherapy to improve mood and reduce feelings of stress. Bergamot is a calming scent that can promote happiness and well-being.

Try our bergamot, sage, and white woods-scented No One Mentally Breaks Me Candle.

2. Lavender for Relaxation and Reduced Anxiety

Lavender is one of the most well-known calming scents because it promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety. Its soothing aroma can help you unwind after a long day and even improve sleep quality.

Try our lavender, rose, and spice-scented Light It Into Existence® Candle.

3. Sandalwood for Calm and Focus

Sandalwood is a woody and earthy scent used in aromatherapy for centuries.

The scent of sandalwood is known to have a calming effect on the mind and body, making it helpful in reducing feelings of anxiety and promoting relaxation.

Try our sandalwood, vanilla, and eucalyptus-scented Focused Candle.

4. Jasmine for Ease and Optimism

Jasmine is a sweet and floral scent widely used in aromatherapy for its calming properties.

The scent of jasmine is known to positively affect the nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing feelings of anxiety. Plus, the scent of flowers, in general, is often associated with feelings of happiness, positivity, and optimism.

Try our floral fusion in this jasmine, geranium, and English rose-scented Favored Candle.

5. Frankincense for Grounding Peace

Frankincense has a deep, earthy scent known for its grounding and calming effects in aromatherapy. It’s also known to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress while promoting relaxation and spiritual awareness.

In many spiritual and religious traditions, frankincense is used in rituals and ceremonies to symbolize purification and connection to the divine.

Try our frankincense, fig, and amber-scented Slow Speeds Welcome Candle.

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The Science of Calming Scents

Throughout human history, the sense of smell has played a crucial role as a primal instinct for survival. Now, we can use our innate sense for modern wellness, as calming scents can help us relax, unwind, and improve our overall well-being.

Our olfactory system, responsible for processing smells, is activated by calming scents from scented candles and essential oils, which sends signals to other parts of your brain that control emotions to promote relaxation.

And this isn’t just hearsay.

Neuroscience supports that our ability to smell is closely linked to our brain’s anatomy. So this is how calming scents can boost our moods, help us calm down, and even enhance the quality of rest or meditation.

At Spoken Flames, we work hand in hand with expert perfumers to nail the mood and composition of each candle scent. As a result, our calming scents are sophisticated (in a good way), with each layer of fragrance offering a unique experience that engages your mind (and olfactory system).

Benefits of Using Calming Scents

• Promote relaxation: Inhaling calming scents helps you feel calmer by activating specific receptors in your brain associated with relaxation.
• Reduce anxiety: Aromatic compounds found in essential oils interact with neurotransmitters in your brain to relieve stress and cause feelings of calmness.
• Better sleep: Some calming scents, like lavender, improve sleep quality by promoting deeper REM cycles.
• Mood enhancement: Calming scents stimulate positive emotional responses leading to an overall improvement in mood and well-being.

Easy Ways to Enjoy Calming Scents Every Day

One calming scent a day keeps the stress away.

Here are a few easy ways to enjoy calming scents every day to improve your mood and practice mindfulness:

• Scented candles and diffusers: Use scented candles or essential oil diffusers in your home or workspace for a constant source of soothing aromas. Our sensory candles offer more than just a scent experience, which can increase feelings of calm in your space.
• Mindful activities: Incorporate calming scents into a yoga session, meditation practice, or journaling for enhanced focus and tranquility. Think candles for yoga at home and letting the candle burn even after your session to extend the benefits.
• Bedtime rituals: Apply lavender oil on your pillowcase before sleep to create a peaceful environment that promotes rest.
• Aromatherapy massage: Combine essential oils with a moisturizing carrier oil like coconut oil as an aromatherapy massage. Try this right after an evening bath or shower to maximize the moisturizing and calming benefits before bed.

FAQs About Calming Scents

Bonus tip: How to pick a candle scent for a gift

So a candle gift set meets your needs, but you’re not sure what scents they like 😟 Pro tip: consider an unscented candle or a gift set that offers a variety of scents.

The unique thing about Spoken Flames’ Trio Sets is that each candle gift set has a variety of scents with great range—from woody, citrus and floral in our F, Yes Collection, for example.

Your gift recipient would never get bored, and it increases your chances for satisfaction with a broad range of scents in their hands.

Because Spoken Flames candles are message-driven, our motivating candle statements (even without scent) mean that you’ll still win big with this meaningful gifting choice!