Choosing the Right Scent for Your Creation

Scents make sense and cents! It’s so true.  Scents sell a product. I am the kind of girl, who will smell a product before I actually place it on my skin. And personally, I am on the side of less is more. I like tamer fragrances, vanilla, peppermint, and lavender. What about you?

Let’s talk more about scent. Scent is linked to the limbic system in the brain, which controls what we approve and disapprove of (crazy right?)!

This means that a scent can immediately make or break a sale! It can be the factor that determines whether someone instantly places your product in their cart OR back on the store shelf.

When formulating your own skincare products, definitely keep the customer in mind. A safe bet is to have a range of products with different textures and scents, however, this may not be feasible.

If you are looking to only produce a handful of products (maybe even 1 or 2), it’s time to find a balance between scent and therapeutic value when it comes to essential oils.

According to the School of Natural Skincare, you need to ask yourself a few questions when making your decision on which materials to use…

• What is the purpose of the product?
• Who is the target market?
• What skin type are we making the product for?
• What problems should the product focus on?
• Are there any contraindications we need to be aware of?
• What therapeutic properties will help to solve those problems and deliver the required solution and suit the specific skin type?

After you answer these questions, you are ready to make an informed decision. So now the question becomes… what mood do you want your customer to be in once they take a whiff of your product?

Do you want them to feel uplifted and rested, or energetic and spicy? 🙂 Is there such a thing as a balance when it comes to therapeutic vs. superficial factors?

Lastly, can you match the therapeutic nature of the oil you use with the scent you are striving for? You can also combine oils (say you include one essential oil for it’s scent and then another for its therapeutic benefit). Just remember, a product’s scent cannot be overlooked!

This article was inspired by the School of Natural Skincare, referencing many points from their recent article here: http://www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com/formulating-with-essential-oils.

The School of Natural Skincare has free resources and paid programs that may be of interest. Learn more from their website