Why coastal-inspired scents might be the key to helping you relax

Written by Lucy Partington

Freelance beauty editor Lucy Partington is obsessed with all things skincare, collecting eyeshadow palettes that she’ll probably never use, and is constantly on the hunt for the ultimate glowy foundation.

If you’re looking for ways to ease your stress levels, a water-inspired, salty scent could be just the thing you need.

There’s no better sound – or sight – than waves crashing against the shore, or the tide lapping in and out. The sense of peace and clarity that it brings is unrivalled, and even just thinking about it as you read these words is likely bringing you a sense of calm.

“Being in and around water calms down the sympathetic nervous system and the body’s fight-or-flight responses tend to mellow out. It provides a sense of perspective, of how small we are in comparison to the larger world and it gives us the space to think, to rest and reflect,” says psychologist Ruth Cooper-Dickson.

“The ebb and flow of water intimates how life is for us all and provides us with balance, and experts from Glasgow Caledonian University have found that spending time in blue spaces lowers the risk of stress and anxiety,” she adds.

Pippa Best, a blue health Coach at Sea Soul Blessings (which combines the ‘blue mind’ wellbeing benefits of spending time near water) concurs, adding: “Research demonstrates that being in and around water can boost our mood and reduce levels of pain, anxiety and stress.”

And that’s partly why so many of us head to the coast in search of serenity, or why listening to the sound of the sea when we’re struggling to sleep can help us to nod off. “It’s also why hypnotists often use watery visualisations to ease clients into a different state,” says Best.

Of course, saying that is all well and good, but it’s not entirely practical or realistic to down tools and head to the coast whenever we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Best says that just looking at a photograph of water can help relieve those symptoms, but there’s a way of going one step further, and that’s where coastal-inspired scents and the idea of using fragrance to help us reset comes in. Plus, according to a recent survey, 77% of people said that they wanted their fragrance to provide them with emotional benefits – to make them happy or feel more relaxed – and that’s exactly what these are doing,

However, it’s important to note that buying a perfume won’t be a cure-all. If you’re struggling with chronic anxiety then it’s vital to seek out support. But incorporating a calming scent into your daily routine could be a good way to boost your mood.

The Nue Co, a functional brand working to bridge the gap between health and environment, recently launched its fourth fragrance, aptly named Water Therapy, £85. It’s inspired by the concept of ‘blue medicine’ and its notes include seaweed, salt, cardamom and rose. During the creation process, the brand used special technology to identify and capture the scent of a specific place so it could then recreate and bottle it.

“We used this technology in six different marine environments and we were then able to replicate them in the heart of our fragrance,” explainsFlo Glendenning, VP of product and sustainability at The Nue Co. “These act like ‘invisible’ scent notes at the heart of the formula and trigger primal pathways in our brain, replicating the feeling of calm that water has.”

And in the brand’s clinical studies, almost all testers felt less stressed and calmer half an hour after spraying it. But how is that possible? “Our senses anchor us to particular memories and experiences. A smell can immediately transport you back to a blissful holiday on the beach, a longed-for rainstorm, or a hot summer’s day spent lazing on a boat,” explains Best. 

“When I lead ocean meditations, I call on all of the senses to bring the sea to mind. I’ll always evoke that salty tang in the air that we smell by the ocean – because I know that smell will lead us all straight back to that experience.” If anything, it’s proof that our sense of smell is one of the most powerful, and using it to conjure up a sense of calm is something that we all have the ability to do. 

So next time you’re feeling anxious or stressed or are struggling with the day-to-day, keep a salty sea perfume nearby and take a few minutes out – if not with Water Therapy, then try Jo Malone’s Wood Sage and Sea Salt, £55. It has a crunchy freshness combined with earthy sage. Or Haeckels’ Pluviophile candle, £55, which is inspired by crushed shells, concrete, sea water and the smell of rain, so it’s perfect for scenting your workspace on particularly stressful days.

The sea salt notes in Maison Margiela Replica’s Sailing Day, £51, have a slightly more aquatic accord paired with seaweed, and Salvatore Ferragamo’s under-the-sea inspired bottle houses Oceani di Seta, £86, which has a salty sea top note alongside delicate magnolia that will transport you to the coast in the springtime. 

Main image: Getty

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