Light a candle that smells like ripe fruit and you might be back in a childhood kitchen in seconds. Great smelling candles can do this. Scientists have studied why. Smell seems to reach old memories in a way that words and pictures often do not.
Great Smelling Candles And The Memories They Wake
In 2006, researchers Johan Willander and Maria Larsson tested 93 older adults. Each person got a smell, a word or a picture, then described a memory it brought up. Most memories sparked by smell came from the first ten years of life. Memories sparked by words and pictures came mostly from ages 11 to 20.
The smell memories also felt more like going back in time. This is research on one group of people, so treat it as a clue, not a rule. It does fit what many of us notice.
Why do fruit smells feel like summer?
Fruit is a smell many of us met early. Think of school lunchboxes, backyard trees and holiday beaches. Your memory will not match anyone else's. That is why one candle can mean something different to you and to your mum.
Fruity Scents And The Summers You Remember
In Australia, summer is also when the best fruit arrives. Many families link it with Christmas, long school holidays and cold fruit on a hot day. A fruity candle can bring a little of that into a quiet evening.
- Mulberries picked from a backyard tree.
- Mango on Christmas morning.
- Watermelon at the beach.
- Stone fruit from a roadside stall.
The Fruity range is a good place to look. It has plenty of fruit scents to smell and compare.
A Simple Way To Find Your Memory Scent
Think of three fruits you ate as a child. Then smell a few unlit candles, one after the other. The smell before you light it is called the cold throw. Pick the one that makes you pause, even for a second.
A 3-wick jar suits a living room. A small jar suits a bedside table. If you are buying for an older relative, the gifts for her page narrows things down. Ask her about her own summers first.
Quick answers
Can a smell really bring back a memory?
Yes, for many people. A 2006 study found that smell cues tended to bring up older memories than words or pictures did. It is one study, so your own experience may differ.
Which candle scent is best for nostalgia?
The one that matches a place you loved. For many Australians that means ripe summer fruit, but your own memory decides. Smell a few unlit candles and trust the one that makes you stop.
If a fruit scent takes you somewhere good, light it on a quiet evening and let the memory arrive in its own time. There is no wrong answer, only the smell that feels like yours.
Related reading
- Jasmine Candle: Why Spring Gardens Bring Back Memories: another smell that points back to a place.
- Candles And Fragrances That Bring Back A Real Memory: how to pick a scent that means something.
- Candle Fragrance Fading? It May Be Your Nose, Not The Wax: why a favourite smell can seem to vanish.
