Why we use essential oils in our formulas: The power of Aromachology
You’ve heard of aromatherapy, which focuses on using essential oils for physical and emotional healing. Aromachology explores how scent influences mood, emotion, and the regulation of the nervous system through the olfactory pathway. In other words, aromachology is the use of aroma to influence mood and emotion.
Our sense of smell is the most undervalued of the five senses, yet it’s also the most sophisticated. Nothing has a stronger and more immediate effect on your state of mind than scent.
Smell to Feel: The scent-emotion connection
Unlike other senses, the olfactory system has a direct connection to the limbic system, the oldest area of the human brain.
Why does this matter?
Because the limbic system also regulates emotion, memory, and the body’s stress response, certain scents can immediately influence how we feel often before we consciously register it ourselves, a phenomenon known as “The Proust Effect.”
When inhaled, volatile aromatic compounds travel through the olfactory system and influence the nervous system directly. Certain aromas have been shown to help calm the body’s stress response, supporting a more regulated state where repair and recovery can more easily occur.
Electroencephalogram (EEG) tests have also shown that essential oils can alter brain wave activity. For example, esters found in Lavender and Chamomile promote relaxation by stimulating delta waves, which are present during deep sleep. This is why pillow mists often feature lavender or why a cup of chamomile tea is recommended for restful sleep.
The ancient practice of Forest Bathing
Have you ever wondered why you feel so good after a walk in the forest?
Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, has been practiced in Japan as preventive healthcare for decades. Its benefits come from volatile compounds known as phytoncides, which give cedar, spruce, and pine trees their woodsy scent along with antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
Breathing in these natural aromas can reduce cortisol levels, lower stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and even boost the immune system.
Essential oils in White Turtle Beauty formulas
From the beginning, we were interested in how skincare could influence more than the surface of the skin. If the nervous system shapes how skin functions and repairs itself, then the sensory experience of a formula becomes just as important as the ingredients themselves.
This is why scent plays such an important role in our formulations. We use aromatic botanical compounds not simply for fragrance, but to help create a more grounding experience of care — one that encourages the body to move out of constant defense and back toward balance.
The essential oil quantities included in our formulas follow the IFRA safety guidelines, but we recognize that your skin -and you- are unique. When trying any of our products for the first time, please do a patch test by rubbing a few drops or dollop on your wrist. If no adverse reaction is noticed within 24hs, you should be good.
