Beauty Secrets: Perfumes and Scent
Scent is one of the most powerful beauty secrets I’ll share with you. Smells are processed in the same area of the brain that we process and store emotions and memories. That’s why we have such an immediate response to certain smells, with the emotion and memory coming back to us faster than the rational recognition of the smell. Smell can instantly set the mood and set our expectations. It also can instantly set our perception of another person or place, even subconsciously.
SPIRIT AND SCENT
There has never before been so much scientific research to unlock the secrets of scent and understand how it affects our emotions and mood. But long ago, God gave His people directions on incorporating scent into their spiritual lives, and we can benefit from this wisdom if we learn how to apply it to our lives today.
SCENTS OF THE TEMPLE
God created perfume recipes to be used in worship that were so special, no one was allowed to copy them or they would be “cut off ” from their people. (Talk about penalties for copyright infringement!) When you walked into the ancient temple, you were immediately transported by the scent of the perfume to another place, a holy space. Perfume set the mood for worship and intimacy. It opened our hearts.
Scent was used in two ways in the temple and tabernacle: as a holy anointing oil and as an incense.
THE ANOINTING OIL
Moreover the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Also take for yourself quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy. And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.” (Exod. 30:22–30)
The anointing oil was to be made from myrrh, cinnamon, cane, cassia, and olive oil. I imagine that the scent smelled very much like a scent we would associate with Christmas. The oil consecrated the objects, making them holy to the Lord. It’s a beautiful example of the foreshadowing of the Holy Spirit and His fragrant anointing on believers. When you came near the tabernacle, it had a definite scent. It was unmistakable and unique, never to be found elsewhere. It was the scent of holiness, of the pursuit and revelation of God.
THE INCENSE
And the LORD said to Moses: “Take sweet spices, stacte and ony-cha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. But as for the incense which you shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its composition. It shall be to you holy for the LORD. Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.” (Exod. 30: 34–38)
Burning incense was a fragrant entreaty to God. The Anchor Bible Dictionary states that, “The purpose of the regular morning and evening incense offerings at this altar is to secure the presence of God and his attention to man’s prayer. The incense smoke carries the prayer to God, who is hopefully appeased when he smells the fragrant odor of the delicious incense”1
There were several ingredients mentioned above that we’re unfamiliar with: Stacte either came from resin from a tree called the storax, or it was a form of myrrh. Onycha was a special perfume scent made from sea mollusks. (Mollusks were also the source of the famous purple dye in biblical days.) Galbanum was made from the resin of a plant native to Queen Esther’s land of Persia (now Iran). Galbanum is still available to us today, and you can buy essential oil of galbanum. The combined fragrance was most likely a musky, deep, spicy scent.
Scent is used as a metaphor throughout the Bible:
Your prayers are a beautiful scent rising to God, like “golden bowls full of incense” (Rev. 5:8 NIV). An angel appeared to announce the impending birth of John the Baptist as incense was burned by the priest Zechariah. When the time for burning incense began, the angel appeared and assured the priest that his wife’s prayers had been heard. Incense was seen as carrying our prayers to God.
To God, we are the sweet fragrance of Christ (2 Cor. 2:15 NIV).
The knowledge of Christ is a pleasing fragrance (2 Cor. 2:14 NIV).
It was customary to anoint yourself with scented oils as part of grooming. Later, being “anointed” also came to mean being filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18 NIV).
MAKING QUIET TIMES SPECIAL
Many Christians have not been exposed to using scents as part of our worship rituals, although clearly this was part of our earliest spiritual heritage. I attended a class once where the instructor used scent to set the mood, to create a “space” separate from the world so that students could focus completely and let go of their cares. The impact was immediate and soothing. Of course, this is probably a part of the genius behind God’s invention of special incense that could only be used in the temple and tabernacle. It helped the people recognize the sacred space. It set their mood and helped them set aside outside cares and focus on the Lord.
We can use scent in our daily meditation time to help us lessen the distractions of the outside world and concentrate more fully on the business of listening for God. It’s not mysticism or magic. We’ve seen how powerful scent can be, and that God designed us to respond emotionally to scent. Using a special scent for our quiet times can help us set the mood for quiet contemplation, and shutter our minds against all the other images and nagging thoughts. It reinforces that this time is separate from the daily routine. I use the same scented candle on our Sabbath that I use during my quiet times.
Scents popular for quiet moments include sandalwood, rose, ylang ylang, and of course, frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense is even said to be a symbol of the divine name of God.2
All of these scents can be found alone or in special blends. It’s not important to use a “biblical” scent, although I love thinking about King Solomon or Mary smelling these same fragrances so long ago. What’s important is that you choose a scent you love and keep it separate from everything else you use.
When you burn a scented candle, it’s wonderful to reflect on the mysterious nature of faith and love. The scent surrounds you, though you cannot see, feel, or touch it. Yet you know it’s there. You cannot describe where the scent or smoke goes, but you understand as the wax burns low that it is indeed being carried above.
BEAUTY AND SCENT
Since we’re created to respond to scent, we know that we can use scent to make ourselves, and our environment, attractive and pleasing. Let me share with you some secrets about natural versus synthetic scents, and ways to use God’s gift of scent to your advantage.
NATURAL VERSUS SYNTHETIC
Someone once pointed out the irony of paying for “real lemon oil” in our furniture polish while we’re content to drink lemonade made from artificial lemon flavorings. When it comes to our bodies, we’re often too ready to settle for synthetics. But just as we can intuitively tell the difference between a real rose and a silk one, I think our bodies are capable at some level of detecting the difference between real and synthetic scents. Most research done on scent-behavior-emotional cues is done using synthetic scents, so we know that we do respond to synthetics. They “work” to elicit a response. What is currently being debated and studied is whether using natural scents offers any additional benefits therapeutically. Can a scent from a living plant do more to heal and restore the body and mind than a synthetic scent? What we currently know about synthetic scents is that they can provoke irritation, including headaches and allergies. I’ve discovered a few tips I’ll share with you that will allow you to bring scent into every area of your life without fear of allergic responses and chemical effects.
Fragrance is the number one cause for contact allergies from cosmetics.3
Because manufacturers are not required to disclose what the fragrance is made of, you’ll probably never know what caused the reaction. And remember, “fragrance free” beauty products often contain fragrances to create a neutral scent.
EVERYDAY SCENTS YOU’LL LOVE
Body spray. Create your own body spray by combining natural spring water with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. (This also makes a healthy alternative to chemical room deodorizers. My absolute favorite room spray is simply a few drops of peppermint essential oil mixed with spring water. Wonderful!)
Body moisturizer. You can mix essential oils into your coconut oil or almond oil. Be careful to choose a nonirritating essential oil, such as rose. Simply add 2–3 drops into a few tablespoons of oil and mix. (Essential oils should be labeled to tell you which are good for application directly on the skin.)
Being careful to rub the oil on your pulse points, you will have a subtle delicate scent that invites people to lean in.
Body powder. You can make your own healthy body powder by mixing cornstarch with a few drops of essential oil. Make an extra batch to give away as gifts.
SETTING A ROMANTIC MOOD WITH SCENT
Scent can be used to enhance our beauty, and it can be used to make our intimate time more beautiful. If you’re having trouble getting in the mood for romance, scent can be a powerful ally. Remember that scent bypasses other systems and activates the portion of your brain responsible for emotion and memory.
You can use scent to help you transport yourself emotionally to the place where you’re ready to be unveiled and intimate. It’s so difficult for women to transcend their daily routine at once and return to that sacred, quiet place within that safeguards desire and passion. Everything in our society, as much as it touts sexuality, inhibits intimacy. We’re bombarded all day long with messages that we’re only “sexy” if we look a certain way, dress a certain way, or weigh a certain number. Sexy is a word that describes everything from cars to furniture to computer systems. Sex is simply a product, and we wonder why we can’t just press the “on” button. Don’t feel bad if you need a little help getting in the mood sometimes. You’ve spent all day in a culture that inhibits intimacy, and you need to shake off the messages of the world, and center yourself again in the divine creation of God. Use the following to set the mood.
1. Body scrub. You may try starting with a shower, or bath, and visualize the unhealthy messages and layers of the world washing away. A body scrub softens the skin and the scent relaxes you. Here’s a recipe that incorporates scent to make you feel beautiful, and receptive to letting go of the day’s frustrations.
SCENTED BODY SCRUB
¼ cup granulated sugar or salt (the coarse grains exfoliate your skin)
¼ cup coconut or almond oil
2–4 drops of your favorite essential oil
2. Perfuming your body. It may come as a surprise that dousing yourself with synthetic perfumes may inhibit intimacy and attraction rather than increase it. Our bodies have pheromones, natural scents that work to attract others to us. Pheromone experts suggest that “one of the first steps you can take to make yourself more appealing to others is to stop over-bathing, over-deodorizing, and over-dousing with commercial scents.”4 After your shower, anoint yourself with a delicate perfume, reserved only for romantic rendezvous. Apply the scent sparingly, but in more spots than you typically would with a perfume. (There are natural perfumes available—check the Resource Guide for places to buy them.)
You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to body oils such as almond or coconut, and let them double as a massage oil. Experiment to find the scent that encourages you to breathe deeply and melt into a different frame of mind.
3. Perfuming bed linens. In biblical times, it was common to perfume the bed before lovemaking. Common scents included myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon (Prov. 7:17). (When a recent study reported that men were attracted to the scent of cinnamon, a clever manufacturer wasted no time creating a lipstick infused with the scent of cinnamon, advertised with the promise you’ll “attract a man”! The idea behind the lipstick is that if he gets close enough to smell your lips, he’ll be subconsciously attracted to you. Please allow me to save you some money: if he’s close enough to smell your lipstick, he’s already attracted.)
Perfuming the sheets—again, delicately—makes the experience of lovemaking more memorable. In Song of Solomon 1:16, the lover’s bed is described as verdant, lush with greenery, the smell of the cedar beams of the bed creating a forest around them.This sure beats a typical bedside today, where you’re more likely to find athlete’s foot spray than sheet perfume. We don’t make going to bed an experience, either for lovemaking or sleeping.
To create a perfume for your sheets, simply mix a few drops of essential oil into spring water, and keep in a spritzer. (You can also make different varieties with scents that invoke feelings of relaxation and use them in guest bedrooms and linen closets.)
For romance, you may want to try deeper, richer scents. My favorite romantic scent, anise, has a rich, deep licorice smell, similar to the type linked to an increase in women’s romantic desire.5 I usually buy anise extract for this spray, which is available at any grocery store. Anise was popular with the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians, who prized it for its many applications.
ROMANTIC ANISE LINEN SPRAY
1 cup spring water
1 teaspoon anise extract (baking extract)
Pour into a small spritzer and shake. Keep in the refrigerator in between uses.
Remember, if anise is not a scent that appeals to you, simply experiment with different essential oil blends to find one that appeals to you. King Solomon’s bed smelled like a verdant, lush forest, so you can try any number of plant-based scents.
4. Perfuming the air. A new way to perfume the bedroom, while also caring for your skin, is an ultrasonic humidifier. Essential oils can be added to the water, which is then dispersed by a fine vapor created by ultrasonic energy. I found a very reasonably priced version at Wal-Mart. These humidifiers work wonders in the winter, when heating systems dry out the air and parch our skin.
For more ways to incorporate scent into the bedroom, and throughout the home, consider adding candles and fresh fruits. Naturally scented candles are available and fragrance the environment without chemicals (see the Resource Guide).A bowl of fresh fruits is a beautiful addition to any décor. (You can also choose your candles to complement the scent of the fruits.)
Beauty, and scent, is about how we feel. Our inner state communicates to others and transforms our appearance into one of radiance. Scent is one more avenue by which we can tap into our secret selves, the beautiful lives that we want to share with the world.