Using a signature scent in spa surroundings is a great way for spas to create an emotional connection with guests, as it anchors the guest experience by connecting the memory with the positive experience at the spa. “It helps to strengthen the brand and the connection to the brand,” says Tara Grodjesk, president and founder of TARA Spa Therapy. When considering a signature scent, she stresses the importance of looking for companies that create signature scents with pure essential oils and no synthetics, and that understand the wellness benefits of aromatherapy, as well as the sensory experience.
To create a signature scent with essential oils, use the perfumer’s formula of top-middle-base notes to create a balanced blend, says Sherrie Dawkins, professional aromatherapist and formulator for Body Bliss.
• Top Notes: What you smell first but dissipates quickly, and are usually lighter, citrusy oils.
• Middle Notes: Middle notes are the body of the blend, or the bridge. Lavender is a quintessential middle note.
• Base Notes: Base notes are the deep, resinous notes that linger and define the blend and last the longest.
The 30–50–20 rule in perfume making is often used as a starting framework for blending fragrance notes: roughly 30% top notes that offer an initial impression, 50% middle notes that form the heart of the scent, and 20% base notes that provide depth and longevity, according to Dawkins. “Scent perception is subjective, and many essential oils naturally move between roles, unfolding first as a bright top note before settling into the heart, or even lingering as part of the base,” she says. “Blending is as much an art as it is a science. Subtle shifts in ratio, quality, or even intention can change the entire experience of a scent.”