EMILY L'AMI

Fall is a season of transition—you can see it in the leaves and feel it in the air. It’s a time of physical, environmental and energetic shifts that, according to the ancient holistic medicinal system of Ayurveda, give the time of year its “vata” qualities: dry, rough, windy, erratic and cool.

These subtle changes—combined with the final rush to the holidays—can leave us feeling unsettled and anxious. And lately, with all the flux in the world, many of us have been experiencing some collective anxiety, as well. Bringing some therapeutic perfumery into your autumn is an easy way to add a little beauty to your day, while supporting your nervous and immune systems. If only we could spritz the globe in calming scents!

Smell is the only sense that’s directly hardwired to the emotional center of your brain, so a simple sniff of the right scent can help change your mood almost immediately. Recent studies by the USDA have also shown that pure essential oils could be the new antibiotics, helping to prevent illness and speed up recovery. That makes them doubly perfect to have around as the cold and flu season begins.

For the autumn transition, look for scents from the perfume families of woods, leathers and earth. Their rich warm notes are grounding for the nervous system and calming to the mind. Essential oil blends, body oils and incense with ingredients such as sandalwood, vetiver, cedarwood, oakmoss and patchouli are perfect for scenting your body and space this fall.

Most recently, to soothe some of our nervous energy, I created a Calm Ritual Spray made from active botanical lavender water (hydrosol) with a dash of our beloved calm ritual oil blend of wild geranium, lavender flowers and Californian sage. It's perfect to carry around in a pocket or purse, so you can easily spritz whenever your face (or mind) yearns for a moment of aromatherapeutic calm.