Sense of smell 

Have you ever noticed how a familiar scent can transport you back to a particular moment in your life?

Perhaps freshly baked cakes remind you of childhood, or the scent of lavender brings back memories of a summer holiday.

Our sense of smell has a remarkable connection with our emotions and memories, yet it is a sense we often take for granted and it historically has received less attention than vision or hearing in terms of research, 

Did you know our sense of smell begins to develop before we are even born?

As we age our sense of smell continues to develop and refine peaking in early adulthood and gradually declining as we age. Smell has a wonderful ability to relay messages from the outside world to the brain and our olfactory nerve cells have an unusual ability to regenerate so we can retrain our sense of smell if we lose it, in most cases. 

Have you ever wondered how a scent can uplift you?

Signals travel from our nose, to the olfactory bulb and then onto the areas of the brain responsible for emotion and memory. We can often tell immediately if we don’t like a smell or it reminds us of something we would rather forget however, it can also transport us to a moment of calm due to areas of the brain it reaches and its impact on different neurotransmitters.

An interesting small study in Taiwan showed when a group of teachers were exposed to Bergamot essential oil versus a synthetic alternative, changes to their heart rate variability (how we respond to stress) were only seen in their essential oil group suggesting they felt less stress and anxiety compared to the other group. Although, this is promising and suggests essential oils may have therapeutic benefits, larger studies are still needed. 

Inspiration behind Aycee essential oils.

As a GP, I have always been interested in wellbeing, and when I began to recognise the positive impact that scent and candlelight were having on my own life, I wanted to delve a little deeper into the science and share what I was learning with others.

Throughout my career, I have also become very aware that conventional medicine, while incredibly important, cannot always address every aspect of our wellbeing.

As I started exploring aromatherapy in more detail through certified courses, I became increasingly fascinated by the relationship between scent, our emotions and how we feel. I knew this was something I wanted to share with others.

The four Signature philosophies. 

I have always lived a very busy life and, rather wrongly, believed that rest and taking time to reset weren't really necessary for me, despite often giving this very advice to others!

After a period of grief, I began to recognise how important it was to allow myself time to sit with difficult emotions rather than constantly keeping busy. Through aromatherapy, candlelight and taking and taking small moments for myself, I gradually learnt how comforting these simple rituals could be.

I began meditating regularly, and through this discovered different concepts and philosophies from around the world. I started experimenting with essential oils, exploring the science behind them and thinking about how I could bring these ideas together.

After lots of testing, experimenting and feedback from family and friends, our Signature collection was born.

Each of our four blends is inspired by a different philosophy, encouraging us to recognise what we might need in that particular moment.

So, what ritual do you need today?

Anahata - Self-compassion

Think of Anahata as giving yourself a moment of self-compassion and time just for you.

Inspired by the heart chakra in yoga, Anahata is all about opening your heart and showing kindness, both to yourself and to others.

How often do we spend our days looking after everyone else, without taking a moment to think about what we might need ourselves?

Specially blended with uplifting orange, mandarin, geranium and neroli, Anahata has a beautiful citrus and floral scent, designed to bring a little brightness to your day.

A gentle reminder that looking after yourself is just as important as looking after everyone else.

Boketto - Permission to Pause

I honestly never realised that stopping to gaze into the distance, allowing our minds to wander without a constant stream of thoughts, could actually help us become more creative.

Boketto is a beautiful Japanese concept that encourages us to simply gaze into the distance without thinking about anything in particular.

It isn't about being idle, but rather giving our minds permission to rest and recharge.

Research into mind-wandering and creativity suggests that allowing our thoughts to drift can sometimes help us generate new ideas.

I certainly found this to be true when I reached a crossroads in my career. Giving myself permission to stop and think, rather than constantly keeping busy, helped me explore new ideas. In many ways, it was during these moments that the idea for Aycee Apothec began.

How often do we give ourselves permission to simply stop, without feeling that we should be doing something productive?

Fresh, citrusy grapefruit and bergamot combine with earthy oakmoss to create a beautifully balanced scent, encouraging us to slow down, feel grounded and give ourselves permission to pause.

How often do we give ourselves permission to simply stop, without feeling that we should be doing something productive?

 Fresh and citrusy Grapefruit and Bergamot combine with earthy Oakmoss to help ground ourselves and give us permission to pause with our Boketto scent. 

Kaizen – The Beauty of Small Steps

Throughout my life, I have always been driven to learn new things. There is growing evidence that continuing to learn and challenge ourselves can support our wellbeing and brain health.

Have you ever noticed how taking small steps towards something can eventually lead to achieving a much bigger goal?

Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy centred around continuous improvement through small, achievable steps.

I have certainly learnt the value of this through creating Aycee Apothec. For every step forward, there seemed to be several steps back, but by continuing to learn, adapt and keep going, I have managed to create something I am immensely proud of.

Kaizen isn't about making enormous changes or becoming overwhelmed by everything we want to achieve. It's about recognising that even the smallest steps can make a difference.

Perhaps there is something you've been wanting to do but haven't quite known where to begin?

Sometimes the smallest step is enough to get started.

For Kaizen, I chose fresh grapefruit and aromatic rosemary, balanced with the warm, woody undertones of Atlas cedarwood. A wonderfully uplifting scent, inspired by the possibilities that come with each new day.

Nagomi – Finding Harmony in the Ordinary

My late father suffered from dementia. As his memories of past events gradually faded, I began to realise that what mattered most was the present and the moments we could still share together.

It taught me so much about finding beauty in the most ordinary of things, whether that was a walk in the woods, a beautiful sunset or simply enjoying a quiet moment together.

Through this experience, I began to appreciate that peace and contentment don't necessarily come from the big moments in life, but often from being grateful for the small things we might otherwise overlook.

This is what Nagomi means to me.

Nagomi is a Japanese philosophy centred around finding harmony, balance and contentment in everyday life.

In our busy lives, it's so easy to overlook these ordinary moments, yet sometimes they are the ones that bring us the greatest sense of happiness.

Our Nagomi blend combines bergamot, rose geranium, lavender and ylang ylang to create a beautifully balanced floral scent, designed to complement a calming evening ritual and encourage a moment of stillness after a busy day.

Creating your own scent ritual 

As we move through life, I think we all need a little of each of these philosophies. Moments of self compassion, permission to pause, encouragement to take small steps forward and time to appreciate the beauty in the ordinary.

Our needs change from day to day, and sometimes even from one moment to the next.

For me, scent has become a lovely way of introducing these small moments into everyday life. Whether it's taking a few minutes to unwind after a busy day, finding a little clarity before starting something new or simply enjoying a quiet moment to myself.

Introducing our waterless diffuser

I wanted to find a way to enjoy our Signature essential oil blends beyond candlelight, bringing these same thoughtful rituals into different moments of the day. Several customers also asked if this was possible and so I knew I had to make it happen.

Our new waterless diffuser uses gentle nebulising technology to disperse pure essential oils directly into the air, without the need to dilute their benefit in water or heat.

Paired with our four-hand blended Signature essential oils, it offers another way to create a moment of calm, wherever you might need it.

Because sometimes the smallest rituals can make the biggest difference to how we experience our day.

What moment will you choose?

Explore our collection