The 2018 IFRA UK Fragrance Forum takes place on 10 October with a focus on the relationship between scent and mental health.

Lisa Hipgrave, Director of IFRA UK, tells Cosmetics Business what attendees can expect.

It is that time of year again when the IFRA UK team is busily preparing for its Fragrance Form. This is always a key highlight of our year as it provides an opportunity for members to hear from experts in their fields, find out about new research and stimulate discussion in different areas relating to fragrance.

We are particularly excited this year as our event is taking place on World Mental Health Day, Wednesday 10 October, at the Wellcome Collection in London, which has provided the inspiration for this year’s theme: ‘Scentimental – fragrance on the mind’. Growing interest and research in the areas of mental health, wellbeing and olfaction is why we thought it was a timely opportunity to showcase some of the excellent research that is taking place in this field.

Our sense of smell has been associated with our wellbeing for many decades now – from using fragrance to mask bad odours to creating a sense of ambiance and contentedness to enhance how we feel. While research in this area is still developing, the way our minds are configured means that smell plays roles in our lives of which we may not be aware.

The olfactory cortex is located in the temporal lobe of the brain, which processes all kinds of sensory input. It is also part of the limbic system, which is made up of the amygdala, hippocampus and the hypothalamus. It is the amygdala that is linked to our emotional responses and memories; that is why the sense of smell can be so evocative, often bringing back memories and emotions.

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