 ach year, millions of consumers
gently scent their homes with aero- sol sprays that smell of rain, pine
trees, flowers, cinnamon or spring flowers. While Lysol promises the scent
of an antiseptic environment and potpourri sprays are generally reminiscent
of fragrant memories, the ozone layer is increasingly depleted with each
push of a button on a can.
 The environmental use of fragrance
has a long history. In ancient Egypt, the resins of frankincense and myrrh
were ritually burned. Perfume also shares this vaporous lineage, being derived
from the Latin root "per fumum", which means "through smoke".
As civilizations evolved, the domain
of fragrance wafted from sacred ceremonial use into the design of more appealing
personal and public environments. The Romans scented their boudoirs, banquets,
theater and affairs of state with incense.
Until recently, however, the modern
urban nose has been in a state of olfactory renaissance. Aromatherapy research
in essential oils and the behavioral impact of fragrance is proliferating.
According to Aromatherapist, Michelle
Levan at Capitol Drugs in Sherman Oaks, "There has been a resurgent
effort by both men and women to purchase aroma oils and diffuse them for
tranquillity and relaxation. We live in a time where everything moves so
fast and the softer scents from lavender and other relative oils soothe
their home environment. Many people also utilize the sensual enhancement
scents that aromatically arouse a spiritual awakening in their sensuality,
offering a stimulating sense of well being from their immediate environment."
Diffusion, a process in which the
oils are released into air through a fine mist offers the consumer an opportunity
to utilize specific scents for specific treatments and therapies.
"Diffusers nebulize the oils
into very fine particles that remain in suspension in the air for long periods
of time as opposed to canned particles which are heavier and fall quicker,"
says John Steele, Aromatic Consultant, Archeologist and Author.
Aromatherapy fragrance devices take
several forms including ceramic candles and charcoal burners, pneumatic
pump and air stream diffusers. In the near future, electronic vaporization
technology will soon become available.
Whether you are an aromatherapist
or an informed lay person who loves scent, through environmental fragrancing
you can rediscover a sensory dimension which has always been right in front
of your nose. | 
