The scent of grief: when memories smell like pain

For two years, every time I catch a whiff of Sauvage, my father's signature scent, I'm instantly transported back to the day he died. The rare motoneuron disease that took away his ability to dress himself, dance, and always spritz Sauvage before leaving the house, ultimately claimed his life. Now, the world's most popular fragrance, advertised everywhere from malls to airports, is a constant reminder of his absence.

The power of scent to evoke emotions

Lauren Rooney, vice president of fine fragrance marketing at Firmenich, explains the scientific basis for scents' transportive power: