Home fragrances play a significant role in creating a comfortable, inviting living space.
Just like décor and furniture, the fragrance you choose reflects your personal style and taste. Whether you prefer the fresh scent of lavender, the warmth of sandalwood, or the exotic richness of spices, home fragrance allows you to express yourself and shape the atmosphere of your home.
A well-chosen fragrance enhances the overall ambiance, improves well-being, and adds a distinct layer of comfort to any environment.
A Brief History of Perfume and Home Fragrance
Perfumes and home fragrances date back over 5,000 years, with ancient Egyptians using aromatic resins to mask the smell of animal sacrifices. There has long been a religious and spiritual significance to scents; for example, the Greeks used fragrances to communicate with their gods during ceremonies. The rise of the Silk Road facilitated the trade of incense, spices, and aromatic flowers in Europe, Asia, and Africa, with early fragrances primarily composed of oils, resins, and ground flowers mixed with alcohol.
Many ancient scents are still popular today. The blue lotus, used by the ancient female chemist Tapputi, was favored for its soft, sweet, and slightly intoxicating aroma, once reserved for the ruling class but now widely accessible. Chinese incense is also cherished for its comforting and calming qualities, which connect homes to nature.
A Signature Scent for Your Home
Home fragrance can be tailored to different rooms in the house, enhancing the ambiance and functionality of each space. By choosing the right fragrance for each room, you can create the perfect mood and functionality for every area in your home.
In the hallway or entryway, where first impressions matter, a pleasant fragrance sets the tone as soon as guests walk in, creating an inviting welcome.
The living room, as the social heart of the home, benefits from warm, welcoming scents that encourage relaxation for both family and guests.
In the bedroom, soothing fragrances are ideal for promoting calm and restful sleep, turning the space into a personal sanctuary for relaxation.
In your home office, where focus and productivity are key, energizing scents such as citrus or peppermint can help boost concentration and maintain alertness throughout the day.
Even closets can benefit from a light fragrance—fresh scents not only keep clothes smelling clean but also prevent musty odors and help ward off moths.
Bathrooms, on the other hand, thrive with fresh and crisp scents like eucalyptus, or floral notes like rose and lily, which create a clean, spa-like feel while also masking unpleasant odors. Read more about how to create a spa-like feel in your bathroom
Join Us In The Lab In perfume creation, perfumers often structure fragrances using a concept known as fragrance notes. These notes refer to the different scent components that unfold over time after applying the perfume to the skin.
There are typically three main categories of notes: top notes, middle notes (also known as heart notes), and base notes.
Last spring, when we were experimenting with creating our own home scent, we learned just how crucial base notes are. Base notes form the foundation of a perfume. They become noticeable after the top and middle notes fade, typically around 8-10 minutes.
These notes become more dominant after about 30 minutes and can last for several hours, sometimes up to 24 hours, depending on their scent profile.
Base notes tend to be heavy, rich, and long-lasting, as they evaporate the slowest.
Common base notes include woody scents (such as sandalwood, cedarwood, and patchouli), "animalic" notes (like musk and ambergris), and balsamic notes (such as vanilla and benzoin).
"What struck me most was how strongly scent connects to memory and emotion. A single whiff could evoke forgotten moments or stir feelings, showing me how a home fragrance can shape atmosphere and trigger memories. This connection guided the creation of Habitat."
- Laurine, Cake
It's All About That Bass
To create home fragrances, we focus on base notes, which provide a solid foundation by adding warmth, depth, and complexity to the scent. These notes anchor the fragrance, ensuring the aroma lasts for an extended period. Common base notes used in home fragrances include woody, balsamic, and resinous scents, such as sandalwood, vanilla, amber, and patchouli.
Habitat: Creating a Happy Home
We're excited to introduce our own home fragrance, Habitat, which elevates your mood with its soothing, grounding, and uplifting qualities, crafted exclusively from deep, rich base notes. These carefully selected notes create a long-lasting and tranquil atmosphere, enhancing the comfort of your home.
Here's how each of the base notes work:
Warmth & Comfort: Amber
Amber has a rich, sweet, and resinous scent that creates a sense of warmth and comfort. It's often associated with feelings of security and relaxation, helping to ease anxiety and stress. The green amber is less sweet and more earthy, with a fresh edge. The cozy, enveloping nature of amber can make a space feel more inviting, promoting a calm and serene environment.
Relaxation & Emotional Balance: Sandalwood
Sandalwood's soft, creamy, and woody scent promotes a sense of relaxation and emotional harmony. Its soothing aroma helps to release built-up tension and brings calm to both the body and mind. Sandalwood is also known for elevating mood and fostering emotional well-being, making it an excellent choice for unwinding after a long day or finding a moment of peace in a busy environment. Its gentle, grounding effect helps balance emotions, providing a serene atmosphere that encourages positive feelings and mental clarity without overwhelming the senses.
Strength & Balance: Cedar
Both sandalwood and cedarwood are earthy, natural scents, but they are not the same. Sandalwood has a smoother, creamier scent profile that offers a subtle sweetness, while cedarwood has a dry, woody aroma that evokes nature, strength, and stability. Its crisp, clean, and slightly balsamic scent promotes a sense of balance and rejuvenation.
This makes it perfect for combating mental fatigue or overwhelming feelings, as it refreshes the senses and encourages a sense of rootedness.
Earthiness & Tranquility: Woody Moss
Woody moss has a damp, earthy scent, often associated with forests and nature. Its deep, green aroma evokes tranquility and helps to connect you to the natural world. The scent can be deeply grounding, which fosters relaxation and a mindful state, reducing feelings of restlessness or disconnection.
We’re excited to share that Habitat will soon be available, allowing you to fill your home with its soothing and grounding scent this winter. As the days grow colder, there's nothing quite like the warmth of a comforting fragrance to create a cozy atmosphere.
Do you want to pre-order our home fragrance, click here! We hope Habitat will bring a touch of nature indoors, enhancing your space and uplifting your mood throughout the season and beyond, making every moment feel special no matter the time of year!
At Cake, we create things we love and feel passionate about: home and style pieces that tell stories, connect people, and have something unique to offer.
This keeps us centered - we don’t follow trends or fads. Customers must keep loving and using their items. When it doesn’t go out of style, it has staying power and becomes more sustainable. Cake aims to enrich your day-to-day life with sustainable, high-quality, and timeless goods.
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