Why Is Soap Special?
Soap is for cleaning, but the ingredients in soap make it special. The moisturizing agents leave your skin soft. I have one friend who exclaims that this soap has “changed her skin.” However, soap becomes personal with the scent. Everyone has a favorite. Mine is Black Tea & Sage. It’s tangy and herby. It makes me feel good in the morning — I don’t know why.
Scientifically explained, the olfactory system, which is affected by scents, stores emotional memories. Through conditioned learning, a smell becomes associated with an experience. In some cases, we may not be able to attach the specific memory. We just realize a positive or negative affect associated with a smell. I watch as customers stop by my table. Almost everyone has a different favorite, but each has the same reaction. They find their favorite, take a sniff, and I watch their eyes close and their entire body relax. That is what makes soap special.
