Besides Crave Control, there are two other products in the Scentology line: Endurance Enhancer and Bliss Booster. Endurance Enhancer is a fragrance that gives people more energy, while Bliss Booster aims to help people feel happier. Curious? I am.

As a result of my curiosity, I e-mailed Dr. Rachel Herz, who is the creator of Scentology. She was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions, so I’d like to use this opportunity to say, “Thank you!”

Without further ado, onto the interview!

First of all, here’s a little history and background on Dr. Herz (so all you fans can stalk her…wait, I’m just kidding!)

Rachel Herz, Ph.D. has been recognized as the world’s leading expert on the psychology of smell. Since 2000 she has been a visiting professor at Brown University. In 2007 she wrote the first popular book on the psychology of smell: “The Scent of Desire,” published by William Morrow and also launched a line of functional fragrances called Scentology which are both beautiful to wear and have positive effects on mood.

Her prominence as one of the foremost experts on the sense of smell has led her to numerous radio and television interviews, including the Discovery Channel, ABC News, the BBC, National Public Radio, and National Geographic. She was the subject of a profile in Scientific American and is regularly interviewed in The New Yorker, the New York Times, Time Magazine, US News and World Report as well as numerous popular health, beauty and lifestyle magazines.

1. When I first saw your fragrances, I was attracted by the name. How did you come up with ‘Scentology’?

The name was intended to convey the message that this line of fragrances falls into the new “cosmesceutical” category of beauty products and that it is based on science.

2. Can you share with us what the inspiration was behind all three Scentology products (Bliss Booster, Endurance Enhancer, and Crave Control)?

We wanted to first launch our brand with fragrance effects that would appeal to most people: happiness, energy and sweet treat self-control! It is also the case that the specific fragrances in Bliss Booster, Endurance Enhancer and Crave Control are among the very few scents that have been scientifically documented to influence mood and motivated behavior.

3. What were some of the challenges you encountered during the process of creating these fragrances?

It was a challenge to make sure that the fragrances really smelled attractive and pleasing while still containing the specific fragrance ingredients that have been shown to produce mood effects in the scientific literature. I am very happy with our end results!

4. Many people are interested in Crave Control because it can curb appetite and help people lose weight. From your perspective, how long will it take for people to start seeing results?

The scent in Crave Control works by replacing the pleasure you get from eating sweets without indulging in the actual sweets themselves. It works when you aren’t physiologically hungry but just want that sweet treat. The scent triggers an emotional response of YUM and delight and can quell your urge for actually eating sweet foods.

However, if you are truly hungry I’m afraid Crave Control might drive you to the cookie jar because it smells so delicious. In the study that the Crave Control fragrance is based on, weight loss was measured after 4 weeks and it was found that those who were exposed to a patch scented with the vanilla fragrance in Crave Control lost more weight than a similar group of dieters who didn’t have access to this scent. How long it takes really depends on the particular person and how motivated they are to lose weight. Also the more you do to try to lose weight, such as exercising more and eating smaller meals, the sooner you are apt to see results.

5. Where can we find Scentology products?

Currently, Scentology fragrances can be purchased at most Target stores. They can also be purchased online at www.scentology.com. On our website, just go to the fragrance you are interested in and put it in your shopping cart!

6. Can you share with us your future plans for Scentology?

We have a few possible fragrances that could be added to the line, but the number is small because of the limited legitimate scientific research that has been conducted on specific aromas. We are also planning product extensions on our current fragrances.

7. Just for fun – do you think you might open a boutique shop one day with all sorts of fragrances that helps people achieve different goals?

It is certainly possible that I would do that one day, but for now I am focusing on the Scentology venture.

Although we won’t be seeing a Scentology boutique shop yet, at least we know Dr. Herz has plans for product extensions to her current ones. So if you want to smell good and gain more energy, become happier and/or lose some weight while you are at it, be sure to check out Scentology at your local Target store. If you have tried any of the three products, feel free to post your thoughts and comments!

According to the official site, “Scentology employs your brain’s natural connection to your olfactory system (sense of smell) to evoke a particular behavior. No other sensory system makes as direct contact with the areas of the brain involved in emotion, associative learning and memory. Clinical studies demonstrate that these proprietary formulas significantly and measurably affect behavior.”

Currently, there are three Scentology products available, and each serves a different purpose.

1. Crave Control Fragrance – Researchers from London’s St. George’s hospital discovered that a particular ‘vanilla scented patch‘ helped people curb their cravings for chocolates and sweets. Results indicated that people shed 4 lbs. on average. However, experts do not know why it works besides the explanation that the vanilla scent somehow “affects the brain’s chemistry.” Scentology’s Crave Control Fragrance is formulated with the same vanilla scented ingredients from the patch.

Is this another ‘weight loss’ method to lure customers for profit? I won’t know if it works unless I try it, and I’m not one to judge a book by its cover. Any brave souls out there willing to give it a shot?

2. Endurance Enhancer Fragrance – Based on a study by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush at Wheeling Jesuit University, peppermint “increased feelings of vigor, energy, speed, reaction time, confidence, strength and overall physical performance, and also decreased feelings of fatigue, effort and frustration.” Unsurprisingly, Endurance Enhance Fragrance uses the same peppermint ingredient that is reported to boost physical energy.

From experience, most types of mint help me feel more awake and alert, but so does caffeine. I’m not quite certain if one can actually gain vigor, speed, and confidence (literally) just by smelling peppermint.

3. Bliss Booster Fragrance – Like its name, Bliss Booster makes you feel, well, bliss. This one is based on several researches from the University of Vienna which indicated that “men and women who were exposed to the aroma of orange oil (citrus sinensis) became happier and more relaxed during a stressful situation.” And of course, orange oil is the main ingredient in Bliss Booster.

Bliss Booster is kind of interesting because I mentioned “perfume makes me happy” in the About Delicious Scent section. A lot of the perfumes that I’m fond of, such as Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom, contain citrus notes. Although I have not tried Bliss Booster, I imagine it would have a similar effect on me as perfumes with citrus ingredients.