When we first began designing the Loftie x Ourside Room & Linen Spray, our goal wasn’t simply to make a fragrance. We wanted to make a ritual tool. A scent you can bring into your daily shifts, not just your bedroom. Because scent is one of the most direct ways we can speak to the nervous system - we breathe it in, and it travels fast.
Below are three ways I use the spray in my life, plus the “why” behind it (from forest bathing to vagus-nerve science). Even if you don’t end up buying this particular spray, I hope these ideas help you think differently about scent and ritual.
“Forest bathing,” or shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is the practice of immersing yourself in nature through your senses - breathing deeply, smelling the trees, listening to leaves, and noticing the textures around you. Research has found significant reductions in cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, after time spent in forest environments compared to urban settings. (Study)
A meta-analysis also showed that salivary cortisol levels were consistently lower in groups exposed to forests and that forest bathing interventions help shift the body into a parasympathetic, or rest-and-digest, state. (Study)
Most of us cannot walk through a forest daily, but scent gives us a way to bring traces of that experience indoors. Natural notes like cedarwood and palo santo can echo the calming chemistry of forest air and support that same shift in the body.
When you inhale scent molecules, they reach the olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to emotional and memory centers in the brain. This is why scent can feel immediate and deeply affecting.
One of the primary components of cedarwood essential oil is cedrol, a naturally occurring sesquiterpene alcohol. Early research suggests that inhalation of cedrol may help shift the body toward a more parasympathetic state (the branch of the nervous system responsible for rest and relaxation) by slowing heart rate and supporting a calmer physiological state. (Source)
The vagus nerve is the main communication pathway of this parasympathetic system. Supporting vagal activity is one of the ways the body transitions into a state of rest. While scent is not a replacement for medical interventions, incorporating aromas that contain cedrol, like cedarwood, into daily rituals may serve as a gentle cue for the vagus nerve to engage, especially when paired with practices like breathwork or mindfulness.
Here are three real-world uses to adopt, and how each one works:
Every night, when I change into pajamas and draw the curtains, I spritz a few sprays into the room. It’s a simple act, but over time it becomes a signal. It's the moment my body begins to recognize as “time to slow down.”
Because scent is automatic and immediate, it helps anchor that transition from day to rest.
If I come home feeling wound up, I often use the spray before I sit down, change clothes, or just pause. A few sprays plus a few mindful breaths helps me shift mental gears before dinner, reading, or even just watching a show and being present.
One of our customers shared that she plans to offer the spray as an option before beginning her massage practice. It becomes a moment of grounding at the very start of the experience, signaling to clients that it’s time to pause and shift into a state of relaxation. Because scent pathways are so closely linked to the emotional centers of the brain, pairing a scent with a consistent practice like this can deepen its impact over time.
Even if you use a different room spray, the principles below apply:
Keep it consistent. Ritual power comes from repetition.
Pair scent with other cues. A breath, a sound, drawing curtains, or dimming lights helps your brain build associations.
Be intentional. Use just enough scent to create a noticeable shift in your space. Often, a light mist is all it takes to engage the senses without overwhelming them.
Layer your senses. Use soft lighting, a wind-down playlist, or gentle touch to deepen the effect.
Notice the shift. Spend 30 seconds after spraying just breathing or observing. Don’t rush.
Ready to try it? Explore the Loftie x Ourside Room & Linen Spray and see which moments feel most natural for you.
Warmly,
Keta
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