Amidst the seasonal cacophony of ads vying for our purchases, perfume ones tend to stylistically package an animalistic notion of desire: that smelling good = successful mate-finding. For many animals however, there is no accounting for subtlety in the art of attraction (and maybe that can be said of a few humans too!). Many large animals, including elephants and rhinos, douse and rub themselves with urine and faeces. And while it appears that the dazzling iridescent jewel that is the male orchid bee could get by on looks alone, he is compelled to smear his legs with a pungent mix of plant-derived essences in order to lure unsuspecting females.

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We might pride ourselves on being just a little more sophisticated in our choices of odour d’amour, yet one ingredient found in many available perfumes may be a little surprising, if not bizarre…

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Ambergris is a secretion from the bile duct in the digestive system of a sperm whale, which coats and eases the passing of harmful waste, like the beaks from giant squid! Once expelled, ambergris floats, and through exposure to sun, wind and wave, over potentially thousands of miles, it evolves and cures into a waxy yellow lump that thankfully takes on the much sweeter smell of sea ozone. That, with its additional fixative properties for a longer lasting scent, means it is very much coveted by perfume makers. Many factors including the sea and sun temperatures on each individual journey will determine the final fragrance quality. If washed up, and even more astonishingly found, which is so rare you might as well look for a whale dancing in a Christmas party hat (gifs and puns aside but most welcome), it is worth a pretty penny. Whilst out walking along Morecambe beach with Ken, her owner, Madge the dog sniffed out a 3kg “stone”, for which a French dealer eventually offered an unbelievable £43,000. Wooof!

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Odours take a direct route to our limbic system, which includes the parts of brain that support functions such as our emotions and memories. Smell therapy harnesses the ability of certain scents to unlock moments from our past and their associations that are mood enhancing. This might include tapping into the smell of freshly cut grass for instance, or indeed, a favourite perfume. Therapies such as aromatherapy can calm stress and confusion, alleviate depression and anxiety. They can also be particularly valuable for easing disorienting symptoms that result from the degenerative effects of dementia on short and long-term memory. Sensory therapies are utilised in our dementia-related activities that are part of our health and wellbeing programmes.

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In the meantime, don’t forget to look after yourselves and your senses this Christmas. Grab that abandoned bottle of scent, and mist that spritz! Have a perfectly smelly Xmas!

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Jennie Trueman

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Title image: The skeleton of a sperm whale suspended above our Living Worlds gallery. Manchester Museum collection.