GSI Blog

Deep within artisan workshops and avant-garde perfumeries, a quiet olfactory revolution brews. These aren't just candles; they are scent provocations, bottled atmosphere designed to challenge, unsettle, and fascinate. We delve into the science and history behind the world's most controversial candle fragrances.

From Cleopatra's bergamot diplomacy to Finnish noses bottling salty liquorice, discover how history, chemistry, and cultural quirks crystallize into signature national scents. Unearth 25 olfactory identities—where Filipino mango groves meet Soviet birch forests and Omani desert resins whisper millennia-old secrets.  

Discover the lost art of scent etiquette, an ancient practice blending history, science, and mindfulness to create harmony in modern spaces.

Unlock the hidden power of scent with cutting edge neuroscience. This deep dive explores how smells bypass logic to directly influence emotions, trigger vivid memories (65% stronger than visual recall!), and even create mild neurochemical dependence. Discover how strategic scent use can lower cortisol by 24%, boost concentration 22%, and why certain aromas become psychological anchors. Perfect for fragrance lovers and science enthusiasts alike.

Step into the gilded intrigue of Versailles, where scent was a silent weapon wielded by kings and courtiers. Beyond politics, the air itself whispered secrets: candles infused with ambergris cast shadows on velvet, violet-scented chambers revealed the queen's presence, and soaps from Provence became tools of seduction. Discover how Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette orchestrated fragrance like a symphony, using perfumed room sprays, pomanders and scented soap to bend memory, spark desire, and command power in an era where every breath was a calculated move. Uncover the invisible art of olfactory warfare that shaped history’s grandest court.

In the 1800s, Japan’s candle-making tradition stood at a crossroads where the artisanal glow of handcrafted warosoku met the efficiency of imported tin candle moulds. These candles, made from haze berry wax and wrapped in washi paper and igusa rush grass wicks, were more than mere light sources, they were symbols of ritual, craftsmanship, and a delicate balance between tradition and modernity. Discover how Japan’s candle-makers preserved their heritage while embracing innovation in this illuminating journey through flame, fragrance, and technique.