“The part of the brain that processes odor sensation is anatomically linked with the part of the brain that is responsible for emotions and emotional memories,” says Pam Dalton, Ph.D, MPH, a cognitive psychologist atThe Monell Center, a non-profit institute that researches taste and smell. “There is a primacy to olfactory sensation, so that when we smell them and they’re associated with something from the past, you recall them and feel like [you’re] back there.”

— Read more in How the ‘Noses’ Behind Your Favorite Perfume Brands Translate Everyday Experiences Into Scent—Plus 8 Fragrances To Transport You To Simpler Times at Well + Good.