Caroline Stern , a Boston-based content creator, has a secret weapon for getting her work done: Escapade Gourmande by Maison Mataha, which she calls the most beautifully done vanilla. When she sprays it on, Stern said it makes her feel like I am that girl and like that girl is going to be an active participant in her own life and then be productive, because Im channeling the vibe of that scent.

When you get in the zone for your job or a big meeting, you might have a particular song you play or an outfit you don to feel powerful and focused. But dont discount the power of scent, too.

Theres a science behind why certain scents can make us work and think better. Scent experts share why and offer their own tips as to how you can find the one that works best for you:

Scents can fire up your brain.

What you smell can affect your mood and ability to do your job well in complex ways.

One reason is simply because we like good smells. Pleasant smells are associated with better performance, probably through improved mood, whereas unpleasant smells impair performance, most likely due to negative mood, said Mark Moss, head of the psychology department at Northumbria University, who has researched the effects of scent on mood and cognition.

Another important reason scents can help us work better is because of how they interact with our brain. The olfactory bulb that sits behind the nose and processes what you smell has projections into more areas of the brain than any other sense organ, Moss said.

Aromas are made up of small volatile compounds, and when we inhale these, are passed into the lungs. Here, they cross into the bloodstream and get delivered straight to the brain, Moss continued. Because these molecules are small, they can cross the blood-brain barrier and act directly on the brains neurochemical systems.

In other words, when you inhale a smell, it gets fast-tracked to your brain.

Herbal scents in particular can help you concentrate.

If youre needing a productivity boost, Moss said he particularly recommended peppermint if you need to focus ; rosemary and sage have compounds that have been shown in studies to enhance our ability to remember things .

Perhaps unsurprisingly, sedative aromas such as lavender and chamomile are not recommended, he said.

Loreto Remsing, a Novato, California-based perfumer , said that she is personally drawn to bracing, fresh, outdoorsy scents when she wants to be productive while working. She cited peppermint, eucalyptus, citrus, conifer and herbal scents like coriander and rosemary as examples.

The scent she often recommends to others who want to get focused is basil.

When I was in college back in the late 90s, I used to make a small aromatherapy spray that contained a few drops of basil essential oil diluted in distilled water and take it with me to school, she recalled. I would spray it on my face or mist around me when I needed perking up. It was great to revitalize my senses at that time of the day between noon and 4 p.m. when you start to lose your energy.

If you want to try it for yourself, Remsing suggests a revitalizing spray with a combination of basil, bergamot, and pink grapefruit essential oils diluted in distilled water. You can use 10-20 drops of essential oil in four ounces of distilled water. Spray your face or environment to perk yourself up, she said.