The Science of Scent & Bonding
How Fragrance Deepens Connection with Your Baby
While much is said about the importance of skin-to-skin contact and voice, science is now affirming what many mothers have long known intuitively: scent plays a vital role in bonding.
Olfactory Memory: Your Brain Remembers in Scent
The human sense of smell is directly linked to the limbic system (the part of the brain responsible for emotion and memory). Unlike other senses, scent bypasses rational processing and travels straight to the emotional core of our experience. Often when I meet up with a friend or family member and i’m holding my youngest (she’s still technically a newborn at the moment) they say “oh I can smell that new baby smell from here…”
It’s also why wearing a familiar, gentle fragrance during early motherhood can create new scent memories for both of you.
Studies have shown that newborns recognise and are calmed by their mother’s natural scent within days of birth. Similarly, mothers report a surge of oxytocin (known as the love hormone) when holding and inhaling the familiar smell of their baby. It is scent that builds familiarity, trust, and the feeling of home.
Fragrance During Breastfeeding & Skin-to-Skin
While scent is a beautiful anchor for bonding, not all fragrances are safe during this delicate time. Traditional perfumes often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), synthetic musks, phthalates, and alcohol—chemicals known to irritate baby’s delicate skin and even interfere with hormonal balance.
That’s why at De(ux) Mains, we took a different path. Our fragrances are alcohol-free, endocrine-disruptor-free, and made from botanically derived ingredients that are designed to be delicate for postpartum skin, breastfeeding closeness, and newborn cuddles.
Each formulation is designed to be worn lightly and to evolve gently with your body’s pH. Rather than overpowering, our scents are soft … think florals, subtle citrus, grounding woods, aiming to connect you to your own presence while soothing your baby through gentle sensory familiarity.
The De(ux) Mains Philosophy: Clean Fragrance Science. Designed for Motherhood.
Our approach to perfume begins with maternal wellbeing. We believe that fragrance shouldn’t be a risk, it should be a ritual.
Our clean formulation philosophy includes:
No phthalates, parabens, or synthetic binders
No VOCs, alcohol, or petrochemicals
Delicate for sensitive skin, breastfeeding, and baby contact
Native Australian botanicals blended with fine fragrance science
BPA-free, sustainable packaging
This isn’t just about what we leave out, it’s about what we intentionally design in: care, calm, connection.
When you choose a scent you love during this sacred window of motherhood, you’re not just wearing it for you. You’re imprinting scent memories for your baby, of warmth, closeness, and the feeling of being held.
Your scent is part of your love language. Let it be delicate, soft, and unforgettable.
