Founder’s Note: Memory in the Making
On how scent reconnects us to what matters, stirs old memories, and quietly shapes how home feels.
WORDS Lisa Sternfeld
A recent conversation about scent stayed with me in a way I did not expect. We spoke about how smell is the one sense that travels directly to the emotional center of the brain, bypassing logic entirely. Maybe that is why scent has the power to return us to a moment long after it has passed. A familiar fragrance can bring something back to us before we even realize it.
This time of year always brings a mix of emotions. There is anticipation, joy, nostalgia, and a kind of tender remembering. I am noticing how certain scents make those memories feel close again. My grandmother’s kitchen. A winter morning from childhood. A holiday table filled with people who felt like home. These moments live not just in our minds, but in the air around us.
"When we choose scents that feel natural and grounding, we support our nervous system in the same way we do when we let in daylight or choose healthier materials."
Lisa Sternfeld
At WLLW, we often talk about the invisible parts of a healthy home: air, water, light. I would add scent to that list, not in a decorative way, but as something elemental. When we choose scents that feel natural and grounding, we support our nervous system in the same way we do when we let in daylight or choose healthier materials.
As we move into the holidays, I find myself paying more attention to these small, sensory anchors. The simmer of citrus on the stove. Fresh greenery by the sink. The quiet comfort of a familiar candle. These are simple gestures, but they help the season feel a little softer and more present.
I hope the weeks ahead bring you scents that make you pause, breathe, and remember what feels most important. Sometimes the smallest things carry the deepest meaning.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving. There is so much to be grateful for.
Be well,
Lisa Sternfeld
Founder & CEO
Photography: Erin Derby
