The other day, they told me, with the air of someone who had discovered the cure for all their ills, that essential oils had changed their lives.
“Lavender for sleep, eucalyptus for concentration, orange for anxiety.”
It looked like a wellness menu.
And I, who even find these modern rituals with scents funny, was left wondering: have they really changed life... or does it just seem that way?
We live in a curious time, where “I felt it did me good” has become an irrefutable argument. There are no studies, no analyses, no comparisons — but if you felt it, then that’s it. It’s done.
And it's not that I doubt what people feel. I believe it! But I also know that what we feel is often a trick of our minds.
Because when you really want to improve, your brain goes into personal assistant mode and does everything it can to confirm your faith:
-Amplifies good days (“it was definitely because of the oil!”)
-Ignore the bad days (“it was just one night, your body is still adjusting”)
-Forget what doesn't fit into the narrative
-And he even finds a way to transform neutral sensations into signs of progress.
It's called the placebo effect.
And before anyone rolls their eyes, let me say: placebo is powerful. Really powerful.
But it has nothing to do with the product. It has to do with you. With your expectations. With your desire to improve.
It's like a false compliment that makes us feel confident — even though we know it was just being nice.
And is that a problem?
Not necessarily.
If something makes you feel better, even without doing anything physiologically… it’s already doing something.
But it is important to distinguish between feeling good and being good.
Because there are many things that give the illusion of progress, but do not address anything:
-“Natural” products that have no effect at all
-“Ancestral” protocols that do not withstand simple analysis
-Therapies that promise a lot and deliver almost nothing
-And even dietary trends that take away everything except the will to live.
The ironic thing is that, often, what really helps… doesn’t come in a pretty little bottle.
It comes in a boring routine. In a consistent training plan. In a consultation with a professional who doesn't have inspiring quotes on Instagram.
It comes with study. With data. With evidence. With the behind-the-scenes work that you don't feel like filming for stories.
Science, that annoying thing, exists precisely to remind us that not everything that seems good, is good.
She's not cold — she's fair.
It doesn't ask you to stop feeling, it just challenges you to question.
Going beyond the first sensation. Not confusing aroma with effectiveness.
And please note: I'm not saying you should never use essential oils, nor that your faith in them is ridiculous. Far from it.
Our minds are complex and sometimes a ritual can be all we need to start changing.
But it’s also true that we need to know when we’re being helped… and when we’re just being lulled into a good story.
Because between reality and perception, there is always a filter — and that filter is us.
So the next time something makes you feel amazing, stop for just a moment and ask yourself:
-Is this really working?
-Or is it just me who really wants to believe so?
Both are valid answers. But only one of them will truly change your health.
And no, it doesn't come with a lavender scent.
Rita Gomes
Personal Trainer BMS