Oceans and Seas of the World

At Foras, we make perfumes that tell a story and create an experience. Fig Ozone was our first ocean-scented fragrance but we have recently released our limited edition summer perfume Ocean Tansy which also features notes of ocean water, so it will evoke a sunny day on the seaside. We love nature here, and today will tell you more about some of the wonders of the world: oceans and seas.

We all know how important it is to preserve rainforests, the lungs of the earth, but did you know that oceans and seas produce around 70% of the oxygen we breathe? It is therefore really important to preserve marine life too as it has already declined by 50% between 1970 and 2012. If you want to help save our oceans, you can eat eco-friendly fish (or skip fish altogether), limit your use of plastics, disposables and single-use products, or even participate in a cleanup.

Oceans are still a mystery. We know more about outer space that we know obout the depths of the seas. More people went to the moon than to the Challenger Deep, the deepest part of The Mariana Trench - the deepest trench in the ocean. Oceans are deep and vast, making them difficult to study: only 20 percent of the ocean floor has been mapped. Many of its creatures are still unknown, hence legends about giant sea snakes and The Kraken, first described in a 13th-century Icelandic saga. In reality, in the depths you can find life formed in unexpected ways - an example of this is bioluminescence. Almost every deep-water creature produces light in one way or another.

Another curious fact about the salty waters - the largest living structure on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef, is found in the ocean. As it measures around 2,600 km, it can even be seen from space! The planet’s largest mountain chain, the Mid-Ocean Ridge can also be found underwater.

Oceans are full of man-made artefacts (and we aren’t talking about plastic) - you can say that they are the world’s largest museum where you can find sunken ships, human settlements and even 800,000-year old animal footprints! Our ancestors lived on the territories that are currently underwater - five thousand years ago, glaciers captured a lot of water that now forms Earth’s oceans. Underwater villages and cities with walls, streets and statues can be found around the globe. In the future many of our coastal cities might be submerged - due to climate change, the sea levels rise at a yearly rate of about 3.2 mm.

Oceans are not only mysterious though - there are also many science-backed reasons why spending time on the seaside can make you feel amazing. The salty air is thicker, meaning it can cleanse your throat and respiratory system. Seawater contains a lot of minerals such as magnesium, chloride, potassium and sodium that help fight infection and inflammation which is why swimming in the ocean can be part of the treatment for eczema and other skin conditions. Research using brain imaging techniques has revealed that being near water can trigger the release of hormones such as dopamine and oxytocin, which are associated with positive emotions. The sound of waves has been shown to have a calming effect on the mind. When waves crash and then recede, the sound activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down brain activity and helps with relaxation.

The perfect place to meet with the sea? Folkestone, obviously! It’s full of natural beauty, full of art and great for shopping and food. Don’t forget to buy an Ocean Tansy perfume at Foras to keep those sea-related memories fresh.