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This Stovetop Potpourri Will Fill Your Home With Fall's Best Scents

Author:

Sarah Regan

November 01, 2021

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

Image by Helen Rushbrook / Stocksy

November 01, 2021

Who doesn't love the smells of fall? It's warming while somehow crisp, with a hint of spice—and that's exactly what you'll get with this stovetop potpourri recipe from spice expert Kanchan Koya, Ph.D. If you want your home to smell like you're inside a chai latte (yum), here's how to make it.

Fall-Inspired Stovetop Potpourri

Ingredients

4 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp. whole clove
8 cardamom pods
8 star anise pods
1 tbsp. fennel seed
¼ cup rose petals
A pinch of black pepper

Method

Combine your ingredients in a medium saucepan and fill with water.
Simmer on low and enjoy the scents of fall.

Tips:

Top off your saucepan with more water as needed.
Adjust the recipe as you like, depending on your scent preferences. You can add things like orange peels, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and more!
Keep the potpourri on your lowest setting to prevent it from boiling and leave the lid off to allow the smell to fill up your home.

What are the benefits?

Aside from simply making your home smell amazing, this potpourri may have some therapeutic benefits as well, according to Koya. "Science shows cinnamon can help mood just by smelling it," she tells mbg.

Indeed, one study in the North American Journal of Psychology on the effects of peppermint and cinnamon found that the smell of cinnamon not only enhances motivation, performance, and alertness but also might decrease fatigue and serve as a central nervous system stimulant.

And with the addition of roses to this potpourri, there's also a relaxing effect at play. According to another small study done in 2009 1, participants who smelled rose essential oil showed a significant decrease in breathing rate and blood pressure compared to the placebo group, with participants also rating themselves as calmer and more relaxed afterward.

The bottom line.

Whether you're hosting and want your home to smell extra appealing, or you just want to enjoy the scents of fall for yourself, whip up this potpourri. In no time, your home is sure to smell like a chai-inspired dream.