Feeling off? These wellness perfumes can boost your mood, give you energy and have you feeling more confident

The latest wellness perfumes not only make you smell good but work on your brain chemicals to help you feel calm, energised or sensual – whatever mood takes you! Welcome to the evolving world of power perfumes

Words: Eve Boggenpoel | Images: Shutterstock

Whether a gentle floral that reminds you of spring or a gift from your partner that makes you feel loved, perfume can evoke a range of responses. But what if you could choose your scent based on the way you’d like to feel? Ever wanted more focus at work, more confidence on a first date or simply more positivity throughout your day? Enter neuroscents, the hottest new trend in the beauty industry.

‘Neuroscents is a groundbreaking concept in fragrance. These scents are designed specifically to target the brain’s emotional centres and evoke scientifically proven emotional responses that promote wellbeing,’ says Charlotte Tilbury, who recently launched six mood-enhancing perfumes. ‘My fragrances are like portals to emotions and other worlds, so when wearing them, you will feel however you want to feel and be whoever you want to be.’

To develop the range, Charlotte drew on the expertise of International Flavors & Fragrance (IFF), in New York, which has amassed more than five billion data points of research into the effects of fragrance on how we feel. ‘We measure the emotional power of ingredients by understanding the specific effect they have on us and identifying which emotions they enhance,’ explains Dr Céline Manetta, IFF senior consumer science manager. ‘We then use an IFF AI tool to analyse this data and give perfumers innovative ingredient combinations to enhance specific emotions.’

It’s certainly an enticing idea, but how exactly can a fragrance achieve such an outcome? First up, a bit of biology. ‘Neuroscents, such as those found in fragrances from Edeniste, activate olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity, initiating neural signals that modulate cognitive processes, affective states [longer-lasting moods, such as anxiety] and behavioural responses,’ explains Edeniste founder and creative director, Audrey Semeraro. ‘This activation stimulates the olfactory bulbs, triggering the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, particularly affecting brain regions such as the amygdala and hippocampus, which are essential for processing olfactory information and connecting it with emotions, memory and behaviour.’

Put simply, inhaling these scents can enhance feelings of happiness and relaxation while influencing mood, emotions and overall state of mind. What’s more, neuroscents can have broader effects on the nervous system, too, contributing to emotional regulation. ‘Our formulations incorporate specific methodologies, including functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), to measure brain activity, providing insights into how certain scents can induce states of calm or euphoria,’ adds Audrey.

They can even affect our hormonal response. ‘Our destress accord is a unique and scientifically formulated blend at the heart of Edeniste’s fragrance collection, designed to regulate stress levels. Developed with cutting-edge neuroscientists and top perfumers, it utilises active ingredients clinically proven to reduce cortisol, the hormone associated with stress,’ she says.

Scent scaping: the new home fragrance wellness trend

Functional fragrances

With fragrance houses increasingly focusing on extending their wellbeing reach, it’s little surprise companies are becoming increasingly innovative. Edeniste has extended its perfume range, already containing a cortisol-reducing de-stress accord, and created a collection of six Lifeboosts (Happiness, Relax, Seduction, Energy, Wellbeing and Dream) to be worn alone or layered over your favourite scent. And the intended outcomes are far from a marketing gimmick; the Relax accord, for example, containing jasmine, ylang-ylang and Madagascan vanilla absolute, has been shown on an electroencephalograph (EEG) to slow brain waves, indicating a calming response in the brain.

Swedish natural beauty brand Oriflame (uk.oriflame.com), meanwhile, has developed a set of Moodment Soundscapes for use with its Wellosophy range. These unique audiovisual experiences with sounds linked to ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) and 3D-visuals were created to enhance feelings of wellbeing during your skincare ritual. The set includes Balanced Beats to soothe your mind (to use while applying Wellosophy Plump & Balance Face Cream) and Face the Energy (for Replenish & Energise Face Mist), Soundful Relaxation (for Sleep Face Elixir), all combining what you see and hear with the powerful adaptogens, essential oils and scent technology in the products.

Taking this one step further, ØTHERS offers a multi-sensory digital wellness experience that fuses scent, sound, technology and science. Working with olfactory experts, neuroscientists, breathwork innovators, music producers and philosophers, it aims to help you unlearn unhelpful behaviour patterns, discover rituals to manage your reactivity and to build emotional resilience. This is achieved through guided practices in the ØTHERS resilience app, curated wellbeing scents, and opportunities to connect through a community-driven platform.

As functional fragrances continue to grow, we can expect even more multi-sensory offerings from brands – watch (or rather, smell) this space!

Find your fragrance

Try the following if you want to feel…

Fresh & Energised

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Energy

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Warm & Cosy

Tenth Muse Vanilla Afterglow

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Playful & Passionate

amika:aura Hair + Body Mist

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Grounded & Present

Anatome Expression

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Restful & Romantic

Edeniste Oud Ghazal

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Sultry & Sexy

Being Seductive

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