Have you ever walked past someone and caught a scent that instantly transported you back in time? Maybe it was the perfume you wore as a teenager, or the haunting fragrance of a former lover.
Scent is arguably the most powerful of all the senses – capable of evoking memories with just a single sniff. In an instant, you can be wrapped in a wave of nostalgia or thrown into the depths of a long-forgotten trauma.
We often choose fragrances not just for how they smell, but for how they make us feel. The perfume I wear to feel sexy before a date is completely different from the one I reach for when I need an energy boost before the gym. And it’s not just a placebo – science shows that fragrance can genuinely influence our mood in a variety of powerful ways.
"Neuroscientifically, when we experience scent, we immediately experience emotion because the part of the brain that processes emotion is the same part of the brain that processes smell," says Dr Rachel Herz, neuroscientist and author of The Scent of Desire (HarperCollins, 2008).
"Certain scents can definitely affect our mood, and there is rigorous research. However, it's based on the associations that have been previously acquired to the scent," she adds.
© Instagram / @arthurisawkward"There's no specific sort of magical aromatherapy where one scent is one thing and another scent does another thing. It's all based on learned associations."
Dr Herz encourages individuals to develop their own apothecary of fragrances that they are personally drawn to. "You can do that with just sort of setting out specific moods that you know that you want to enhance within yourself and create these associations with them.
"You can resort to these whenever you need to transport yourself into specific mood."
Due to their cultural associations, different fragrance notes can conjure up a range of emotions – vanilla is often associated with sensuality, sandalwood with calm, citrus with an uplifting vibe, and notes like bergamot and jasmine with energy.
© PintrestAccording to this study, 90% of women felt more confident when wearing fragrance and often selected scents that either reflected their current mood or helped shape it. Fragrance has officially entered the world of wellness, with brands tapping into the trend by creating perfumes designed to elevate our mood and enhance our emotional wellbeing.
Who could forget when Charlotte Tilbury launched their Fragrance Collection of Emotion? The assortment included six perfumes that claimed to evoke six different feelings – love, happiness, seduction, energy, empowerment, and calm. Bella Hadid also developed her fragrance brand Orebella that featured a collection of "aura-elevating scents" using essential oils that vowed to "boost both mood and aura".
Initio Parfums Privés launched Narcotic Delight – a fragrance that uses the power of hedione, a molecule scientifically proven by a team of researchers at Bochum University to stimulate the region of the brain that releases libido.
© INITIO Parfums PrivésBut with a new wellness trend plastered over our social media feeds almost daily, it can be hard to tell what’s genuinely beneficial and what’s just a passing fad. Are we really able to harness the power of fragrance to elevate our emotions and spark different moods?
From getting ready for a first date to unwinding at the end of the day, I put my favourite mood-boosting fragrances to the test for a variety of different occasions to find out if they truly worked.
Shop our favourite mood-boosting perfumes
© John LewisChance Eau Fraîche Eau De Toilette Spray
Chanel
Best for: Energy
We are all guilty of hitting that after work slump come 5pm. I often find that I must psyche myself up to make it to my evening reformer pilates class that I ambitiously booked a week prior. The solution? Enter: Chanel's Eau Fraîche Eau De Toilette Spray.
I decided to spray this floral-sparkling fragrance before my workout class to see if it would give me that "surge of energy" it promised to. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to me that it did just that. With a composition that intertwines the freshness of citron with the vibrancy of teak wood, Chanel's green-hued elixir of life provided me with all the vitality I needed to hold my plank for a solid few minutes. These zesty notes are layered with the delicate aroma of jasmine, creating a fragrance that, for me, feels like a breath of fresh air – sweeping away the mental fatigue of the day and delivering an instant boost of energy.
© INITIOPower Self Extrait de Parfum
INITIO
Best for: Confidence
I was a little more skeptical when it came to finding a scent that could transform my confidence. Unlike a quick fix of energy, self-confidence is much more deep rooted and individual. When I found myself having to get in front of the camera at work one day, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to test out Initio Parfums Privés' Power Self fragrance.
This scent is the newest addition to the brand's functional fragrances that launched back in March and feature a groundbreaking neuroscent technology. Power Self is a musky floral scent that blends the soft notes of osmanthus, white rose, and magnolia with the strong aroma of black pepper, ambrox, and musk molecules. The unisex perfume claims to positively influence your inner confidence and awaken your emotional strength.
Whether it was the bold, woody heart or the vibrant floral undertones, something about this scent left me feeling unexpectedly empowered the moment it touched my skin. There’s a sharp edge to it that seemed to summon my confident alter ego.
© Yves Saint LaurentLibre Eau De Parfum Intense
Yves Saint Laurent
Best for: Seduction
Maybe it’s the sensual orange blossom heart and smokey undertones, or perhaps it’s the statement bottle – its signature glass silhouette adorned with the oversized YSL logo in gold hardware, set against the fiery amber liquid – but something about Yves Saint Laurent's Libre Eau De Parfum Intense makes me feel instantly sexy.
The sensual floral fragrance's play between aromatic lavender from France and smokey orange blossom from Morocco elicits a woody base topped with deep vanilla. The top notes include tangerine, bergamont, and lavender while the heart notes boast aromas of jasmine sambac, orange blossom, and orchid accord. The fragrance is completed with a base of tonka bean, vanilla, amber gris, and vetiver.
Libre Intense is my go-to scent for a romantic date – its bold essence awakens a burning-hot aura that feels unapologetically feminine and irresistibly sultry.
© Issey MiyakeL'Eau d'Issey Eau de Parfum Natural Spray
Issey Miyake
Best for: Calmness
It's hardly surprising that Issey Miyake's L'Eau d'Issey Eau de Parfum makes me feel calm considering the brand draws inspiration from nature. I often reach for this floral fragrance when I want to wind down or need a touch of ease amid any stress. To start, the perfume's sleek and minimalist design is enough to evoke a sense of calm. The bottle boasts a sharp and slender silhouette adorned with a metal cap that is topped with an elegant ball detail.
The fresh, aquatic aroma is drawn from the top notes of lotus rose accord and warm lilies while the fragrance's calming quality is courtesy of amber, sandalwood, musk, and cedarwood.
© Zadig & VoltaireZADIG Eau De Parfum
Zadig & Voltaire
Best for: Happiness
Looking at Zadig & Voltaire's Zadig: Wings to Freedom Eau de Parfum Spray on my dresser is enough to make me smile. The striking, wing-shaped bottle features a jewel-like metallic finish to embody a talisman.
But here’s the real question – can a spritz of the fragrance genuinely lift my mood? The perfume has a golden top note of black and white sesame accord that intertwines with an orange blossom heart. The base is made up of roasted vanilla and creamy sandalwood – it's a sweet scent with a sensual edge.
I love wearing this fragrance during the day – just like its winged design, a symbol of liberation and soaring potential, I find that it truly elevates my mood. Whether its science or simply its sweet remnants of a summery scent, who doesn't love a fragrance that can lift your spirits?
How we chose:
Performance and personal testimony: The fragrances chosen are products that our writer personally rates.
High performance and consistent use: All the picks selected have been used consistently and selected carefully. The products vary, spanning from different luxury brands but are united in the fact that they are all high-performing products.
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
