Fragrance with feelings: The science behind emotion-inducing scents

Clinique was a trailblazer in the 1990s when it first capitalised on the idea of mood-enhancing fragrance with the introduction its Happy scent. And this citrussy blend is still said to be one of Estée Lauder Company’s best-selling scents.

Now, with significant advancements in technology,​ many brands are working alongside neuroscientists and aromachologists – who study the influence of odours on human feelings and behaviour – to create purposeful fragrances​ that grant consumers more control over their feelings.

To find out more about this ever-growing area of innovation​, we spoke to Head of beauty trends at Stylus, Lisa Payne, as well as the two experts at IFF (International Flavors & Fragrance) who worked on Charlotte Tilbury’s first scent collection, Fragrance Collection of Emotions, which according to the brand “was based around work with colour theorists, numerologists, symbologists, as well as studied thousands of years of fragrance history.”

Cosmetics Design-Europe (CDE): Trend forecasters have commented on what appears to be the ‘moodification of perfume,’ why is this happening now?​

Lisa Payne, Head of beauty trends at Stylus​ (LP): “During Covid-19, consumers turned to beauty and personal care rituals to self-soothe, comfort and elevate their mood, leaning heavily into categories such as home fragrance and body care. While the pandemic seems long gone, the learnings remain – for the consumer, a fragrance is no longer a signature scent, but something more meaningful, sparking memory, joy, and excitement, or providing calm and clarity, and comfort. Providing your audience with a library of feelings and emotions.”

CDE: What do you think is behind the rise in demand for perfumes that make us feel good? ​

LP: “Wellbeing is now an inherent factor in the way that consumers engage with beauty and personal care products and brands. It’s driving a variety of behaviours, including seeking additional supportive products for everything from sleep to mood management.

As an example, 37% of US consumers expressed a desire for additional sleep and mindfulness products and services, such as those that address cognitive functioning, stress, and anxiety management, according to a recent McKinsey report.  

It becomes clear then, that adding a layer of functionality only seems right when it comes to fragrance, as it’s a naturally sensorial and mood-elevating product.”

Do you believe that there is science to back up the claims when it comes to boosting emotions? ​

“​Developers are now coming to the market with more data and clinicals to back up the supportive claims for their new ingredients, which is promising, but more must be done in terms of wider research.”

Is there a question of ethics with regards to manipulating emotions? ​

“As long as the consumer is made fully aware of what effect the product will have on their mood or mental wellbeing, there won’t be an issue. Full transparency is key regardless, but again, would only pose a problem if brands were developing and marketing quasi-drugs.”

Pheromone perfume has also been trending on TikTok recently and has accumulated more than 130k searches on Google. Do you predict a big demand for this kind of scent? ​

“The pheromone perfume trend aligns with the wider consumer desire for fragrances that boost their personal chemistry and natural scent profiles. The brand leading in this space is Escentric Molecules, and it hasn’t had any real competition over the year, growing its SKUs and product categories, as it now also produces body care based on its blends).

New, young or independent brands looking to challenge Escentric Molecules will need to tell a strong brand story and use packaging and social branding to engage beyond the initial purchase.”

What do you think is next for the neuroscent sector? ​

“More clinical testing will grow this category, as more perfume and flavourists develop more complex and nuanced ingredients and notes that promise bigger, more interesting effects.

Currently the trend revolves safely around mood boosting and calming, but we predict new claims in the coming years, for example, scents that promise to elevate self-confidence, or to reduce anxiety-induced cortisol levels in the body.”

Creating Charlotte Tilbury's Fragrance Collection of Emotions​

We also spoke to master perfumer Anne Flipo and senior consumer science manager Céline Manetta at global ingredients manufacturer International Flavors & Fragrance (IFF), which worked with the Charlotte Tilbury brand to create its first-ever perfume collection: a neuroscent range called the Fragrance Collection of Emotions.

CDE: Why did Charlotte Tilbury decide to centre the brand’s first fragrance range on emotions?  ​

Anne Flipo (AF): “Since the very beginning, Charlotte was fascinated by the power of fragrance to unlock

Emotions.  At IFF, we have been studying the invisible power of ingredients for more than 40 years through our Science of Wellness program. It is unique to have a collection of six fragrances, created thanks to scientific research, AI and consumer studies, to help awaken specific emotions, and we really worked with that in mind with a specific palette of ingredients that we knew enhanced specific emotions!”

CDE: How does the collection harness the power of neuro-scents?​

Céline Manetta (CM): “For this collection, we tested the ingredients to understand which part of the conscious and unconscious responded when smelling – each part having a link to a specific emotion.

We measured the emotional power of ingredients by understanding the specific response they can have on us, and we identify which emotions they can enhance. We then used AI with a proprietary tool called the IFF ScentCube that analyses all this data and gives perfumers innovative ingredient combinations known to enhance specific emotions. It creates a specific palette of ingredients to compose with.”

CDE: What was Charlotte Tilbury hoping to achieve for her customers by creating the new fragrance range?​

CM: “Charlotte knew she wanted to bottle the frequencies of love, happiness, seduction, serenity, energy and empowerment – so everyone could spray on these six universal feelings and design their dream day and night with fragrance.  She believes that fragrance holds the same transformative, confidence-boosting power as skincare and makeup.”

CDE: The brand also worked with colour theorists to align the shade of each bottle to the emotion the fragrance is channeling. How does this work?​

AF: “The fragrance bottles are like magic portals of light. Charlotte wanted them to feel as though they can transport you to another dimension. She has always been inspired by the mood-reviving properties that crystals are believed to hold, so she matched the colour of the fragrance bottles to the most revered crystals in the world.

From the crystal of divine love – morganite – which inspired Love Frequency; to the symbolically passionate ruby for More Sex; or the calming, soothing properties of aquamarine which inspired Calm Bliss; the energising qualities of emerald that inspired Magic Energy; or the spiritually-restoring power of amethyst behind Cosmic Power – each bottle has a unique crystal energy which infuses it with magic powers.

Charlotte also worked with an expert numerologist to choose numbers that specifically match the feelings of each fragrance. Numbers are like a gateway to a new path, and just like fragrances, they are believed to represent unique energies and powers. Each perfume in the collection is inscribed with a magic number that channels the frequency of each emotion! The colour, symbol, crystal and number of each bottle, all work in harmony with the fragrances, they’re the sensory juncture between sound, sight, scent and texture – it’s like multisensory magic!”

CDE: What do you think is behind the rise in demand for functional fragrance; perfumes that make us feel a certain way? ​

AF: “Perfume is an easy access to happiness; it provides a powerful link to memories and an escape from everyday life. Ultimately, perfume is a dedicated and privileged moment for ourselves in a world where there is so little of it – an easy escape from reality!”

CDE: How has the feedback been with regards to the mood-boosting properties of the fragrances? ​

AF: “​Feedback for the collection has been incredibly positive globally. We are finding that consumers are fully embracing this new shift to emotion-led fragrance and are using it as a tool to truly enhance their day.

With regards to product, the More Sex fragrance, which evokes feelings of seduction with notes of musky sandalwood, has been our most popular worldwide and we are receiving a great reception for the whole collection in the North American and European markets.  Over in the UK, the Joyphoria fragrance is proving to be the scent of summer.

We predict the demand for fragrances that act as an emotional antidote will continue to rise over the coming months.”