The way we buy, and wear, fragrance is officially changing. No longer chosen for occasion (day or night), or because of celebrity influence, brand status or even as a means to attract others, it’s becoming a viable way of regulating your mood and emotions and creating a sense of self. “Consumers are increasingly looking for fragrances that do something for them and we’re seeing a clear shift towards functional fragrance where scent is chosen not only because it smells good, but because people want to feel a certain way, be it calmer, more positive, energised or simply happier,” says Michael White, Global R&D director at CPL Aromas, an independent British fragrance house.
It’s representative of the cultural shift we’re seeing towards rituals and wellbeing in 2026 too. In a world that’s always switched on, where we can feel over stimulated and overwhelmed most days, fragrance becomes a small but scientifically proven way to alter our mood and influence how we feel almost immediately.
Emotional Support Scents
Anxious about a first date or a big presentation? Reach for a scent with ingredients designed to calm the nervous system and soothe the soul. Woken up on a high and don’t want it to disappear? Choose a perfume with notes designed to keep the good vibes going. Feeling flirty? Douse yourself in a confidence-boosting concoction that’s been crafted especially for that very reason- to help you feel sensual, aide yourself-assurance and ensure you show up as your sexiest self.
Why we’re dubbing them emotional support scents is because of how instantaneous the shift in your mood can be. Far faster than supplements which might take weeks to bring your emotions back into check, with fragrance, the desired effect can happen in moments. That’s because smell has neuronal pathways that go directly to the areas of the brain that govern emotion and memory, bypassing any other sensory control stations such as sight, hearing or touch. It’s why when you smell a certain scent it can take you back to a precise moment of your life within seconds – a person, a favourite holiday, a childhood memory – your brain will have joined the dots and transported you straight there.
This close connection between scent and emotions and how fragrance has the ability to influence mood is why perfumers and fragrance houses are now approaching new scents in a more instinctive way that helps support your own wellbeing and selfcare. “Fragrance can form a deep sense of mental wellbeing for the wearer and is one of the most immediate ways we can influence how we feel. It’s also a sensory ritual, like music or lighting a candle and it’s incredibly personal. In turn, this act of choosing fragrance for your own personal mood will shift your energy and even how you carry yourself. It’s a small act, but a powerful one,” explains Richard Saint-Ford, perfumer for Iggywoo.
Functional fragrances
The first brand to dabble in the concept of emotional support scents was The Nue Co back in 2019 when they created their inaugural scent, ‘Functional Fragrance’ and utilised research from The University of Geneva’s Brain & Behaviour Laboratory. As part of it, MRI scans were conducted that revealed which parts of the brain were stimulated by different emotions and then which fragrance notes stimulated those same areas. From there, they worked with perfumers to create fragrances around specific emotional benefits and is why when you go to their website, rather than notes or ‘bestsellers’, you are prompted to pick between destress, comfort, relax, grounded, energy and connect to find your perfect mood match.
New fragrance brand, Being has followed a similar scent trajectory and chose CPL Aromas to craft their debut collection of four mood-enhancing fragrances – Joyful, Serene, Radiant and Seductive. “Historically perfumers have long associated certain ingredients with certain moods – citrus for energy, lavender for relaxation but this was based on tradition and intuition rather than measurable science,” explains Michael.
“We developed AromaWellness, our proprietary approach to fragrance creation rooted in neuroscience based testing. Participants smelt fragrances while their physiological and emotional responses were measured, such as emotional state, stress levels, alertness and overall wellbeing. It allowed us to design fragrances that are scientifically shown to support feelings like relaxation, positivity, happiness or alertness rather than simply assuming.”
The wellbeing blends
While certain notes can trigger certain feelings, for example neroli and bergamot are uplifting; vanilla is comforting, musks and soft woods evoke intimacy and jasmine and rose are soft and romantic, this new wave of scents are far more nuanced. “It’s about understanding how different materials interact with the nervous system so rather than building round a single ‘mood note’ I compose atmospheres or ‘worlds’ that create a particular emotional landscape,” continues Richard.
For example, the brief for IGGYWOO’s Cashmere Show Pony was to create a grounding scent that steadies the mood but that has a sweetness that comes with it. It’s achieved with a blend of toasted coconut nectar, passionflower and cashmeran woods. Ideal if you’re feeling overwhelmed. At Being, their Joyful scent is a fusion of bergamot, orange, lemon and cardamom whisked into a fragrance that promotes happiness and renewal so works well if you need a mid-afternoon pick me up when your to-do list is getting the better of you, or you want to start your day with a sunny, ‘nothing’s going to get to me today’ disposition. Or if you’re on high alert, we’d suggest The Nue Co’s Water Therapy as your ‘ESS’. Concocted with marine notes inspired by blue medicine, seaweed, vetiver and salt work hard to lull your brain into a state of calm and relaxation.
I can vouch for the latter. As someone who’s happy place is either by the water and/or immersed in the sea, if I’ve woken up highly strung, anxious about deadlines or genuinely feeling landlocked (there isn’t much of a coastline in Hertfordshire), I spray it on to recentre and reset. Without realising, it makes me breathe deeper and is exactly how The Nue Co describe it – aquatic. It’s almost got a spiciness to it too that makes it feel warm yet fresh. Like a calming hug when you need it. And it works because it’s now become a ritual that when I’m feeling off, it’s the fragrance I gravitate towards.
It’s not just the newer niche fragrance houses plucking at your heart strings and creating scents around emotional outcomes either. Last year heritage brand, Penhaligon’s unveiled its Potions and Remedies collection. Alongside Vra Vra Vroom and A Balm Of Calm, the latest addition to the line-up is Be Bold. In their words, ‘a potent concoction to unlock one’s inner strength’ it combines peppermint to awaken the senses, clary sage for clarity and palo santo for that all-important grounding. Quite simply, a hit of confidence in a bottle. The new ‘Dutch courage’.
Scents of self-care
With most of us now investing time, money and effort into ways we can slow down, reconnect, feel at peace and take small moments for ourself, scent is the perfect gateway for setting your intentions, mood and emotions each day. “Across cultures, scent has always been part of ritual, whether through incense, oils or aromatic materials used in spiritual or wellness practices. In that sense, it’s deeply connected to wellbeing as these carefully considered fragrances make space for a quiet moment where you pause and choose how you want to feel before stepping into the day,” says Almira Armstrong, founder of Lumira. “Because fragrance is so intimate and sits close to the skin, it becomes part of your personal atmosphere.”
Jules Miller, founder of The Nue Co agrees that the demand for this sort of scented support is there: “We actually named our first scent, ‘Functional Fragrance’ because I thought it would be our one signature fragrance. I never expected it to become such a significant part of the business. Within a year it represented 20% of our sales, last year that grew to 40% and this year it’s likely to reach around 70%. We now have a collection of eight scents!”
A total gamechanger, these scents have the power to become your biggest cheerleader, stop you spiralling, lower your cortisol levels, raise your endorphins, instil calm and help lift you up if you’re doubting yourself. Nudging fragrance firmly into the wellbeing realm, this is the dawn of scented self-help.
Match your mood
The fragrances that will give you the feels:
Being Joyful, £85,
Happiness is a state of mind and this fragrance is here to cultivate it. Citrus notes, creamy coconut, jasmine and patchouli plus the yellow lid equals sunshine in a bottle.
The Nue Co Water Therapy, £125,
Designed to calm the body and destress the mind, this aquatic aroma uses patented fragrance technology to replicate the soothing effect of being in, near or under water.
Iggywoo Cashmere Show Pony, £141,
For when you want to feel grounded and secure, this gives familiar notes like coconut and vanilla a twist. Comforting but not boring.
Penhaligons Bold Blend, £145,
A pep talk in a perfume, peppermint and black pepper wake up your limbic system and put you into go mode. Ideal if you feel like being a bit of a rule breaker.
Lumira Sun Soaked, £150,
Feeling playful and need a perfume to match your energy? This Mallorca-inspired mix of effervescent ingredients like blackcurrant, grape and pear will ensure you remain care-free.
Moods Frisky Moodmist, £45,
Using neuro-aromatherapy to support emotional energy and increase self-confidence and attraction, if you’re looking to create moments of fun and connection, you’ve found ‘the one’.
Vyrao The Sixth, £110,
Designed to enhance mindfulness using neuroscience-backed ingredients, apple, basil and cypress bring positivity, juniper, cedarwood and fir balsam balance the nerves and fennel diffuses negativity.
Alia Main Character, £60,
Big day coming up? This is your power suit equivalent. Wait for the notes of angelica root, turmeric leaf, mimosa, orange blossom and Ambroxan to settle then go and wow the crowds.
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