These Perfumes Are Scientifically Proven to Make You Feel Good
August 7 | 4 minute read
Words by Arabella Roden
But is it all in your head? Technically… it might be.
Beauty products that influence our sensory perceptions (and even our nervous systems themselves) are known as ‘neurocosmetics’ – and while there has been some preliminary research into skincare, fragrance is perhaps the most promising area of this new frontier.
Charlotte Tilbury – makeup artist, beauty brand founder and a lover of fragrance since childhood – resolved to investigate further.
"Since I was 13, I have been fascinated by the magical ability of fragrance to unlock memories and emotions,” explains Tilbury. “I remember walking around the hippie markets of Ibiza… Patchouli was everywhere. It still, to this day, elicits feelings of freedom and empowerment. I have always been curious about why this smell makes me feel the way it does.”
It’s not just the connection to past memories or experiences; numerous studies have shown how the molecules in aromatic oils can influence our brains and, in turn, our emotional state.
Thai and Japanese studies into jasmine oil, for example, saw participants report feeling “active, fresh and romantic” after inhaling the scent; scans showed an increase in beta brainwave activity – the waves associated with being in a more active state of awareness.
In other studies, inhaling the scent of a mixture of lavender and bergamot oils (which both contain the stress-reducing compound linalool) showed increased theta wave activity, with participants reporting a sense of “physical and mental relaxation”; theta waves are associated with deep relaxation and an ‘inward focus’.
With all this in mind, Tilbury sought out the scientists at International Flavors & Fragrance (IFF) to help develop her first fragrance collection.
Over 40 years of research, the organisation has collected 5 billion data points on how fragrance notes and accords impact tens of thousands of people’s emotional states.
“We measure the ‘emotional power’ of ingredients by understanding the specific effect they have on us and we identify which emotions they enhance,” says Dr Céline Manetta, IFF’s Senior Consumer Science Manager.
This data is the basis of an algorithm called SCENTCUBE™, which can be combined with AI to pair up different fragrance molecules and ‘target’ a particular emotional reaction.
“It creates a specific ‘palette’ of ingredients so [perfumers] can compose with it,” explains Dr Manetta.
A ‘fragrance collection of emotions’
With her six emotions – and their associated scent ‘palettes’ – chosen, Tilbury’s next step was enlisting master perfumers Anne Flipo, Dominique Ropion and Juliette Karagueuzoglou to turn them into fragrances.
“For each fragrance, we were inspired by Charlotte herself,” explains Flipo (the acclaimed ‘nose’ behind Yves Saint Laurent’s Libre EDP and Jo Malone London’s Basil & Neroli Cologne, among many others). “She had a very precise vision in mind regarding this new collection.”
Flipo is responsible for four of the six Charlotte Tilbury scents: Love Frequency, Joyphoria, Calm Bliss and More Sex.
“It is really 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,” she says, adding, “We also wanted something that would tell a story beyond science. Of course, it had to smell amazing – so each of these fragrances are very instinctive and really tell a story of love [Love Frequency], seduction [More Sex], serenity [Calm Bliss]!”
Ropion, the master behind iconic fragrances like Editions de Parfums by Frédéric Malle’s Portrait of Lady, Carnal Flower and Promise, took his reputation for precision and love of “complex and multifaceted” ingredients to create Charlotte Tilbury’s Cosmic Power.
Tilbury describes the scent as a “forcefield of confidence”; Ropion translated her vision into a scent that is “very intimate, but with a strong personality”.
“I was quickly drawn to amber as it’s such a mystical ingredient – the perfect one to help connect to your inner self. I added spices, because they are so sparkling, and give a signature to the fragrance,” he explains. (Those spices include invigorating notes of black pepper, cinnamon and clove.)
And finally, Karagueuzoglou – considered one of fragrance’s ‘rising stars’ – crafted Magic Energy: “Charlotte wanted a fragrance that could leave you feeling grounded, something that would link to the four elements,” she explains. The solution was a blend of contrasting ingredients; awakening citrus, soothing cypress and calming, ‘spiritual’ palo santo.
As a makeup artist and the daughter of a painter, Tilbury also harnessed the power of ‘colour theory’ to match each scent with a colourful bottle, amplifying the same qualities housed within each one.
“From dreams, to science, to ingredients, to each beautiful bottle, you are stepping into the future of fragrance,” she says.
