Tag: smell

The Bright World of Citrus in Fragrance

Citrus notes are the heart of freshness in perfumery, delivering bursts of energy and clarity that instantly uplift the senses. From the juicy sweetness of mandarin to the zesty bitterness of grapefruit, these fruits bring vibrant, sun-soaked character to many fragrances. Often used as top notes, citrus scents create crisp, clean openings that set the stage for deeper layers. Whether in simple citrus colognes or complex blends with florals, spices, or woods, citrus notes offer versatility and universal appeal, capturing the essence of light, movement, and vitality.

 

Lemon: Shloksha Aqua Fern

Lemon remains one of perfumery’s most uplifting citrus notes—bright, effervescent, and instantly refreshing. As a top note, it brings a sparkling clarity, awakening the senses with its clean, zesty character. Beloved for its versatility, lemon pairs effortlessly with florals, herbs, and woody accords, imparting a lively twist that feels both timeless and modern.

More than just a scent, it conjures sun-drenched Mediterranean landscapes, freshly laundered linens, and the comforting brightness of home. For perfumers, it’s a note that radiates joy, purity, and energy—an olfactory burst of optimism.

In Shloksha’s Aqua Fern, lemon shimmers in the opening—a glistening, aquatic citrus that dances alongside sea salt and coastal air. This crisp brightness conjures the sensation of a morning stroll along the Malabar Coast, where a tangy breeze lifts the spirits and the sea whispers its bracing freshness.

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£54.95 for 30ml eau de parfum perfumesociety.org

 

 

Orange: Sarah Baker Jungle Jezebel

Orange adds a bright, cheerful vibe to any fragrance. Whether it’s the juicy sweetness of sweet orange, the tangy twist of blood orange, or the fresh bitterness of orange peel, it brings a sunny freshness that lifts the mood. Often in the top or heart notes, orange pairs beautifully with spices, florals, and woods, making it a staple in citrus and oriental scents.

It’s not just about the scent — orange feels warm, energetic, and optimistic, like a burst of sunshine or a happy gathering. In cooler months, it adds cozy sweetness; in summer, it’s refreshingly vibrant.

In Jungle Jezebel, sweet orange gives a zesty kick that plays off playful bubble-gum and banana notes, adding a bright citrus lift before the scent deepens into rich, tropical layers.

£145 for 50ml extrait de parfum perfumesociety.org

 

 

Bergamot: Granado Citrus Brasilis

Bergamot is truly the crown jewel of citrus — mostly grown in Italy’s sun-soaked Calabria. This small green fruit might look like a lime, but its scent is far more complex, blending sweet citrus, gentle bitterness, and delicate floral whispers. Unlike sharper citrus notes, bergamot offers a smooth, polished brightness that opens fragrances with grace and balance.

It delivers a fresh, vibrant lift while harmonising beautifully with herbs, woods, spices, and gourmand notes — no wonder it’s a perfumer’s favourite. Bergamot conjures feelings of clarity, calm, and timeless sophistication, often reminding us of crisp linens, thoughtful rituals, and effortless elegance. Whether in a sunny daytime cologne or a refined evening chypre, bergamot adds that perfect touch of subtle refinement.

Take Citrus Brasilis — here, bergamot’s top note shines with a clear, vibrant citrus brightness, its soft sweetness and herbal hints blending effortlessly with lemon and mandarin, gently leading into the fragrance’s smooth floral and musky heart.

From £125 for 75ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

 

 

Mandarin: Vallense Sun

Mandarin is the gentle, charming citrus note that delights with its sweet, juicy aroma. Softer and rounder than lemon’s zing or grapefruit’s bitterness, it offers a velvety citrus glow that feels instantly uplifting. Often taking the spotlight as a top note, mandarin opens fragrances with a burst of innocent sweetness — a favourite in fruity florals, soft gourmands, and sun-kissed summer colognes.

Its versatility is a dream: mandarin can brighten creamy vanillas, soften spicy notes, or add a warm glow to delicate white florals. The scent of mandarin conjures up sun-drenched orchards, nostalgic childhood treats, and those golden, lazy afternoons — creating an emotional connection that’s both comforting and radiant. Whether sparkling in daytime scents or adding a subtle sweetness to more sensual blends, mandarin brings approachable charm that lingers lovingly without ever overwhelming.

In Vallense Sun, mandarin adds a juicy, sunlit sparkle to the opening — a fresh citrus burst that balances passionfruit and lemon perfectly, leading you into a luminous journey of soft tropical florals and golden warmth.

£200 for 100ml eau de parfum vallensefragrances.com

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£199 for 100ml eau de parfum vallensefragrances.com

 

 

Grapefruit: Parfums de Marly Perseus 

Grapefruit is one of perfumery’s most refreshing citrus stars, with its lively blend of tart bitterness and juicy sweetness that instantly wakes up the senses. Unlike the softer, rounder notes of mandarin or orange, grapefruit delivers a sharp, sparkling edge — making it a go-to top note in sporty colognes, unisex blends, and fresh aquatic or green fragrances. Its zesty bite brings a modern, clean vibe that’s perfect for fans of bright, upbeat scents.

Beyond its fresh scent, grapefruit carries an uplifting, mood-boosting energy that’s ideal for daytime wear or warm weather. It partners beautifully with mint, vetiver, jasmine, and woods, striking the perfect balance between lightness and depth. Grapefruit conjures feelings of clarity, motivation, and effortless cool — think of a brisk morning walk or a freshly squeezed juice captured in a bottle. Whether you need a lively pick-me-up or a refined citrus twist, grapefruit adds vibrant style and confident charm.

In Parfums de Marly Perseus, grapefruit shines as a bright, zesty top note that energises the scent and balances its rich, woody heart with fresh vibrancy from the very first spray.

£215 for 75ml eau de parfum johnlewis.com

 

 

Improve Your Sense of Smell: extraordinary noses share their knowledge

In the world of fragrance, there exists a group of individuals whose talents are as extraordinary as they are elusive. These are the ‘noses’ – the perfumers whose olfactory artistry shapes the very essence of our most beloved scents.

For the past decade, The Perfume Society has been at the forefront of unveiling the mysteries behind these master craftspeople through our multi award-winning magazine, The Scented Letter.

Our regular feature, ‘A Working Nose‘, offers readers an unparalleled glimpse into the lives and minds of these olfactory virtuosos. This world-exclusive series of in-depth interviews delves into the personal working styles, composition techniques, and daily routines of both established master perfumers and rising stars in the industry.

 

 

 

 

 

We’re rather proud that it’s a feature unmatched by any other publication, offering fragrance enthusiasts a rare opportunity to understand the intricate process behind the creation of their favourite scents and iconic fragrances.

So, if you’d like to learn more about the lives of the ‘noses’, and perhaps even gain some olfactory insight into the way they imbue their creations with their own unique characters, or styles of composition; do sign up for your FREE e-subscription to The Scented Letter Magazine. And don’t forget to browse the always fascinating shorter interviews with noses on the website.

 

But the world of perfumery isn’t just for the professionals. At The Perfume Society, we have always believed that everyone can benefit from a deeper understanding and appreciation of scent.

That’s why we’re excited to share with you a collection of aromatic wisdom from these remarkable noses; with practical tips and insights that you can incorporate into your daily life to enhance your sense of smell and deepen your relationship with your most cherished fragrances.

 

These ‘noses’ possess a talent that goes beyond mere chemistry and technique. They are time travellers and emotion weavers, capable of transporting us to cherished memories and evoking powerful feelings with just a single whiff. Their creations have the power to make us feel more confident, more alluring, more creative – transforming not just how we smell, but how we feel about ourselves.

 

 

noses advise how to improve your sense of smell

 

 

For too long, these artists of scent worked very much behind the scenes, their noses in anonymity, and their contributions to our sensory experiences unacknowledged. But now, like great chefs emerging from their kitchens or painters stepping out from behind their canvases, perfumers are beginning to take centre stage in even greater numbers. They’re sharing their stories, their inspirations, and the intricate processes behind their olfactory masterpieces.

Join us as we celebrate these extraordinary individuals and hear their advice on how to improve our own sense of smell. Whether you’re a fragrance aficionado or simply curious about the world of scent, prepare to be captivated by the wisdom, creativity, and passion of the world’s most remarkable noses…

 

We asked:

 

What can each of us do to enhance our appreciation of fragrance? What is your best tip for improving a person’s sense of smell?

The Noses Said…

 

 

 

Leading noses advise how to improve sense of smell

Alberto Morillas: 

‘‘If you train your nose, you’ll be able to make the difference between the main olfactive families. In fact, everyone has his own olfactive memory like a “library of scents”, made of smells you associate to people, places, travels, objects, food, moments of your life, etc. You can enrich this library by smelling fragrances in store or trying them on skin to live with them.

Some are fresher, some are more sensual, try to put words on what you smell to define the different sensations. Then repeat, repeat ceaselessly. Practice by smelling blind. Be spontaneous, say everything, feel free to write everything which comes to mind.

Time after time, you’ll have your own references and you’ll be able to classify fragrances by main themes, like woody, aromatic, citrus and ambrée. Memory. That’s the most important thing. You need to smell again and again and again the same thing and then mix it with other things and see how it changes.

Like cooking – you need to taste all the time to improve your palette and it’s the same with smell. I cannot say enough how important memory is, that act of memorising how something smells, what it means to you.’

 

 

 

Cécile Zarokian:

‘It’s often just a matter of paying attention, be focused by the smells around you. And another thing is usually you notice the smell but it’s difficult to express about it, you need to know the words.’

 

 

 

Olivier Cresp:

‘The best thing to do to enhance our appreciation of fragrance is to smell it! The more you smell more you develop your sense of smell. Smelling raw materials is also a good way to improve your abilities. The key is to focus and concentrate on what you smell all the time: a fragrance, a smell in the street, food, etc.’

 

 

 

Kevin Mathys, CPL Aromas:

‘Smelling, smelling and smelling again. There is no secret, I think it is a matter of passion and patience. Perfumery involves a huge amount of knowledge – like learning the raw materials, the big accords, the historical fragrances… 

To me it is like learning a language, it is not only learning words that allows you to speak, you have to understand the culture behind it and the history of the nation to become fully fluent.’

 

 

 

Marie Salamange:

‘Curiosity is a good thing to explore and develop a person’s sense of smell. You have to not be afraid of smelling things you think you don’t like at first sight.’

 

 

Mathieu Nardin: 

‘The most important thing is that people become more aware of what a great sense smell actually is. Taste and sight always seem to come first and people aren’t so focused on their nose. What perfumers do is to close their eyes and focus on that one sense a lot – I mean all the time, not just at work. There are so many studies that say the nose is so closely linked to memories and images, it’s incredibly intense. But you have to explore it deeply.

When you smell something – lavender, a particular perfume, a cooking ingredient – you have to forget what it literally is and instead link it a personal feeling, whatever it makes you feel. The more you analyse those emotions and link that to personal feelings, the better you become at smelling more and memorising those smells. This is how we learn at perfumery school. It has to be personal or it has no meaning.’

 

 

 

Caterina Catalani:

‘To truly appreciate fragrance, embrace smelling. Take in the everyday scents, from morning coffee to your favourite dish. Give importance to your sense of smell; it’s a powerful memory trigger! Don’t underestimate its impact, it holds the key to unlocking vivid recollections and enhancing your overall sensory experience…’

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Are perfumers born with a special gift? How do they ‘train’ their noses ?

Are perfumers born with an innate sense of smell, or is their skill honed through diligent training? While some perfumers may possess a natural sensitivity to scents, the art and science of perfumery often require extensive education and practice. We asked some of the world’s best noses for their top tips on training our own…

 

Traditionally, aspiring perfumers trained in esteemed institutions, particularly in France. However, the world of perfumery has expanded, welcoming self-taught individuals and those who pursue part-time courses online or in person, guided by experienced perfumers.

 

 

Mathieu Nardin, a native of Grasse and part of a new generation of perfumers, emphasises the importance of becoming more aware of the sense of smell. He advises focusing on the emotions and personal feelings evoked by scents to enhance olfactory memory. ‘The most important thing is that people become more aware of what a great sense smell actually is. Taste and sight always seem to come first and people aren’t so focused on their nose. What perfumers do is to close their eyes and focus on that one sense a lot – I mean all the time, not just at work. There are so many studies that say the nose is so closely linked to memories and images, it’s incredibly intense. But you have to explore it deeply.’

‘When you smell something – lavender, a particular perfume, a cooking ingredient – you have to forget what it literally is and instead link it to a personal feeling, whatever it makes you feel. The more you analyse those emotions and link that to personal feelings, the better you become at smelling more and memorising those smells. This is how we learn at perfumery school. It has to be personal, or it has no meaning…’

 

 

 

Esteemed perfumer Christine Nagel agrees, emphasising the importance of olfactory exploration every single day: ‘Be olfactively curious. Smell everything you can, everywhere, every day. Have your nose on high alert!’ And she should know. From the first time she met a ‘nose’, that’s what Christine Nagel knew she wanted to be. So she trained as a research chemist and market analyst, and in Paris, in 1997, was launched on a seriously distinguished career that’s included creations like the blockbuster Narciso Rodriguez for Her (with Francis Kurkdjian), Jimmy Choo Flash, and Guerlain’s Les Elixirs Charnels collection.

 

 

 

Alberto Morillas, who has created some of the world’s most iconic perfumes – Calvin Klein CK One, Kenzo Flower, Bvlgari Omnia, Cartier Panthere de Cartier, Giorgio Armani Aqua di Giò for women – suggests that anyone can improve their sense of smell. Born in Sevilla, Spain in 1950, Morillas describes himself as ‘mostly self-trained’ in perfumery, having begun his career at the School of Beaux Arts in Geneva before joining Firmenich in 1970. He advises, ‘If you train your nose, you’ll be able to make the difference between the main olfactive families. In fact, everyone has his own olfactive memory like a “library of scents”, made of smells you associate with people, places, travels, objects, food, moments of your life…’

‘You can enrich this library by smelling fragrances in store or trying them on skin to live with them,’ he coninues. ‘Some are fresher, some are more sensual, try to put words on what you smell to define the different sensations. Then repeat, repeat ceaselessly. Practice by smelling in blind. Be spontaneous, say everything, feel free to write everything which comes to mind. Time after time, you’ll have your own references and you’ll be able to classify fragrances by main themes, like woody, aromatic, citrus and ambrée. Memory. That’s the most important thing. You need to smell again and again and again the same thing and then mix it with other things and see how it changes. Like cooking – you need to taste all the time to improve your palette and it’s the same with smell.’

 

 

 

Sophie Labbé, a perfumer who spent her childhood between Paris and the Charente-Maritime area of France, encountering contrasting smells that proved particularly inspiring, also offers valuable advice. She studied at IPSICA, Paris’s perfumery school, and at the Givaudan Perfumery School in Geneva for six months. In 1992 she joined IFF as a junior perfumer, where Sophie has worked on fragrances including Bulgari Jasmin Noir and Mon Jasmin Noir, Calvin Klein Beauty, Estée Lauder Pure White Linen, and Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina and Signorina Eleganza.

Discussing how an ordinary person might think about smelling things the way a perfumer does, she said, ‘Open your nose – be aware of all the smells around us. Start with all the everyday smells that you take for granted and then move on to perfumes. You can train your nose. Smell as many perfumes as possible, starting with the classic milestone perfumes which every perfumer studies when they start their perfumery degree. Read as much as you can. There are so many books, and some excellent articles about perfumery.’

These insights from renowned perfumers, shared during interviews for our multi-award-winning magazine, The Scented Letter, where we regularly take a deep dive into how perfumers work through our popular Working Nose series, reveal that anyone can improve their relationship with fragrance. Even if you don’t aspire to become a perfumer, these tips can enrich your daily life.

 

 

 

Top Tips from Perfumers:

  • Be Olfactively Curious: Smell everything around you.

  • Focus on Emotions: Link scents to personal feelings and memories.

  • Build a Scent Library: Regularly smell fragrances and categorise them.

  • Start with Classics: Familiarise yourself with milestone perfumes.

  • Practice Blind Smelling: Test your ability to identify scents without visual cues.

 

So, as you can see, while some may have a natural inclination towards scent sensitivity, the journey to becoming a perfumer involves rigorous training and a deep connection to one’s olfactory experiences. Whether you’re an aspiring perfumer or simply wish to enhance your appreciation of fragrance, all these practices can totally transform your sensory world for the better. Now, how will you begin improving your own relationship to your sense of smell? We urge you to start today!

 

 

 

Why not begin your own ‘smell training’, as perfumers do, today? You can quickly and (much more) affordably build your own ‘scent library’ by collecting samples, as found in our curated Discovery Boxes – which include an array of scents from all manner of houses, niche, designer, independent, well known, or ultra new to the scent scene. Alternatively, there are a number of Brand Boxes you could begin with, featuring scents across the collections a house has to offer – perfect for comparing and contrasting the perfumers styles. However you choose to begin your nose training – start today, and get your sense of smell primed to enjoy your perfumes even more…

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Magnolia: History, Scented Myths & the Science of Lust

This month, among other spring blooms that have inspired perfumers, we’re focusing on the stop-in-your-tracks beauty of magnolia. From our initial edit of some favourite magnolia-centric scents we simply can’t get enough of right now, to later features exploring the differing delicate (and sometimes surprising) aroma facets that can be coaxed from those magnificent blooms; today’s topic takes a look at some of the fascinating myths and history that surround this ancient flower…

 

Named after a renowned French botanist, Pierre Magnol, who first came up with the ingenious concept of classifying flora into ‘plant families’, the flowering of the magnolia tree has to be one of the most outrageous shows in nature – those fat fists of buds suddenly bursting and producing saucer-sized, chalice-like blooms that have so often stopped me in my tracks to gasp at their audacity.

Originating in both Asia and the Americas, there are around 200 different species, and they’re thought to be one of the most ancient flowering plants, dating back to prehistoric times: as we noted in our first magnolia feature, it’s kind of mind-blowing to realise that dinosaurs could have sniffed their blooms – though not yet been able to daub themselves in the scent, poor things.

 

 

The secret of a magnolia’s aroma is found in their thick, waxy ‘tepals’ (a primitive combination of petals and sepals), where chemical scent compounds including the citrus-y smelling linalool (a naturally occurring terpene alcohol) are exuded. As Judith Adam exclaims in the blog gardenmaking.com, ‘Creamy magnolia blossoms in the crisp spring air are the fulfilment of a gardener’s winter dream,’ and the very temperature of the air can dramatically alter the aroma of a magnolia’s blossom. ‘Consequently,’ she explains, ‘magnolias can smell like sweet candy, spicy verbena, tart lemon, citrus-honey or dusty violets.’

In ancient China, magnolias were symbolic of womanly beauty and gentleness, of nobility and dignity, and an Emperor might graciously deign to gift you a magnolia as a sign of great respect; while in the American South, bridal bouquets often contained magnolias, thought to emphasise the bride’s purity. But this innocent side of magnolia’s charm is juxtaposed by their more potently sensual charms…

The beauty of the magnolia blooms has historically been a popular image for artists to attempt to capture, and pioneer photographer Imogen Cunningham became famous (one might even say infamous) in the early 1920s for her close-up images of magnolias – her work often tut-tutted at over teatime gossip that her floral photos were overtly sexual, focusing as they did on the rather phallic arrangement of stamen and petals, and receiving the same criticism levelled at painter Geogie O’Keefe, whose exotic floral studies were thought to be rather, ahem, labial in nature.

 

Imogen Cunningham Magnolia Blossom c.1925

 

The multi-faceted magnolia is one of those white floral ingredients that perfumers (and perfume lovers) just adore, and there may be a scientific reason we’re so enraptured by their scent. And innocence has nothing to do with it.

Researchers at the Ruhr-Universitat Bochum in Germany have shown that the lining of the human nose has a specific type of receptor called VN1R1. So when we stand under a magnolia tree and inhale, methyl dihydrojasmonate [an airborne compound released by magnolia flowers] directly binds to that nasal receptor, triggering an area of the brain linked with motivation and memory.

 

 

Collaborating with a research team at the University Hospital Dresden, the scientific team also discovered magnolia activates the hypothalmus, which regulates hormone levels. According to the article ‘Sensual Scents – How Magnolias Turn on the Human Brain’ in The BioPhiles blog, ‘The effect seems specific to magnolias and jasmine,’ as further tests with other floral compounds had no effect on that receptor. ‘It seems magnolias are in fact producing the scent of romance – or at least lust,’ the piece concludes.

From evoking purity to provoking carnal lust, is it any wonder modern floral fragrances are still waxing lyrical about this creamy, dreamy scent…?

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Do Coffee Beans Help ‘Refresh’ Your Nose?

In various fragrance boutiques and department stores, you’ve perhaps come across little bowls and jars of coffee beans and wondered what these are for. Perhaps you’ve even been told by well-meaning staff (or fragrance-loving friends) that these are to ‘refresh’ your nose after smelling too-many scents? So: do coffee beans ACTUALLY help ‘re-set’ your sense of smell, Read on to find out…

 

 

 

The coffee bean conundrum: The answer is short and sweet: sniffing coffee beans does NOT help ‘cleanse’ or ‘re-set’ your sense of smell – and this was proven by Dr. Alexis Grosofsky of Beloit College in a scientific study. Smelling coffee beans is just adding another strong smell for your nose to be dealing with! Our sense of smell constantly re-sets itself, naturally, but if you’ve over-stimulated yours by spraying on all of the perfumes, or to give your nose a bit of a rest in-between scent sample spritzing; the best way to do this is simply by smelling your wool sweater, or an unscented bit of your own skin. This is how perfumers ‘re-set’ (if they need to) while they are smelling hundreds of differing ingredients, or preparing a new fragrance ‘mod’ (modification) of a perfume’s formula.

 

 

The blog air-aroma.com puts this whole coffee bean theory to bed really clearly, saying:

‘Stop in any perfume shop, and you’re bound to find small bowls of coffee beans set between various fragrances. A salesperson may advise you to sniff the beans in between smelling multiple scents. It is commonly believed that the smell of coffee beans creates some sort of palate cleanser for your nose, allowing you to continue to smell fragrance after fragrance.

But why would someone need to do that? Olfactory fatigue, or olfactory habituation, is a real thing, and it deserves some attention. Essentially, the olfactory glands in your nose begin to recognise smells after a period of time (like the perfume you’ve been wearing all day), and will stop alerting you to them, making you think there’s no fragrance there. It is an example of sensory adaption; the body becomes desensitised to stimuli to prevent the overloading of the nervous system, thus allowing it to respond to new stimuli that are ‘out of the ordinary’. Do coffee beans have some magical little molecular component that resets our palate, allowing us to continue to smell things? Turns out, the answer is no! ‘

– If you’ve over-sniffed too many scent samples in a row (we empathise!) and smelling your clothing / a scarf / your own skin isn’t enough to ‘re-set’ your nose, just step outside for some fresh air for a couple of minutes.

Instead, if you’re looking for the best ways to smell lots of fragrances at one time, here are some top tips so as not to get in an over-olfactory-stimulated scent muddle…

 

 

 

Give fragrances TIME. So many of us spray, sniff immediately (that’s just the alcohol you’re smelling, with perhaps a mere whiff of top notes) and either make a snap purchase or walk away. Those opening notes can disappear in mere minutes, you really need to let it settle for twenty minutes or more to smell the middle or ‘heart’ notes. The ‘base’ notes are made from ingredients with the heaviest molecules, so these can take several hours to warm and then evaporate on the skin.

If possible, try the fragrance on a blotter first (also known as a perfume ‘spill’). Make sure to write the names of the perfumes on the blotters! Otherwise you end up with a whole stack of them in your pockets or bottoms of bags, and no idea which is which…

Allow a few minutes for the alcohol and the top notes to subside, and then smell the blotters. At this stage you may be able to eliminate one or more, if they don’t appeal – but it is really the heart notes and the lingering base notes which you will live with, and which are crucial. Remember: blotters are a useful way of eliminating no-hopers and lining up possibilities, but they’re not really enough to base a perfume purchase on. You really need to smell a scent on your skin to know for sure that it suits you.

Try not to smell more than about four or five at a time. It’s not really your nose that’s the problem, it’s our perception of smells that take time to be properly considered (and allowing a scent to develop both on the blotter and then on our skin as it warms).

Jot down a few words to describe how you feel about each fragrance. These should be emotional words or things it reminds you of (a fabric / musical instrument / colour / place / time of day). They might sound abstract, but are a true reflection of how a fragrance is melding to your personality (or otherwise). Come back to the blotters several hours later and smell again – see if those words have changed.

 

By Suzy Nightingale

 

 

 

 

Fragrance Houses Harnessing the Power of Neuroscience

‘Wellness’ fragrances aren’t a new thing – the first Colognes claimed health-giving properties – and aromatherapeutic suppositions have been linked to scents for centuries; but something that is very new are fragrance houses employing neurologists to look into the ways that smelling something has a direct effect on our brain chemistry.

This fascinating new era for fragrance design not only takes into consideration our pleasure in wearing the finished product – of course they have to smell nice for us to be attracted to using them – but dives far deeper into what’s happening in our brains when we smell some of the particular ingredients used, or when we inhale the finished perfume.

When founding edeniste, the key motivating factor for Audrey Semeraro was ‘Blending the science of emotion and the art of perfumery,’ because ‘…the link between scent and mood has long been known and talked about, but never been scientifically proven when it comes to perfume. Now for the first time, the worlds of cutting-edge olfactory neuroscience and classic fine fragrance are brought together.’

 

 

 

 

Though new scientific discoveries to do with our sense of smell were out there, Audrey says, ‘no one was using it to create luxury fragrances.’ What followed was a gruelling yet fascinating four year scented research stint in which she was ‘reading medical journals, speaking with neuroscientists, meeting with R&D teams in fragrance companies…’ Learning of the true impact fragrances can have on the structure and function of the brain, nervous system, and related physical responses, the final result of all that hard work is edeniste: ‘a fragrance brand that infuses scientifically proven olfactive molecules into a unique active fragrance collection that improves wellbeing.’

Neuroscientist Dr. Gabriel Lepousez was one of the experts Audrey reached out to when conducting the research used to inform the compositions of edeniste fragrances, and they explain: ‘From the beginning of the Edeniste project, Dr. Lepousez has guided and supported Audrey in her enterprise. For Edeniste, he discusses the vital connections between our nose and our emotions, and recent discoveries can help us innovate in fragrance.’ You can read a full interview with Dr Lepousez here, and you can also read much more on the methodologies they used. But for how it works, in a nutshell, Dr Lepousez explains:

 

‘The olfactory system is the only sensorial system to be directly connected to the seat of emotion, the part of the brain called the amygdala. Between the perception of a smell in the mucous membrane of the nose and the centre of emotions, there are only two synapses, whereas there are four to six for all the other senses. Olfaction truly has an intimate, almost unconscious connection with emotions.’

 

Of course, even though so much work has already been done, there are vast areas of research yet to do, and so many more exciting ways that we can use our scents directly connected to our emotional responses, utilising our sense of smell as the superpower it truly is. But what an exciting time this is for the science and the fragrance industry – and for we fragrance-lovers, who may have always instinctively felt that some scents truly seemed to help us more than others, but didn’t understand how (or why).

Let’s take a look at just some of the fairly recently-launched fragrances that go beyond merely smelling nice, to being perfumes with a greater scented significance, and more even more emotional impact than you may first have realised…

 

The Lifeboost® essences can be worn alone or layered with any of the eaux de parfums as an extra shot of whatever you need right now. For Relax, the mellowness of ylang-ylang melds with creamy monoi – the name means “sacred oil” in Tahiti – and the pure jasmine sambac simply sighs into the smoothness of Madagascan vanilla absolute. edeniste says: ‘Relax, feel the sun shining up above, let yourself be rocked by the sound of the waves and trees swaying in the breeze… You’re in Eden.’ And honestly, don’t we all need that feeling, currently, more than ever?

edeniste Relax Lifeboost® £68 for 30ml eau de parfum in our shop

 

 

 

 

Vyrao‘s founder, Yasmin Sewell wanted to offer ‘the power of nature to amplify energy, tapping into the science of scent and its potential to activate the parts of the brain where memories and emotions are processed.’ And for The Sixth, she collaborated with Irish perfumer Meabh McCurtin who used neuroscience via ‘scientific protocols from the Science of Wellness program at International Flavors & Fragrance (IFF)’ to guide her composition. Apple, patchouli and basil radiate positivity; juniper, cedar and fir add balance, while angelica, fennel and wormwood counteract negativity.

Vyrao The Sixth £150 for 50ml eau de parfum vyrao.com

 

 

P.S: For even more emotionally-supportive scents, read all about Vyrao’s High Five Discovery Set!

 

 

 

Using IFF’s Science of Wellness computer programme for the design of Phantom, it was ‘conceived by a team of perfumers — Loc Dong, Juliette Karagueuzoglou, Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo — who were assisted by AI and powered by neuroscience.’ Identifying key emotional benefits for the chosen ingredients, the styrallyl acetate molecule (which smells green, slightly metallic, and can be found as a component of gardenia and tuberose, among other floral notes) was used at 10x the usual dosage – as suggested by AI to increase alertness – but woven with lavender to calm and create a harmonious balance.

Paco Rabanne Phantom £60 for 50ml eau de toilette pacorabanne.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launching with two wellness fragrances harnessing the power of neuroscience and experienced to their fullest potential using an app – 85% of people studied wearing them achieved a more focused state, while 90% reached a more meditative state. AI generated programmes of well-being rituals use smell, calming or stimulating visuals, and sound. Red Skies is a ‘functional fragrance’ designed to re-focus and energise via vibrant orange blossom, rose, pink pepper, mandarin and neroli in the top notes, blissfully enlivening jasmine, carrot seed, sap, iris and spices in the heart, resting on a grounding, earthy base of patchouli, oakmoss, resin and cedar.

Øthers Red Skies £90 for 50ml eau de parfum + 6 months app subscription others.co

 

 

 

 

This ‘scent and sound ritual’ was partially designed by AI for those ‘desperately seeking clarity of thought’ and feeling overwhelmed by ‘a rising sense of panic.’ [That’ll be most of us, then!] Using notes of cut grass and ‘green canopies’ entwined with soothing green tea, the heart resonates incense, wild mushrooms, worn leather and spices on toasted woods, while the base sinks into spiritual Palo Santo, shady vetiver, smoked amber, Hinoki wood (prized as sacred, native to Japan, with unusual hints of citrus) and a silken sandalwood. They suggest the scent and app are used in combination to ‘create a gearshift in your day.’

Øthers Mystic Zingaro £90 for 50ml eau de parfum + 6 months app subscription others.co

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Paper Trail: why we love paper’s smell (& perfumes evoking it)

Paper is something we have increasingly infrequent contact with in this relentlessly digitised world, and perhaps nearly as importantly, smell far less frequently in our every day lives. Could this be why perfumers are seeking to evoke the scent in the fragrances we wear?

There’s a functional sterility to the burgeoning ‘metaverse’ that’s abhorrent to sensorialists – those of us who revel in our senses, welcoming the smell and comforting caress of books and paper (and you know, food, fabrics, the infinitesimal layering of textures that IRL [In Real Life] offers us), as we might a lover’s touch.

For book (and printed paper) lovers, particularly; while E-Reader devices and scrolling on phone screens certainly have huge benefits – instantaneous access to literature is not to be, pardon the pun, sniffed at – but they lack the tangibility of literally burying your nose in a book, or feeling a piece of paper as you write on it (in pen! How very old school). Indeed, research shows that, while levels of comprehension are similar no matter how you read a text; people struggle to accurately recall events or timelines of a long story on a screen, as opposed to reading on paper.

The report concludes that it’s the ‘kinaesthetic feedback’ of holding paper in your hand that connects us to the perception of what we’re reading; that is, using our sensory organs to better locate and store vital information. I’ve previously written about the concept of vellichor – what makes the smell of old books so special – so want to widen that thought, here, to the more literal smell of paper itself.

Explains scienceabc.com:

‘…over a period of time, the compounds within paper [break down to] produce the smell. Paper consists of cellulose and small amounts of lignin(a complex polymer of aromatic alcohols). Paper that is even more fine contains less lignin than cheaper materials, like the paper used in newspapers.’

 

 

I would argue the smell of paper – old and mysterious or newly seductive – is also a huge part of our emotional intelligence, our interconnectivity, scent and memory combined.

In those ancient library type fragrances (which I still absolutely adore) it’s often the combined smell of crumbling leather bindings, dust and polished wooden tables that conjure a feeling of being in a particular space. But the smell of paper itself needn’t always be musty.

We might be in a shiny new bookshop, or have just cracked the spine of a sensorially satisfying weighty magazine. The paper might be that of an artist, awaiting the stroke of a brush, or of a writer’s virgin sheet, greedily thirsting for the first drop of ink…

 

 

Paper does have a unique smell. In those dusty old tomes it’s the breaking down of paper compounds that releases lignin (similar to vanillin, the primary component of vanilla, which has been proven to be a remarkably calming smell). In new paper, explains perfumer Geza Schoen, who once created a limited edition Paper Passion fragrance, in collaboration with Wallpaper* magazine; recreating the scent ‘was hard’ he admits. ‘The smell of printed paper is dry and fatty; they are not notes you often work with.’

Difficult though it may be to replicate, the smell of paper is something we yearn for, a comfort we crave in our hyper-digitally-connected yet progressively solitary lives. Comically satirising a future in which we’ve become so disconnected with paper’s scent that it repels us, author Gary Shteyngart’s novel, Super Sad True Love Story, imagines a time ‘Books are regarded as a distasteful, papery-smelling anachronism by young people who know only how to text-scan for data…’ as The New York Times review puts it.

Well, I’m very glad to say, we bibliosmatics are not there yet. The yearning to smell paper is still real, and these perfumes prove it…

 

 

 

Diptique L’Eau Papier

Rice steam accord melded with white musk cleverly evokes the paper’s creamy grain; drifts of mimosa tracing the outline of torn edges while deeper notes appear fleetingly, like freckled ink drops in water, punctuating the clarity with sheer shadows before the paper comfortingly subsumes.

£90 for 50ml eau de toilette diptyqueparis.com

 

 

Rook Perfumes RSX/03 School

A limited edition project in which participants imagined the smell of school, this pleasingly avoids boiled cabbage, instead exploring the heady rush of opening new books, cold air, pencil shavings and the textural thrill of fingers tracing wooden desks scarred with names, love hearts, learning.

£99 for 30ml eau de parfum rookperfumes.co.uk

 

 

Commodity Paper (Personal)

Achingly soft, especially in the ‘Personal’ (most hushed) version, this suggestively whispers of stationery, passing a letter to someone, your fingertips barely brushing, but a gesture that says so much. The molecular wonder of ISO E Super sighs to skin’s warmth, an amber trail beckons.

From £22 for 10ml eau de parfum commodityfragrances.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carner RIMA XI

Inspired by Spanish poet Gustavo Adolfo Becquer’s passionate poem, Rhyme 11, the paper of this perfume feels fresh with possibilities at first. Then, the cool kiss of mint is seduced by spices and Indian jasmine petals, a discovery of crumpled, tear-stained, love letters slipped under a mattress.

£100 for 50ml eau de parfum bloomperfume.co.uk

 

 

 

Gri Gri Tara Mantra

Playing with the power of words, monastic incense curls beguilingly, a trail of promise leading to the temple you seek. It could be a church, might be a library, but let us say instead we are in a bookshop, gleefully thumbing piles of temptations, a woody path of patchouli and potent escapism.

£95 for 100ml eau de parfum shymimosa.co.uk

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The first gourmand: Brillat-Savarin – an 18th Century chemist who knew you are what you eat (and smell!)

Long before ‘gourmand’ foodie-inspired fragrances were even dreamed of and while smell was still perceived as the poor cousin of our other senses; one 18th Century polymath was championing the exquisite pleasures that taste and smell bring to everyday life. And more than mere pleasure alone: in fact, he heralded the proper appreciation and scientific study of these so-neglected senses…

‘Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.’ So said Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 1755-1826, a French lawyer and politician whom, apart from law, studied chemistry and medicine, and eventually gained fame as an epicure and gastronome.

His seminal work Physiologie du goût (The Physiology of Taste), contains Savarin’s philosophies and observations on the pleasures of the food, which he very much considered a science – long before the birth of molecular gastronomy and serious studies of taste and smell had begun.

And smell was very much at the forefront of the gastronomique experience, Savarin had worked out; exclaiming: ‘Smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose.’

 

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Previously considered the least important of the senses – indeed, smell remains the least scientifically explored, though technology is making huge leaps in our understanding – Savarin proclaimed that, ’The sense of smell, like a faithful counsellor, foretells its character.’

Published only two months before his death, the book has never been out of print and still proves inspirational to chefs and food-lovers to this day. Indeed, he understood that taste and smell must work together in harmony for full satisfaction of the senses, Savarin observed that ‘Smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose.’

 

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Preceding the remarkable leaps in knowledge high-tech equipment has allowed and revealing how entwined our sense of smell is to the taste and enjoyment of food, Savarin also observed how our noses protect us from eating potentially harmful substances, explaining ‘…for unknown foods, the nose acts always as a sentinal and cries: “Who goes there?”‘ while coming to the conclusion that a person’s character may be foretold in their taste and smell preferences… ‘Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.’

 

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We once devoted an entire issue of our award-winning magazine The Scented Letter to taste and smell – as of course we are gourmand fans in ALL the senses. And so it is heartening to know that Brillat was on our side here, with this extremely useful advice we selflessly pledge to carry through life:

‘Those who have been too long at their labor, who have drunk too long at the cup of voluptuousness, who feel they have become temporarily inhumane, who are tormented by their families, who find life sad and love ephemeral… they should all eat chocolate and they will be comforted.’

 

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Wise words, indeed. We plan to enjoy all the sweet temptations that come our way, in scent form and in chocolate. Talk about having your cake and wearing it, too!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

How to make a fragrance work harder (even if you think it doesn’t suit you!)

Have you ever found a fragrance you love, but it just doesn’t last long enough? Or, maybe you’ve been given a bottle as a gift, but it’s just not ‘you’? These are problems that feel even more prescient in the current economic climate, when we’re all looking to ‘waste not, want not’ and make the best of what we have.

Perhaps you have scents you used to adore, but you’re not in a current relationship with them anymore because your tastes have changed? Or you want to be braver in 2023 and break out of your comfort zone, but don’t know where to begin? If any of these apply to you – or you’d simply like to know how to make any perfume work harder for you – this guide allows you to get the very best from any fragrance…

 

 

#1 – Improve your sense of smell

Absolutely everyone can benefit from this – we’ve had people from normal perfume-lovers, complete novices to industry professionals telling us how trying these techniques have changed the way they smell for the better (for good). This doesn’t mean suddenly gaining the ability of being able to detect every single ingredient within a bottle of perfume, but rather learning to train your nose the way a perfumer does: by deeply exploring the emotions it makes you feel, colours, textures, places and people it reminds you of.

Here are a few simple tips to try every day:

– Spray a scent on a blotter, preferably; close your eyes and keep sniffing for several seconds, then take the blotter away, inhale deeply, and re-sniff the blotter again. Repeat this for a minute or so, and then begin writing a few words in a notebook. It doesn’t have to be a description, and it shouldn’t ‘list’ notes – try to use words that make you think of other things. For example…

– If this scent were a fabric, what would it be? What colour? If you made someone an outfit from that fabric, who would they be, where would they be going?

– If it were a piece of music, what instruments would be playing? Is it classical, rock music, pop, rap or jazz?

Really attempt to get past trying to pick out individual notes, or (if you’re not initially keen) thinking ‘I don’t like this’. Focus instead on the mood it’s creating. The images that come to mind, memories that are triggered, places it makes you think of. Thinking about fragrances in a more abstract (but still personal to you) way helps evaluate them more clearly.

 

 

 

 

#2 – Make your perfume last longer

If the reason you don’t like a perfume is because it just seems to ‘disappear’ on your skin, you’re not alone. We often find those with dry skin have this problem, and it’s even thought genetics and things like hair colour may play a part. Scientists are still finding this out, but while they do, there are ways you can make perfume last far longer:

– Try using a body oil, rich body balm or moisturising lotion before you put any fragrance on (and even afterwards, too), as scent takes longer to evaporate on nourished skin. This helps the fragrance ‘cling’ to your skin more easily, and so you get to actually smell if for more than a few minutes without frantically re-spraying.

– Spray pulse-points you might not usually think of. Behind your knees is a good example – it’s a warm spot that, once spritzed, will mean you leave a fragrant trail…

– Spritz the perfume at the nape of your neck, even into your hair and on clothes – BUT do check by spraying a tissue first that it isn’t going to mark your hair or fabric a strange colour, or leave an oily residue! We adore this way of wearing perfume, as hair and fabric are porous without heating up as much as your skin, allowing the perfume to stay all day.

Spraying a fragrance on to a scarf is a particularly good idea if you want to ‘try on’ a new (perhaps rather more personally challenging) scent but don’t want to commit to it all day.

 

 

 

 

#3 – Store your fragrances correctly

Fragrance certainly doesn’t last forever – but storing it correctly will help preserve the quality and lifespan of your perfume. The key is to keep it away from light and heat – so a bathroom, or a sunny dressing table, is NOT the place for your fragrance stash: higher temperatures affect the top notes of fragrance, making them musty, or more sour.

– If you have a dark cupboard to store perfume in, or a drawer, that’s perfect. (Ideally, keep in the box, or – if you’re using a drawer – wrap bottles in a scarf, or even plastic, unglamorous as that is. Be aware that perfume that’s never been opened and kept in a dark place can last more than 40 years…!).

– If you can’t manage that environment, store on a shelf that doesn’t get direct sunlight, in a not-too-hot room. Then once a bottle is open, you should get up to two years’ life out of it (we’ve had fragrances that last much longer…) Lighter, citrussy scents deteriorate faster than opulent florals…

– You may find you get a better life out of a spray bottle than a splash: if you touch the glass to your skin, and oil from your body gets into the bottle, that can affect the lifespan of your perfume, too: touch your skin to the rim of the bottle – and don’t use stoppers for application, as they are in contact with the contents. NB Dark glass preserves scent for longer than clear versions.

 

 

 

#4 – Learn how to layer

Layering fragrances used to be seen as a scent sin, but we’ve all gotten over ourselves a bit (well most of us have). You don’t have to do this to a perfume you already love on its own – why would you need to? – but there are brilliant ways of beefing-up a sadly flimsy fragrance, or adding a zing to something that’s a bit too dark or cloying on your skin. Give it a go, because, as we always say: perfume isn’t a tattoo – if you don’t like it, you can wash it off!

– Add power: ramp it up by adding more base notes like patchouli, labdanum, vetiver, woods or musk.

– Add freshness: look for citrus notes like bergamot, neroli, lemon, lime or ‘green’ notes such as galbanum, tomato or violet leaf, green tea, marine/aquatic accords (synthetic recreations of sea-like, watery smells) and aldehydes (often desribed as being like Champagne bubbles).

– Add beauty: find a scent too ‘harsh’ or clinical? Look to layer it with decadently velvety or lusciously fruity rose oils, the sunshine-bottled scent of orange flower, a heady glamour of tuberose or a luminescent jasmine; try an apricot-like osmanthus flower, the fluffiness of mimosa or the powdery elegance of iris/orris.

– Add sweetness: vanilla and tonka bean can ’round’ a perfume, making it swoon on your skin (and addictive to smell), as can touches of synthetic notes described as ‘caramel’ or ‘dulce de leche’, ripe fruits, chocolate or even candy floss. Try to add less than you think you need, as adding more is always easier than taking away, and a little of these can go a long way!

For layering any of these, you can either try wearing them over other fragrances you have in which the above notes dominate, with a single-fragranced ‘soliflore’ (one main note) fragrance oil or spray, or try layering the scent you don’t currently like over a differently perfumed body lotion or oil.

 

#5 – Turn it in to a part-time perfume

There are days we feel the need to try something completely different, but perhaps don’t want to be stuck with that scent all day, so what to do?

– Consider spraying a scarf (preferably not silk or a light colour, unless you’ve patch-tested it first!) with this perfume you’re unsure of, that way if it gets a bit ‘too much’ or you want to wear something different, you can simply take the scarf off and you’re not committed to having it on your skin for hours. If you’re unlucky enough to work in a place that’s banned the wearing of strong scents (or even, in some offices, all perfumes – quelle horreur!) this is also a really useful way to wear a perfume you can quickly remove.

 

 

#6 – Consider the climate (and your mood!)

Did you know that the weather, your mood and even what you ate up to *two weeks ago* can dramatically alter how scent smells on your skin? Skin and climate temperature are vital to a perfume’s performance, so even your favourite fragrance will smell different based on the time of year. When perfumers test the scents they’re creating they often use climate-controlled booths to check how they smell in hot and colder conditions (depending what countries they’ll be selling in). Don’t re-gift until you’ve tried the perfume again later in the year, or even on holiday (remember those?)

– Similarly, strongly spiced foods can change how a perfume smells on your skin, and when testing fragrances under lab conditions, the ‘skin model’ volunteers they use are often specifically asked to refrain from eating such foods up to two weeks prior to testing, so the perfumers can smell a ‘true’ representation of the scent. Though sometimes the reverse is true: if a fragrance is to be mainly sold in a country where people eat lots of spicy foods, the ‘skin models’ are asked to replicate that diet to ensure the scent works efficiently.

– We now know that mood and hormones play an important part in how we select a fragrance – try a scent when you’re feeling a particular way, and it colours how you feel about the fragrance itself. If you’re feeling stressed or upset, a bit under the weather or just overwhelmed, these are not ideal conditions for testing out something new. Wait until you’re feeling calmer, or simply have more time to really explore what you’re smelling.

 

 

 

#7 – Give it time

If you follow all this advice and still find yourself out of love with a fragrance, keep it awhile and come back to it. If you still hate it, hold a scent swapping party with some pals. But BE SURE. There’s nothing worse than waking at 3am in a cold sweat because suddenly you’re craving that scent you so kindly passed on to a friend, and then having to buy another bottle. So, don’t be too hasty. Every perfume lover has, at some point, made this mistake, and it stings. Oh how it stings. And that somehow makes the longing all the more intense, like guiltily having lurid fantasies about a distant ex who’s since hooked up with someone else. I once did this with a bottle of perfume that’s since been discontinued (now changing hands for silly money on eBay), and it still haunts me to this day. Learn from my perfume pain!

 

You can read more expert tips and tricks in the Frequently Asked Questions section, but if I could just ask one thing of you before you go? Don’t save all your favourite fragrances ‘for best’, or feel guilty about wearing and loving them. Of course you can change them up with more affordable scents, and make them last longer by doing all the above; but if the last few years have taught us anything, it’s to allow yourself pleasure whenever you can get it. A really wonderful fragrance gives you a far greater bang for your buck than the majority of things (legally) available out there, so yes, make them work harder; but god let us enjoy them exuberantly, too!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

 

Can fragrances make you feel better?

Can you bottle the smell of happiness or use fragrance to elevate your everyday mood? It’s something fragrance fans and aromatherapists have claimed for years, but now science is directly being used to develop fragrances that go beyond simply smelling good – making you feel good, too.

The connections between wellness and scent are fully explored in our just-published magazine, The Scented Letter – click here to subscribe to this award-winning magazine for free… You’ll have it sent to your inbox on the day it publishes, and never miss a copy again!

 

 

 

 

In the issue you’ll find the article Fragrance’s Feel-Good Factor, in which we were incredibly excited to learn about the revolutionary house of Edeniste, whom you can read more about in our page dedicated to Edeniste, and who are, in their words, ‘Blending the science of emotion and the art of perfumery.’ For founder Audrey Semeraro, it’s about ‘redefining the mission of the perfume industry with the first generation of active wellbeing fine fragrances…’ Because edeniste are far more than a luxury fragrance house, more even than a company seeking to tap into that feeling we all get when wearing a scent that seems to resonate with our soul. Each edeniste fragrance has been ‘charged with active molecules clinically proven to boost our mood and elevate our emotions.’

Meanwhile, authorAlex Whiting delves into the fascinating word of ‘chemosignals’ – odourless transmissions we give off which are believed to trigger particular emotional responses – in a piece for the scientific magazine, Horizon; exploring ‘the ways smell impacts people’s social interactions.’

 

 

Says Enzo Pasquale Scilingo, a professor at the Department of Information Engineering at the University of Pisa, Italy: ‘It’s like an emotional contagion. If I feel fear, my body odour will be smelt by people around me and they may start to feel fear themselves, unconsciously.’ Similarly, the smell of happiness can inspire a positive state in other people, he explains. ‘If we had a spray of happiness … If we can find some odour which can induce a happy state – or a general positive state – I think we can help many, many people,’

 

‘We humans use our sense of smell more than we think. It’s more unconscious, and a little bit taboo – we are not very comfortable with it – but there is more and more evidence that smell is important in social behaviours.’ – Dr Lisa Roux, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, France

 

As fascinating as the science undoubtedly is, you don’t need a degree to know that wearing your favourite fragrance – or experiencing a new scent that sparks joy – will undoubtedly lift your mood and give you an emotional ‘boost’ of comfort, confidence or strength. During lockdown sales of fragrances (unexpectedly, to some) soared, and no wonder. Now we have the science to back what we’ve always felt: fragrance can simply make you feel better.

So, why not treat yourself to some samples to try at home, today…?