‘It gives me a smile on my face’: how fragrances promote wellness

“Fragrance is all about mood and souvenirs,” says perfumer Mark Buxton when I meet him at Nose, a leading perfume store in Paris.

Buxton, the nose behind fashion label Comme des Garçons’ fragrance collection, has recently created a namesake perfume line. Of his favourite scent, Emotional Drop, he says: “When I put it on every morning, it gives me a smile on my face and energy.”

He is not the only one who sees selling scents as more than the business of smelling great – Nose founder Nicolas Cloutier says that, often, “perfume is about your childhood; the people you love”.

I begin to wonder what exactly is the connection between fragrances and wellness? Surely there is one, even if it simply evokes positive connotations by taking us back to another place and time?

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Memo Paris does this through travel – each of its fragrances promises a trip to a foreign land, from the Greek island of Corfu with its “wild, mountainous and wooded landscapes, leading to visions of Italian, French and British architecture, Byzantine churches and Roman remains”, to the Scottish town of Inverness and “deep forests, bare moors, wooded valleys, mossy reliefs, waterfalls, meadows, castles, [and] ruins”.

No wonder, then, that such medleys of all-enveloping notes can have a positive impact on our mood.

Perfume brand Nissaba connects to travel from a different angle – the business funds farmers and schools to invest in regenerative practices that nurture the ecosystems that provide oils and essences used in scents.

As founder Sebastien Tissot explains, the fragrances are Nissaba’s way of “[recreating] the harmony of nature in a specific place that is iconic for perfumers … this harmony is on you and you spread this harmony all over”.

Stina Seger, the founder of Bibbi, launched her fragrance brand after reading studies about how scents affect the body and mind, including the conscious and the subconscious.

Through meditation, she meets “extraordinary characters with fascinating stories”, events she adopts as narratives for her scents. Santal Beauty, with top notes of lemon and saffron, was inspired by an encounter on public transport, while the peppery and floral Radio Child tells the story of an 18th century piano player in Vienna, Austria.

Yasmin Sewell wanted to create a sense of positivism, good energy and joy with scents, and launched Vyrao in 2021. Vyrao’s fragrances are made using organic plant and flower essences “associated with positive emotions”.

“Science has shown that positive emotions and feelings can contribute to better health,” says the former fashion industry professional. “I believe that in the future, more of us will come to understand and accept the influence of energy as part of our overall well-being.

“We’ll know how to channel it, clear it, raise and work with it, and Vyrao is at the heart of that purpose.”

What do mental health professionals think? I consulted US-based therapist and life coach Dr Janet Fienemann to better understand how a sense of smell contributes to our feelings.

“Our brain processes scent through the limbic system, which is related to emotion and memory. Smell and emotion are stored as one memory, so a scent can immediately change our emotional state.”

Becky Georgi, a clinical addiction specialist, mental health counsellor and adjunct associate at Duke University Medical Centre in the US state of North Carolina, says that this direct connection to the limbic system “explains why smells can evoke such strong emotions and memories, even if we are not consciously aware of them”.

“By understanding how smell works, we can learn to appreciate its importance and use it to improve our lives and well-being,” she adds.

Georgi, who works alongside her husband, Jeff Georgi, using scents to help patients struggling with substance disorders, strongly believes that smells can alter moods.

“Certain smells have been shown to have mood-boosting effects. The smell of lavender has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. The smell of citrus fruits can have a stimulating effect and improve mood,” she says.

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There is more to feeling good than simply spritzing on a fragrance but, since there does appear to be some correlation with a better mood, it certainly does not hurt.

“Overall, the sense of smell is a powerful tool that can have a positive impact on our sense of well-being and we can improve the quality of our life,” Georgi adds.

With that, there is only one thing left to do – discover which scent will elevate your mood and transport you to your happy place.