Aromatherapy Perfumes: The Best Healing Scents 2020

Whatever mood you currently find yourself in, perfumes rooted in aromatherapy notes can offer sweet relief.

From happiness-boosters to stress-relievers, aromatherapy has had us covered for decades. The difference today is that you can summon the same mind/body benefits from a perfume as you can from the best essential oils.

That’s right, perfume with benefits is the deal here.

Studies show that smell triggers a massive 75 per cent of emotions. And both essential oils and fragrance can act as an aromatherapy agent.

Consequently, many of the latest fragrance launches contain individual notes with proven mood-enhancing effects.

Bergamot, found in Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Orange Soleia, banishes anxious thoughts, according to the journal Physiology & Behaviour. While Germany’s Tubingen University found that vanilla – the base for Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche Skinscent – makes you feel calmer and curbs the body’s stress reflexes.

But that’s not all.

Anything that smells good will make you feel good. So a warm, citrusy perfume like Louis Vuitton’s California Dream could just be as effective as bathing in lavender oil.

Here’s why…

How Does Scent Improve Your Mood?

What’s happening behind the scenes goes something like this. When you inhale a scent it stimulates the limbic system, the brain’s emotional control center, where fear and joy originate.

‘If an aroma reminds you of a time when you felt happy, your brain releases mood-enhancing chemicals including serotonin,’ says Professor Tim Jacob, neurologist from the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University.

Tapping into positive memories also causes us to breathe more deeply and slowly. That in itself encourages mindfulness and can lower blood pressure.

So find the best perfume for women that you love – then sneak deep whiffs whenever you need a boost.

Photography Jason Hetherington

How to Choose A Perfume To Match Your Mood

If You Want To Feel Energised

Citrus scents including lemon, bergamot and grapefruit are almost always used in the same sentence as ‘uplifting’. They’re also your go-to for improving productivity.

‘Citrus scents revive us,’ says perfumer Roja Dove. ‘This is because they smell fresh. But also because the scent molecules are short lived. When you wear them, you experience the movement of lemon and orange molecules as they evaporate on your skin. That burst of energy is incredibly stimulating.’

If You Want To Feel Calm 

Velvety woods, mellow musks and creamy vanilla can make you imagine that you’re holed up in a quiet bolthole. They’re so comforting, they’re like getting a proverbial hug in a bottle.

Also interesting: research shows that worrying world events draws us to childhood scents.

‘Most are wound up with scents from nature and being outdoors,’ explains Dove.‘They unearth memories of a more carefree time, when all seemed right with the world.’

Photography Jason Hetherington

If You Want To Be Reminded of Holidays

35 per cent of our memories are linked to smell. Which is why perfumers often try to bottle a particular moment in time so they can transport you somewhere with good vibes only.

Take Paula’s Ibiza, which Loewe’s creative director Jonathan Anderson, says ‘reminds me of the sun-kissed summers I spent in Ibiza as a teenager.’

The effect is warm and faintly aquatic, like salty skin tinged with sunscreen drying in the heat. After a few seconds, it’s like the beach is within touching distance.

For more perfumes to make you smile every time you wear them, keep scrolling…

The Best Mood-Boosting Perfumes For Summer 2020