Feeling the January blues? These 9 feel-good fragrances will provide a serious mood boost with every spritz

I don’t mean to sound dramatic but I am so over January already. Whether it’s the sub zero temperatures, the grey sky currently sitting outside my window or my lacklustre diary in comparison to all the pre-Christmas events, I’m not sure, but this year the new year has hit me hard and I’m not happy about it.

So, in order to combat the overwhelming January blues, I turned to the area I know best, my beauty routine, and looked for ways to bring a sprinkling of joy into my every day. From switching out my usual shower gel for one that provides a spa-like experience (NEOM’s Super Shower, FYI) to elevating my make-up bag with luxe formulations, I’ve discovered that there’s no better way to make January feel that little bit more bearable than with a little beauty refresh.

Yet, while these small tweaks have undoubtedly brought added joy to getting ready each morning, there’s one switch whose mood-boosting effects have far surpassed all others: a feel-good fragrance. You see, I’m a firm believe that fragrance has the power to influence and alter your mood (so much so that I tried out fragrance feng shui to put it to the test), and so, I believe that switching to a fragrance that makes you feel energized and uplifted can do so much more than just leaving you smelling great.

"Scent and emotion are incredibly linked, neurologically so," said Yasmin Sewell, founder of wellness fragrance brand Vyrao, "[That's why] we work with neuroscience backed ingredients that impact your mood in a positive way. Take Sun Rae, its ingredients are turmeric, lemon, ginger, and cardamom. It's s incredible at this time of year because it’s literally joy and sunshine in a bottle."

The important thing to consider when choosing a feel-good fragrance however is that what we each find mood-boosting will vary. While some may be drawn to vibrant citrus fragrances others may benefit from the freedom of fresh, airy scents, and so, it can be useful to play around and see what works for you. To help, I’ve rounded up 9 of my favourite uplifting fragrances that are bound to help blow out the January cobwebs (and if they don’t, at least you’ll smell great in the process)...

Shop the best feel-good fragrances

1. Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle Eau de Parfum

My absolute favourite fragrance to reach for when I need a bit of a boost, Aerin’s Mediterranean Honeysuckle is happiness bottled. With refreshing notes of grapefruit and bergamot alongside a medley of white florals, it’s bright and energetic with a light, airy quality that makes it so easy to wear.

While you can most definitely spritz this now to brighten up dark days, I can also vouch that this also makes the perfect holiday scent too so you know you’ll get plenty of wear out of it year-round.

2. Floral Street Sunflower Pop Eau de Parfum

If you picked up Floral Street’s Sunflower Pop and expected to be greeted with the familiar earthy notes of a freshly grown sunflower, I’m sorry to say you’ll probably be disappointed. Rather than mimicking the traditional scent of the flower, however, what this fragrance does is mimic the joyous, sunny feeling a sunflower embodies.

You’ll find notes of zesty mandarin and bergamot alongside the sweetness of passionfruit and honey. To me, this smells like a fruity cocktail on a girls' night out and if that’s not an uplifting smell, I don’t know what is.

3. Arkive No One Elsie Eau de Parfum

As soon as I started writing this story, I knew I wanted to include one of Arkive’s scents on this list. Alive and vibrant, the whole range is a joy to spritz and smell; however, if you pushed me to pick one that offers the most uplifting experience, it has to be No One Elsie. With notes of sharp rhubarb and red currant alongside earthy tomato leaf, it’s a scent you want to sink your teeth into.

4. Commodity Juice+ Bold Eau de Parfum

If you’re a fan of sweet, juicy, fruity scents, you’ll want to give Commodity Juice+ a spritz ASAP. The strongest of the brand's three Juice iterations, it’s packed with sugary red berries, heady rose and resinous amber. The result is jammy and comforting but also vivid and rich at the same time. It may not be the most elevated or unusual of uplifting scents but it sure will make you feel great wearing it.

5. Olfactive O Citrus Eau de Parfum

When you think of uplifting fragrances, I’m sure your mind instantly went to citrus scents. Fresh and energizing, they have the power to instantly make you feel more awake, uplifted and ready to face the day.

While you could stick to a single citrus note (Sicilian lemon scents are a favourite of mine in the summer) for January I’d argue we need all the help we can get and so a scent that blends all the best citrus notes is my recommendation. Enter Olfactive O Citrus, a fizzy, bright citrus scent with notes of bergamot, lemon and grapefruit alongside champagne and sunny marigolds. Believe me, mood-boosting scents don’t get much better than this.

6. Vyrao Free 00 Eau de Parfum

If you haven’t heard of Vyrao before, the brand aims to turn wearing perfume into a sensory experience drawing upon different fragrance notes and ingredients to influence and enhance our emotions.

They describe Free 00 as a scent to make you feel alive and uninhibited blending notes of uplifting Sicilian lemon, orange flower, which they state helps with combating anxiety and waterlily flower for courage. The result is a fragrance which has a fresh, almost marine quality to it, that always makes me feel more positive.

7. Chloe Nomade Eau de Toilette

If you read my previous article on the best Chloe perfumes, you may remember I wasn’t a huge fan of Nomade when I first smelt it. Now a few months later I’m hooked on it for days when it’s gloomy and grey outside and I need a bit of a pick me up. It’s juicy and subtly sweet thanks to peachy notes while white musk and sandalwood give it a grounding edge too. This is a great scent for those who want something uplifting yet soft in equal measure.

8. Chanel Jersey Eau de Parfum

If you think uplifting scents have to sit on the zesty citrus or vibrant fruity spectrum, allow me to change your mind. I’d actually argue the most uplifting scents and ones that tap into your personal fragrance tastes and make you feel more like you with each spritz.

One such scent for me, is Chanel Jersey, a lighter, fresher take on a powdery perfume thanks to notes of lavender and wildflowers. It’s clean yet comforting grassy freshness that reminds me of spring fields and fresh bouquets.

9. Escentric Molecules M01 and Ginger Eau de Toilette

If effortlessly cool perfumes are your vibe, you’ll most likely already have heard about Escentric Molecules M01. Designed to work in harmony with your body's natural PH, it smells different on every person making it the ultimate in easy wearing.

For an uplifting twist on the original however, I’m a huge fan of their M01 and ginger variation which blends their signature ISO E Super molecule with fresh ginger notes to create the most realistic interpretation of ginger I’ve ever smelt. Think of this as a ginger shot in fragrance form.