Even the most positive people can find it difficult to be full of beans after the clocks change for winter. Other than booking a long-haul flight to somewhere sunny, the best antidote to glum moods and gloomy mornings is a mood-boosting perfume.
The best perfumes for women are the ones that take you somewhere – even better if they’re a long-lasting perfume. Take a whiff of the right notes and suddenly you’re not trudging to the station in the dark, laptop on your shoulder and umbrella in hand – you’re sunbathing on a tropical beach, waltzing through a forest, unwinding in a spa.
Does that sound like bliss? Step right this way. We’ve rounded up six of the best mood-boosting perfumes to brighten your day…
How mood-boosting perfume works
The power of smell is incredible. “Unlike our other senses, scent signals bypass the brain’s filter, the thalamus, and travel straight to the limbic system, the area that governs emotion, memory, and behaviour,” explains Paris-based perfumer and Granado partner Cécile Zarokian.
“This direct link means that a scent can instantly trigger emotional responses or vivid memories before we even have time to think. In short, we feel a scent first and then we process it.”
While there are some notes, like citrus (which you’ll find in Riviera perfumes) and neroli, that are mood-enhancing crowd-pleasers, fragrance is still incredibly subjective. We all have different memories, so what makes one person feel happy won’t necessarily spark joy for someone else.
“Over time, we form personal associations with certain smells,” says Zarokian. “They can remind us of someone we love, a place, a season. These emotional and learned responses together explain why perfume has such a profound and immediate impact on your mood.”
6 uplifting perfumes our beauty editor swears by
RRP: £120 for 100ml
Notes: Rose, pomelo, vetiver, clove, patchouli
The first scent Jo Malone dreamt up for Jo Loves, Pomelo evokes the moment she rediscovered her creative spark while on holiday in Turks and Caicos. One sniff and you’re on a sun-kissed beach, glass of something cold in hand. Beauty Writer Annie Milroy only wears this scent to weddings, which means she always associates it with happy memories.
Spritz when you're feeling: A little blue
RRP: £74 for 50ml
Notes: Coconut, black pepper, oak moss, salted musks, jasmine petals
It feels like a cliche to say a perfume is summer in a bottle, but this one really is. It’s coconutty, but with florals, amber, and a grind of black pepper too, which makes it feel more grown-up. Our Beauty Editor Jess Beech wears this all year round, especially on winter days when she needs a mood-enhancing perfume to put a spring in her step.
Spritz when you're feeling: Like you wish you lived abroad
RRP: £45 for 100ml
Notes: Neroli, rose geranium, petitgrain
Moods specialises in ‘neuro-aromatic formulations’ designed to steer your mood day to day. In a clinical trial, 90% of participants felt that this neroli and rose geranium scent gave them an instantaneous mood lift, and 80% felt a reduction in negative emotions. Essentially, how we feel when we eat a pastry, bottled.
Spritz when you're feeling: Stuck in a funk
RRP: £125 for 75ml
Notes: Bergamot, cardamom, leather, black tea, tonka, myrrh
A scent that makes you feel happier by making you feel more confident, this is a complicated fragrance that’s rich, woody, and a little bit spicy. It will definitely wake you up, giving you the get-up-and-go you need on grey mornings and the push to go out in the evening when it’s already dark outside.
Spritz when: You need a confidence boost
RRP: £31 for 50ml
Notes: Orange blossom water, jasmine, coconut
Senior Beauty Editor Rhiannon Derbyshire credits Caudalie Fresh Fragrances Soleil des Vignes for boosting her mood so much that she’s written an entire feature waxing lyrical about it. It’s a solar perfume (a fancy way of saying it’s inspired by the sunshine) that has notes of orange blossom water, jasmine and coconut. Delicious.
Spritz when: You're craving some sunshine
RRP: £20 for 100ml
Notes: Peach. pear, apple, peony. rose, musk, amber
Yardley created this mood-enhancing fragrance with cancer support charity Look Good Feel Better to embody recovery, renewal, and lightness. The vibrant mix of juicy pear, peach, and apple top notes and floral heart notes of peony and rose feel just as good as knowing £1 from every sale goes to charity.
Spritz when: Things are feeling a bit heavy
Which notes are uplifting?
According to Zarokian. “Particular notes positively influence our nervous system and emotional state. Citrus notes, like bergamot, lemon and grapefruit, are bright and vibrant, stimulating energy and optimism. Floral fragrance notes, such as jasmine, neroli and rose perfume, balance emotions, evoking feelings of joy or serenity. Green and herbal notes, including mint, basil and rosemary, are fresh and crisp, helping to cleanse the mind and sharpen focus.”
Like something with a bit more depth? Typically wintery woody notes, “like sandalwood, cedarwood and vetiver are warm and grounding, helping to reduce stress and promote calm.” If you prefer something more interesting, then “spicy notes such as cardamom, cinnamon and ginger are stimulating and invigorating – they awaken the senses and boost confidence.”
Do any scents negatively impact your mood?
“Yes, certain notes can negatively impact your mood, though it often depends on personal associations and sensitivity,” says Zarokian. “Fragrances that evoke negative memories can often trigger discomfort or stress rather than pleasure. Individual preference and context play a big role in whether a note is uplifting or draining.”
Someone who loves a cosy night in might love a fireside perfume, but someone who went through a big breakup on the 5th of November? Not so much.
Are there any scents that trigger dopamine?
Dopamine, the feel-good hormone and neurotransmitter, is “associated with pleasure, motivation and happiness,” according to Zarokian. “Some scents can stimulate the brain’s reward system to increase dopamine.” A good example is vanilla, which is “sweet and comforting, evoking warmth and safety and triggering dopamine release.”
Lavender, a scent typically associated with sleep aids and helping you to nod off, also helps dopamine levels rise. “It’s calming, balancing, and helps to reduce stress, which indirectly boosts dopamine,” adds Zarokian.
