I Didn’t Believe in Functional Fragrance—Until They Worked for Me

Two sprays of US, the delicious pear, cedarwood, vetiver, and pheromone fragrance by The Nue Co., and despite being in the midst of a busy workday, I’m suddenly swooning. It’s a pure jolt of magnetism and, after a few moments of feeling the charge, I slip out of my study to find my husband. Let me say, having now tried dozens of so-called functional fragrances, I’m more suspicious than ever of their promises—but US ($125, The Nue Co.) works.

In the near-constant barrage of bad news and an increasing relentlessness to the speed at which we consume it, consumers are turning to fragrance for help: help calming down, help heating up, help focusing, help energizing, help sleeping, and yes, even help being kind.

Wait, What Is a ‘Functional Fragrance’?

“Functional” is a tricky word, as it simultaneously implies proven efficacy while remaining conveniently vague. Talking about mood rather than function feels closer to the truth. Either way, the number of mood-boosting fragrances hitting the market is astonishing—or is it? Millions are poured into analyzing consumer demand, and perfume companies are simply responding with a steady supply of scents with benefits.

For years, I have routinely relied on perfume’s unique ability to conjure a place, a time, a memory, a feeling. The perfumes I love move me inexplicably. Or, as I’m learning, perhaps not so inexplicably after all.

“Fragrance, like music, goes to the limbic system in the brain, which is deep and a kind of ancient part of the brain that is tied to our emotional selves,” Dr. Amy Wechsler, a Manhattan dermatologist and psychiatrist, explains to me.

Unlike the cerebral system—responsible for logical, rational thought and reasoning—the limbic system is about intuition, memory, emotion, and associations. This makes perfume highly effective at immediately affecting one’s mood.

Learning this, I decided to do a deep dive into four areas we all need a little more of these days.

Therapy in a Bottle

Italian newcomer to the American market WA:IT is one of a growing category that lists the therapeutic effects of its ingredients. In Haru ($175, WA:IT), which is meant to spark a sense of rebirth, its neroli note “calms the nervous system and restores emotional equilibrium.” At the same time, jasmine offers a soothing yet invigorating vibe, and “patchouli invites intimacy with oneself.”

Hearing this, I am primed for transformation, and when I spray it on, I momentarily feel a surging sense of possibility. Is it the fragrance or expectation? I’ll never know.

The first time I sprayed myself with Nette’s Thé Vanille ($125, Nette NYC), I proceeded to spray myself head to toe. It was that good. Nette’s founder promises it’s scientifically backed to boost confidence and mindfulness, though without offering details. I’m starting to think it’s all a marketing ploy—until I try Véronique Gabai’s Aroma line ($55–$160, Véronique Gabai) and, for the first time since smelling US, feel the scents affect me physically.

The three scents in Aroma—Heart, Body, Soul—are meant to function immediately, and they do. Gabai explains that unlike her perfumes, these mood boosters are meant to be smelled whenever the need strikes. Give the pulse point on the inside of your wrist a spray, close your eyes, and breathe in the scent for one minute. The effect is astonishing. Soul calms me almost instantly. When I look up at Gabai, astonished, she smiles knowingly and tells me about a doctor in Paris who uses them in hospitals.

Time to Wake Up

Americans are notorious for not getting enough sleep. (I know I’m not.) Waking up is hard—hence the line at Starbucks. An alarm may get me out of bed, but the aroma of coffee brewing is what truly rouses my sleepy brain. While caffeine may ultimately do the trick, it’s the smell of coffee, by association, that starts the process.

A few sprays of Binet Papillon’s Magnolia Underground ($287, Binet Papillon) weave the most delicious spell of dark roast tempered by gorgeous magnolia petals that both wakes and seduces. For tea drinkers, Etat Libre d’Orange’s Above the Waves ($190, Ministry of Scent) offers a gentler start to the day with a delicate brew of green maté, Ceylon, and black teas sweetened with tonka bean.

British import LBTY’s Liberty Maze ($320, Liberty London) delivers that classic Earl Grey dose of bergamot-infused black tea, paired with comforting honeysuckle and primrose. For morning O.J. drinkers, Tauer’s Orange Star ($210, Tauer Perfumes) blends mandarins, clementines, orange flowers, and lemongrass with just enough vanilla to round out its bright, floral freshness.

It’s an instant dose of happiness. While citrus is known to be invigorating, it’s the joyfulness of the composition that sets the mood—meaning it not only helps wake me up, it wakes me on the proverbial right side of the bed. If that’s not functional, I don’t know what is.

Off to Sleep

Of course, waking up wouldn’t be so hard if we could just fall asleep. Thankfully, there’s science behind lavender and chamomile’s ability to help one sleep, stay asleep, and perchance to dream. Chloé’s Atelier des Fleurs Lavanda ($166, Nordstrom) has a pure, fresh-cut lavender scent. Spray it on before bed every night and it might even start to have a Pavlovian effect.

Dries Van Noten’s Camomille Satin ($334, Dries Van Noten) gathers lavender, chamomile, and orange blossom and sets it on a soft bed of vanilla. The Musc by Essential Perfumes ($96, La Parfumerie) gives lavender a warm base of sandalwood—an ingredient known for its grounding effect—while musk wraps it all in a cozy blanket. Off to dreamland I go.

Date Night

But where does seduction fit in? Perfume used to be about the irresistible trail of tuberose, jasmine, gardenia, and roses. For a grand romance, turn to Roja 51 Pour Femme ($330, Parfums de France), a lush floriental with unapologetic feminine opulence that will turn heads. Or lean into mystery with Future Society’s Haunted Rose ($98, Future Society), a smoky, spicy, sexy rose that taunts more than it beckons.

Initio Parfums Privés, however, decided to cut to the chase. In Absolute Aphrodisiac ($410, Initio Parfums), “the animalic touch of Castoreum adds a provocative edge that awakens your instincts and ignites passion.” If that doesn’t do it, Initio’s newly launched Can’t Get Enough ($410, Initio Parfums) contains hedione, a manmade molecule that offers to stimulate “the brain’s receptors tied to desire and libido.” It also smells so good that I keep coming back for another sniff.

Vyrao, for its part, just launched two new scents, Ludeaux ($190, Vyrao) and Ludatrix ($190, Vyrao), with “neurosceience-backed ingredients” that promise flirtation and arousal. Ludeaux smells like a cheap Bellini, all peach fuzz and sweet bubbly, but Ludatrix is an enticing mix of rose and woods. Both contain a latex accord, an unfortunate reminder of the least sexy part of sex.

For a quieter and far more charming intimacy, there’s Chambre52 Contre Ta Peau ($280, ZGO Perfumery), which envelops one in a soft, floral sensuality. With just a touch of anise for spice, it’s a radiant scent with a certain je ne sais quoi. Because ultimately, what lifts your mood couldn’t be more intimate or more private.