Experts Break Down the Functional Fragrance Trend for 2025
Functional fragrance might already be a part of your vocabulary if you light a specific candle to set the scene for wind-down time or have an emotional support perfume reserved for big events like a job interview. But for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, welcome. The fragrance industry is in its self-care era, and the vibes are less date night and more 'me' time—hence the influx of perfumes labeled calming, mood-boosting, and energizing. In theory, these scents are designed to do more than just smell good; they have a purpose when it comes to regulating emotion. So can you replace your therapist with a bottle of perfume? Of course not—but it won't hurt if you spritz a cozy fragrance before your next appointment to chill out.
Below, we unpack the hype around functional fragrances and explore whether this trend is valid or just aromatic snake oil (spoiler alert: it's kind of both).
Functional fragrances are designed to do more than just smell good; they aim to influence your mood and well-being. 'Functional fragrances can elicit a specific emotional or physiological response,' says Frank Vöelkl, principal perfumer at DMS-Firmenich and formulator behind The Nue Co.'s Functional Fragrance (as well as Le Labo's Santal 33 and Glossier's You lineup). The emotional response in question can vary from calming to energizing, grounding, or enhancing your focus.
The idea isn't totally new—this is aromachology, the study of scent and its psychological impact. So, you can think of functional fragrance as aromatherapy, just rebranded and tailored for everyday wear. As Vöelkl puts it, 'They aren't profoundly different [from traditional perfumes]... the structure and overall formulation are similar. The difference is that we are dropping in specific notes that have specific effects.'
Functional fragrances rely on the close connection between scent and the limbic system—a region of the brain responsible for memory, emotion, and behavior. Michael Varnum, Ph.D., associate psychology professor at Arizona State University, says the science gets even deeper. 'Research has shown that scents can sometimes provide comfort and other times signal danger,' he says. 'For example, the smell of our romantic partners can improve sleep quality and reduce stress responses. And the smell of others' fear can be contagious.'
He notes that both of these effects are likely adaptive parts of our psychology from primitive times to keep us safe and connected. 'Further, we appear able to pick up on cues that others are sick based on their odors, and this motivates us to avoid them generally, keeping ourselves from catching pathogens.' He says that's the reason we find smells like rot or feces disgusting; 'they're cues of pathogen threat, and disgust is a system evolved to keep us safe from this threat,' he explains.
But when it comes to scents you'd find in a bottle of perfume, like lavender or sage? 'I highly doubt we evolved to have an instinctual response to [them],' Varnum explains. 'We might learn to associate such scents with various moods or states of mind through classical conditioning or through placebo effects.'
So yeah, functional scent technically can work, but often because your brain believes it does. While Vöelkl notes that Firmenich does have classified internal data that they use as a base point for developing functional fragrances, there are currently no studies to prove the psychological effects of functional fragrances.
But, then again, we all know the instant sense of calm after catching a whiff of freshly-cut flowers (or the instant dread of smelling your ex's favorite vape flavor in a crowd). 'While we can't claim the effects on mood to be clinically true, we all just know they're real because we all experience fragrance,' says Carina Chaz, founder of fragrance brand DedCool. 'It's like the moment I put on lipstick—I instantly feel better and refreshed. The same thing can be said about fragrance.'
Functional fragrance formulas are designed around intent. But, as Vöelkl says, 'You certainly need both science and creativity' when developing one. 'If we were to create a fragrance that really is joyful and makes you happy, there are many different notes I could be using... It could be a gourmand fragrance, because, somehow, in subconscious childhood memories—like eating cotton candy—those notes can create a sensation of comfort and happiness.'
Still, certain ingredients show up again and again. Lavender and musk for calm. Eucalyptus and citrus notes for clarity and energy. 'There's a lot of complexity to it,' Vöelkl adds. 'It depends on what kind of emotion or sensation you are looking for.'
And while the exact mood-altering compounds in these fragrances are proprietary, the big takeaway? Ingredients are chosen intentionally to deliver on a feeling. Take a look at some of the most popular notes and blends below:
For Stress: Look for notes like lavender, sandalwood, and musk—think notes that you want to deeply exhale to calm any negative energy in your mind. For moments like these, Chaz swears by DedCool's Mochi Milk. 'I call it the happy fragrance because every time I spray it, I instantly feel my mood boost,' she says.
For Sleep: Go full cozy with lavender and warm gourmands like vanilla. Bonus points if it's a pillow mist.
For Focus: Eucalyptus, rosemary, or grapefruit will invigorate your brain.
For Energy: Citrus-forward scents (hi, bergamot) can give you a zesty little boost.
Functional fragrances are trending hard, but let's be honest: not everyone's spritzing rosemary mist and reaching Nirvana. But it does signal a shift from its utilitarian role in masking body odor to expressing individuality through scent. 'I personally always believed that fragrance is there mainly for yourself,' Vöelkl says. 'But it was not necessarily marketed to us that way for many years.'
Historically, fragrance has been sold as an external performance 'for him,' 'for her,' 'for date night.' But now? There's a clear cultural shift. 'Rather than being used to seduce somebody or to make somebody else react to you, they're developed to be something that solely makes you feel good,' he says.
Chaz agrees: 'We always talk about the expensive fragrance you get over the holidays, and you don't want to spray it because it's so precious. It doesn't really speak to you.' Instead, she's more interested in 'integrating scent across your life… on your skin, in your laundry, in your car, on your pet.' With functional fragrance, the priority isn't luxury, but comfort.
Go ahead and embrace functional fragrances however you want—there are no rules. Spray it on your wrists, layer it with another scent, or mist your pillow before bed. With aromatics, you have the leeway to explore your signature mood-balancing blend.
'Fragrance is very personal,' says Vöelkl. 'Who would wear a fragrance that they hate themselves just to please others? I don't think anybody's doing that.' DedCool's Chaz adds, 'We always say that we take the category seriously, but not ourselves… It's about amplifying [the consumer], meeting them where they're at, and allowing them to tell the story that they want to tell.'
Want to create your own scent wardrobe based on how you're feeling that day? Go for it. 'We see people fragrance wardrobe-ing online all the time with our fragrances, mixing them depending on where they're going and how they're feeling.' says Chaz. Fragrance layering is all about mood and intention, so have fun with it.
Jennifer is the former beauty editor for BestProducts.com, where she's testing out everything from the latest lip gloss to the craziest skincare trend sweeping the online beauty-verse. Her work has been featured in Allure, Byrdie, HelloGiggles, and more. When she's not swatching eyeshadow all over her arms, you can find the NYC-based editor scouring for hours on end for vintage finds, eating pad thai, and hanging out with her cat, Chunks.
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Cosmopolitan
4 days ago
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Experts Break Down the Functional Fragrance Trend for 2025
Functional fragrance might already be a part of your vocabulary if you light a specific candle to set the scene for wind-down time or have an emotional support perfume reserved for big events like a job interview. But for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, welcome. The fragrance industry is in its self-care era, and the vibes are less date night and more 'me' time—hence the influx of perfumes labeled calming, mood-boosting, and energizing. In theory, these scents are designed to do more than just smell good; they have a purpose when it comes to regulating emotion. So can you replace your therapist with a bottle of perfume? Of course not—but it won't hurt if you spritz a cozy fragrance before your next appointment to chill out. Below, we unpack the hype around functional fragrances and explore whether this trend is valid or just aromatic snake oil (spoiler alert: it's kind of both). Functional fragrances are designed to do more than just smell good; they aim to influence your mood and well-being. 'Functional fragrances can elicit a specific emotional or physiological response,' says Frank Vöelkl, principal perfumer at DMS-Firmenich and formulator behind The Nue Co.'s Functional Fragrance (as well as Le Labo's Santal 33 and Glossier's You lineup). The emotional response in question can vary from calming to energizing, grounding, or enhancing your focus. The idea isn't totally new—this is aromachology, the study of scent and its psychological impact. So, you can think of functional fragrance as aromatherapy, just rebranded and tailored for everyday wear. As Vöelkl puts it, 'They aren't profoundly different [from traditional perfumes]... the structure and overall formulation are similar. The difference is that we are dropping in specific notes that have specific effects.' Functional fragrances rely on the close connection between scent and the limbic system—a region of the brain responsible for memory, emotion, and behavior. Michael Varnum, Ph.D., associate psychology professor at Arizona State University, says the science gets even deeper. 'Research has shown that scents can sometimes provide comfort and other times signal danger,' he says. 'For example, the smell of our romantic partners can improve sleep quality and reduce stress responses. And the smell of others' fear can be contagious.' He notes that both of these effects are likely adaptive parts of our psychology from primitive times to keep us safe and connected. 'Further, we appear able to pick up on cues that others are sick based on their odors, and this motivates us to avoid them generally, keeping ourselves from catching pathogens.' He says that's the reason we find smells like rot or feces disgusting; 'they're cues of pathogen threat, and disgust is a system evolved to keep us safe from this threat,' he explains. But when it comes to scents you'd find in a bottle of perfume, like lavender or sage? 'I highly doubt we evolved to have an instinctual response to [them],' Varnum explains. 'We might learn to associate such scents with various moods or states of mind through classical conditioning or through placebo effects.' So yeah, functional scent technically can work, but often because your brain believes it does. While Vöelkl notes that Firmenich does have classified internal data that they use as a base point for developing functional fragrances, there are currently no studies to prove the psychological effects of functional fragrances. But, then again, we all know the instant sense of calm after catching a whiff of freshly-cut flowers (or the instant dread of smelling your ex's favorite vape flavor in a crowd). 'While we can't claim the effects on mood to be clinically true, we all just know they're real because we all experience fragrance,' says Carina Chaz, founder of fragrance brand DedCool. 'It's like the moment I put on lipstick—I instantly feel better and refreshed. The same thing can be said about fragrance.' Functional fragrance formulas are designed around intent. But, as Vöelkl says, 'You certainly need both science and creativity' when developing one. 'If we were to create a fragrance that really is joyful and makes you happy, there are many different notes I could be using... It could be a gourmand fragrance, because, somehow, in subconscious childhood memories—like eating cotton candy—those notes can create a sensation of comfort and happiness.' Still, certain ingredients show up again and again. Lavender and musk for calm. Eucalyptus and citrus notes for clarity and energy. 'There's a lot of complexity to it,' Vöelkl adds. 'It depends on what kind of emotion or sensation you are looking for.' And while the exact mood-altering compounds in these fragrances are proprietary, the big takeaway? Ingredients are chosen intentionally to deliver on a feeling. Take a look at some of the most popular notes and blends below: For Stress: Look for notes like lavender, sandalwood, and musk—think notes that you want to deeply exhale to calm any negative energy in your mind. For moments like these, Chaz swears by DedCool's Mochi Milk. 'I call it the happy fragrance because every time I spray it, I instantly feel my mood boost,' she says. For Sleep: Go full cozy with lavender and warm gourmands like vanilla. Bonus points if it's a pillow mist. For Focus: Eucalyptus, rosemary, or grapefruit will invigorate your brain. For Energy: Citrus-forward scents (hi, bergamot) can give you a zesty little boost. Functional fragrances are trending hard, but let's be honest: not everyone's spritzing rosemary mist and reaching Nirvana. But it does signal a shift from its utilitarian role in masking body odor to expressing individuality through scent. 'I personally always believed that fragrance is there mainly for yourself,' Vöelkl says. 'But it was not necessarily marketed to us that way for many years.' Historically, fragrance has been sold as an external performance 'for him,' 'for her,' 'for date night.' But now? There's a clear cultural shift. 'Rather than being used to seduce somebody or to make somebody else react to you, they're developed to be something that solely makes you feel good,' he says. Chaz agrees: 'We always talk about the expensive fragrance you get over the holidays, and you don't want to spray it because it's so precious. It doesn't really speak to you.' Instead, she's more interested in 'integrating scent across your life… on your skin, in your laundry, in your car, on your pet.' With functional fragrance, the priority isn't luxury, but comfort. Go ahead and embrace functional fragrances however you want—there are no rules. Spray it on your wrists, layer it with another scent, or mist your pillow before bed. With aromatics, you have the leeway to explore your signature mood-balancing blend. 'Fragrance is very personal,' says Vöelkl. 'Who would wear a fragrance that they hate themselves just to please others? I don't think anybody's doing that.' DedCool's Chaz adds, 'We always say that we take the category seriously, but not ourselves… It's about amplifying [the consumer], meeting them where they're at, and allowing them to tell the story that they want to tell.' Want to create your own scent wardrobe based on how you're feeling that day? Go for it. 'We see people fragrance wardrobe-ing online all the time with our fragrances, mixing them depending on where they're going and how they're feeling.' says Chaz. Fragrance layering is all about mood and intention, so have fun with it. Jennifer is the former beauty editor for where she's testing out everything from the latest lip gloss to the craziest skincare trend sweeping the online beauty-verse. Her work has been featured in Allure, Byrdie, HelloGiggles, and more. When she's not swatching eyeshadow all over her arms, you can find the NYC-based editor scouring for hours on end for vintage finds, eating pad thai, and hanging out with her cat, Chunks.
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dsm-firmenich completes sale of its stake in Feed Enzymes Alliance to Novonesis for €1.5 billion
Press Release dsm-firmenich completes sale of its stake in Feed Enzymes Alliance to Novonesis for €1.5 billion Kaiseraugst (Switzerland), Maastricht (Netherlands), June 2, 2025 dsm-firmenich, innovators in nutrition, health, and beauty, today announces the successful completion of the sale of its stake in the Feed Enzymes Alliance to its partner Novonesis, a global leader in biosolutions, for €1.5 billion. The sale agreement was announced on February 11, 2025. dsm-firmenich received approximately €1.4 billion net in cash, after transaction costs. About dsm-firmenichAs innovators in nutrition, health, and beauty, dsm-firmenich reinvents, manufactures, and combines vital nutrients, flavors, and fragrances for the world's growing population to thrive. With our comprehensive range of solutions, with natural and renewable ingredients and renowned science and technology capabilities, we work to create what is essential for life, desirable for consumers, and more sustainable for the planet. dsm-firmenich is a Swiss company, listed on the Euronext Amsterdam, with operations in almost 60 countries and revenues of more than €12 billion. With a diverse, worldwide team of nearly 30,000 employees, we bring progress to life every day, everywhere, for billions of people. For more information Media relations Robin Roothans tel. +41 (0)79 280 03 96 e-mail media@ Investor relations Dave Huizing tel. +31 (0)88 425 7306 e-mail investors@ Forward-looking statementsThis press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to dsm-firmenich's future (financial) performance and position. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of dsm-firmenich and information currently available to the company. dsm-firmenich cautions readers that such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and therefore it should be understood that many factors can cause actual performance and position to differ materially from these statements. dsm-firmenich has no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release, unless required by law. This communication contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The English language version of the press release is leading. Attachment Press release_dsm-firmenich completes sale of stake in Feed Enzymes Alliance to Novonesis_20250602_FINALError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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As Americans Eat Less, Food-Inspired Scents Trend Hard
Goodbye Santal33. Hello, tropical fruits, rice and potatoes. A Cornell study published at the end of 2024 revealed that there has been an 8.6% decline in spending at fast-food chains, coffee shops, and limited-service restaurants, and households with at least one GLP-1 user cut their spending on groceries by around 6%. The grocery items taking the biggest hits - chips, cookies and other baked goods - bear similarities to the scents that are trending. Even if you're not on GLP-1s, none of us hasn't noticed that 'thin is in' means 'food is out.' Is the pressure enough to make us want to smell (or smell like) the things we're being told we shouldn't be eating? Is it possible that we as a culture are creating proxy experiences for eating through scent? I asked two perfumers, one perfume blogger, one therapist, one dietician, and a beauty industry reporter to give me their hot takes. Polish Potatoes by BohoBoco Though I'm a seasoned critic of diet culture (of which GLP-1s are certainly a part) and a plus-size woman recovering from years of food restriction, I will not profess to be a scent expert. I'm a humble, new fan to PerfumeTok. My bathroom sink is lined with everything from Kilian to Ranger Station, from Rita's Car to an off-brand bottle of creme brulee body spray that I got at Marshall's one time. Due to writing this article, I am now $26 poorer having purchased a Snif sample perfume pack that has four scents, including one that smells like pizza. I'm not on GLP-1s, and am glad I have the option to smell like a slice because it sounds fun. Further, it's only fair to point out that smelling good – whether it's through gourmands, florals or woody smells, like the iconic Le Labo Santal 33 – is timeless and driven by many forces. Additionally, designer brands are no longer the only perfume game in town. We seem to be in a perfume renaissance right now with unprecedented access (and demand for) playful and experimental scents, as well as smells that go beyond the traditional European canon. Finally, There is no singular answer to the question, 'What scents are trending?' Nor is there a simple answer to the question, 'How does a scent trend happen?' As Yosh Han, perfumer and Creative Director at Scent Trunk, put it, 'You can't separate scent from culture. How perfume engages with our entire life is much deeper than most people are aware of.' Many would say that connecting scent trends to GLP-1s is a stretch. However, as someone who studies diet culture and knows intimately how it touches unexpected parts of our lives, there's something about croissant-inspired perfume emerging during a weight-loss trend the likes of which we haven't seen in two decades, that raises an eyebrow. 'You can't separate scent from culture. How perfume engages with our entire life is much deeper than most people are aware of.' Yosh Han is a perfumer and Creative Director at Scent Trunk In a November 2024 WhoWhatWear article titled, 'Scent Experts Say These 4 Major Fragrance Trends Will Define 2025,' columnist Kaitlyn McClintock wrote, 'Gourmand perfumes (aka, sweet scents with 'edible' notes like chocolate, cream, sugar, vanilla, etc.) are having a moment. Actually, that's not true. It's more than a moment. They've been having a year.' In January, Elle published an article titled '5 Perfume Trends to Watch in 2025,' asserting, 'In 2025, scents are continuing in a decidedly delicious direction. Most of the big fragrance trends revolve around food." Gourmands aren't exactly new. We all know about the ubiquity of vanilla scents, for example. This new iteration of food scents, though, brings in a veritable feast of smells that go beyond the traditional gourmand territory, like milk, matcha, toasted sesame, tropical fruits, and croissant. 'I definitely think that the popularity of food-inspired beauty products, and gourmand scents in particular, speaks to a sublimated desire for the things we don't or won't eat in the age of Ozempic,' says Jessica Defino, a beauty reporter and author of The Review of Beauty newsletter. 'I even got a press release the other day for a 'lickable perfume' (called Late Night Gelato) from Amorecco." Defino said it reminded her of the early 2000s beauty brand, Dessert Treats, by Jessica Simpson. 'All the body sprays were edible and tasted like cookies or ice cream, and this was right at the time when ephedra weight loss pills were a huge cultural phenomenon. So yes, it seems striking to me that gourmand and even edible scents are trending now and were trending when the last big new weight- loss technology was popular.' '..it seems striking to me that gourmand and even edible scents are trending now and were trending (in the early 2000s) when the last big new weight-loss technology was popular.' Crumb Couture is a croissant-inspired scent from Snif As we got deeper into his interview, however, he wrote, 'When food consumption is decreased, there may still be a desire for the sensory satiety, comfort and familiarity that eating brings. You may consume less chocolate, but wearing a gourmand fragrance can serve as a decadent and sensory substitute." Terry Carter, CEO of Travertine Atelier The conversation with Carter had unexpectedly stirred up childhood memories of my aunt, a lifelong dieter and weight cycler. I could always tell she was starting a new diet because, in addition to eating noticeably less, she often asked me if she could smell all my food before I ate it at dinner. I wanted to talk to someone who understands the relationship between restricting food and feeling compelled to substitute tasting with smelling. I reached out to Signe Darpinian, a therapist and certified eating disorder specialist with over 20 years of experience. Interestingly, her words echoed Carter's. "We have evolved to need to have pleasure with our food," says Darpinian. 'A person can feel the physical sensation of fullness without feeling the emotional and psychological pleasure of satisfaction. People need and crave both.' Darpinian concluded that you can't really trick the brain. Fullness without pleasure is incomplete. This lop-sided reality might lead to seeking alternative methods – like using the sense of smell – to attempt to access that emotional side of eating. 'A person can feel the physical sensation of fullness without feeling the emotional and psychological pleasure of satisfaction. People need and crave both.' Auntie Anne's Pretzels scent Knead, Eau de Pretzel Wendy Sterling is a dietitian, who further explained the connection between food restriction, smell and pleasure. 'When the body is in a state of energy deprivation, whether due to an eating disorder, dieting, or medications that suppress appetite, the brain becomes hyper-focused on seeking food. Scents and flavors become more intense.' Sterling says this can lead to people scrolling through food reels on TikTok or lingering by bakeries. 'It's the brain's clever way of urging someone to eat while tricking them into thinking they have experienced pleasure.' She says it's all part of our hardwired drive toward survival and nourishment. 'The olfactory system plays a key role in this process, as smell is deeply connected to taste and the brain's reward pathways.' Though Darpinian's and Sterling's words spoke to a clear connection between food deprivation and smell, I wanted to see if that connection could be more clearly extended to the gourmand and food scents trend. I returned to Yosh Han and Christina Loff, author of the perfume-focused Substack 'The Dry Down Diaries.' Loff was skeptical. 'Gourmand scents have been growing in popularity for years, well before (GLP-1s) entered the public conversation or even existed. I'm not convinced there's a true correlation.' Han, on the other hand, was more open to the possibility. 'Maybe you're not able to eat a croissant, but you can still enjoy the smell of a croissant.' 'Maybe you're not able to eat a croissant, but you can still enjoy the smell of a croissant.' By the end of my interviews, I found myself settling into three conclusions: that the GLP-1 trend has affected how Americans relate to food, that food restriction can affect how humans relate to smell, and that what we want to smell (and smell like) is related to this cultural moment, which is defined, in part, by the GLP-1 trend. Where and whether those conclusions intersect depends on your vantage point. The next time you reach for that perfume that smells (and possibly tastes) like a freshly made buttery pretzel, let me know where you stand.
