5 days ago
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.
