Do Charlotte Tilbury’s New Perfumes Really Influence Emotions? I Tried Them

When I was growing up, perfumes were a big no-no in my house. My mom has a "sensitive nose," and if she got even the slightest whiff of something fragrant, you'd know about it. (I don't mean this in a good way.) I was essentially perfume-deprived until I was old enough to move out of the house, and in all honesty, it wasn't until a few years ago that I started getting more interested in perfumes.

Now, my dresser drawers are littered with perfume bottles, and I'm constantly testing out new products, which is why when I heard Charlotte Tilbury was again dipping her toe into the world of fragrance, I was intrigued. The brand launched a limited-edition fragrance in 2016, but the new collection was supposed to be entirely different. I met with the brand in Los Angeles a few months ago, and what I learned certainly grabbed my attention.

To start, the new fragrance line, called Charlotte's Fragrance Collection of Emotions, wasn't just about beauty — it was science. Tilbury worked with a team from International Flavors and Fragrance (IFF) and used the company's Scentcube AI algorithm to combine ingredients that the brand says help boost certain emotions. Want to feel more powerful when walking into a meeting at work? The brand has a scent for that. Want to feel calm before heading off to bed? Yep, there's a scent for that, as well. There's even a scent that promises to help you have more sex, aptly named "More Sex."

Intrigued? So was I. Keep scrolling to read my full review of the Fragrance Collection of Emotions.

The first thing I noticed about the products was the packaging. Each bottle is housed in a box that looks similar to a book, and you can open the front flap to reveal the fragrance and a mini story that goes with it. The shape is similar to a potion bottle with a stopper on top.

More Sex: ($150) This musky leather scent, with notes of black pepper oil and juniper berry oil, is meant to enhance feelings of seduction. For me, More Sex was a little too heavy for everyday wear (but I guess if you aren't trying to have more sex every minute of every day, that makes sense). I found it a little too leathery for me.

More Sex:

From

$150

$150 at Charlotte Tilbury CA

Joyphoria: ($150) Joyphoria is a warm floral scent with notes of tuberose and ylang-yang. The brand says it's meant to boost your mood and enhance feelings of happiness. This was my favorite scent of the bunch and the one I could see myself wearing every day. It's fresh, a little powdery, but not overpowering at all.

Joyphoria:

From

$150

$150 at Charlotte Tilbury CA

Love Frequency: ($150) Love Frequency has notes of pink pepper, musk, and rose. The brand says it enhances feelings of love. This one was sweet, spicy, and a little tart at the same time, which I found intriguing.

Love Frequency:

From

$150

$150 at Charlotte Tilbury CA

Cosmic Power: ($150) Looking to feel empowered? Try spritzing Cosmic Power, which has notes of amber, frankincense, and bergamot oil. This fragrance reminded me of one my mom used to wear only on special occasions when I was growing up. It was rich and sultry.

Cosmic Power:

From

$150

$150 at Charlotte Tilbury CA

Calm Bliss: ($150) The brand says you should spritz Calm Bliss whenever you're looking for serenity. It has notes of bergamot oil, pure white musk, and warm tonka bean accord. This one felt very light to me and reminded me of fresh laundry.

Calm Bliss:

From

$150

$150 at Charlotte Tilbury CA

Magic Energy: ($150) Magic Energy has notes of bergamot, Palo Santo accord, and frankincense. The brand says it will boost your energy. This fragrance also felt lighter than many of the others and very "foresty." The scent almost reminded me of walking through nature.

Magic Energy:

From

$150

$150 at Charlotte Tilbury CA

While it was fun testing all of these fragrances, I didn't particularly notice any big emotional changes while wearing them. I even tried wearing More Sex and Love combined when hanging out with a romantic partner, but it didn't seem to do much on his end. However, I do love the fragrances individually and plan on wearing them strictly because they make my nose happy.

These fragrances are a little different than your typical perfumes — you're meant to spray or layer them based on how you want to feel. If you want to feel calm, use Calm Bliss. If you want to feel grounded, use Magic Energy. If you want to have more sex, use (duh) More Sex. If you want to enhance feelings of love, reach for Love Frequency. If you want to feel like the most powerful version of yourself, spritz on Cosmic Power. And, if you're just looking for a little boost of happiness, grab Joyphoria. For a mix of emotions, layer them accordingly.

Although I would like to have more sex and increase my feelings of love, unfortunately, those weren't the scents that spoke to me. I felt most drawn to Joyphoria and Magic Energy, so I typically rotate the two of those into my scent routine. I spritz on my wrists, the back of my neck, down my shirt, and in my hair.

As with any fragrance, the choice is extremely personal. How something smells to me will more than likely smell different to you. While my favorite scents were Joyphoria and Magic Energy, my least favorites might end up being your favorites.

The brand also has a fragrance finder that can help you make a choice you'll love.

Since these perfumes are pretty pricey at $150 a pop, I'd suggest testing a sample or purchasing a smaller size to make sure you found your favorite before splurging on the full size. They also have a discovery set that would be perfect to test out all six fragrances.

Rating:

★★★★☆

Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for PS's TikTok and Instagram accounts.