Functional Fragrance: can scent actually change how you feel?

Have you ever caught the scent of a familiar perfume and instantly found yourself remembering a person, a place or a particular moment in your life?

Unlike our other senses, smell has a uniquely direct connection to the parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory. A single breath can transport us back years, bringing with it not only memories, but the feelings that accompanied them.

For decades, fragrance has been chosen simply because it smells beautiful. Increasingly, however, neuroscience is helping us understand that scent can do something more. Carefully composed fragrances may also help support how we feel, how we transition through the day and the rituals that help us reconnect with ourselves.

This is the thinking behind Functional Fragrance.

Functional Fragrance is fragrance designed with purpose.

Rather than focusing only on how a perfume smells, Functional Fragrance combines luxury perfumery with carefully selected aromatic ingredients that have been studied for their interaction with the brain's emotional and autonomic pathways.

When we inhale fragrance molecules, they bind to receptors inside the nose before sending electrical signals directly to the olfactory bulb. From there, these signals travel into areas of the limbic system, the network within the brain that helps regulate emotion, memory, stress responses and aspects of our Circadian Rhythm (our internal 24-hour body clock).

Because smell bypasses many of the processing stages used by our other senses, fragrance can become one of the fastest ways we experience an emotional shift.

This is why a particular scent can help us feel comforted, grounded or more connected to ourselves.

Growing scientific research suggests that scent can influence mood, cognitive performance and physiological responses associated with stress.

This does not mean fragrance is a medical treatment. Rather, it can become one valuable part of a broader wellbeing toolkit.

At This Works, our Functional Fragrance collection has been developed using carefully selected terpenes and sesquiterpenes. Terpenes are naturally occurring aromatic compounds found within essential oils that have been studied for their potential to influence patterns of arousal and support relaxation or focus, depending on the blend.

In collaboration with neuroscientist Professor Gaby Badre, This Works Functional Fragrances have been assessed using technologies including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and user studies to better understand how fragrance interacts with areas of the brain associated with emotion, stress regulation and wellbeing.

Beautiful fragrance. Intelligent design.

During periods of stress, our nervous system naturally looks for signals that tell us we are safe. 

This is why familiar rituals often become so reassuring. 

Making a cup of tea. Reading before bed. Lighting a candle. Applying perfume before settling into your evening. 

These repeated actions create consistency. Over time, they can become cues that help the brain recognise when it is time to move away from the demands of the day. 

A fragrance ritual becomes more than simply applying perfume. It becomes a mindful transition. 

The consistency of the ritual is often just as important as the fragrance itself.

Own Time represents the next evolution of This Works' Functional Fragrance expertise. 

Developed after years of neuroscientific research, Own Time eau de parfum was created as a neural transition cue, helping signal to the brain that the working day is over and that it is time to reclaim the evening. 

Rather than encouraging sedation, the fragrance is designed to support a gentler shift from daytime alertness towards a calmer evening mindset, creating space to rest, reconnect and prepare naturally for sleep. 

Its woody, ambery and aromatic composition combines notes of Rose, Lemon Myrtle and Pink Peppercorn with Cardamom, Olibanum, Sandalwood, Musk and Incense to create a comforting fragrance that lingers beautifully on the skin. 

Independent panel testing found: 

71% felt their sleep quality improved.* 

74% fell asleep faster.* 

69% felt calmer and more relaxed in the evening.** 

*Panel tested. Sleep quality and faster sleep: panel of 42 participants over a 28-day period. 

**Panel tested. Calmer and more relaxed: panel of 45 participants over a 28-day period.

Many traditional perfumes are created purely for their olfactory profile.

A terpene fragrance takes inspiration from nature's aromatic molecules.

Terpenes contribute not only to the scent profile of essential oils but have also become an exciting area of neuroscience research because of their interaction with the olfactory system and the brain's emotional centres.

Own Time incorporates carefully selected terpene-rich aromatic ingredients alongside luxury perfumery, creating a fragrance experience that is designed to be both emotionally comforting and beautifully wearable.

It is science-led luxury with purpose.

Creating an evening ritual doesn't need to be complicated. 

Small, consistent habits often have the greatest impact over time. 

Try introducing your own fragrance ritual: 

• Spritz Own Time perfume onto pulse points as you arrive home. 
• Pause for one slow breath in through the nose and a longer breath out. 
• Allow your shoulders to soften. 
• Dim bright overhead lighting. 
• Enjoy dinner without distractions where possible. 
• Replace scrolling with conversation, reading or another calming evening ritual. 
• Follow with your favourite evening skincare or perfume body oils to reinforce the sensory experience before bed. 

Consistency helps create familiarity. Familiarity helps create emotional cues that support your evening routine. 

Fragrance has always been personal. 

Today, science is helping us understand why. 

The perfumes we return to again and again become woven into our memories, our routines and our emotional lives. During times of change, stress or uncertainty, those familiar scents can offer moments of continuity that help us feel more like ourselves. 

That is the philosophy behind Own Time. 

Created as part of the This Works Neuro Platform, Own Time eau de parfum combines luxury fragrance with years of neuroscience research to create a Functional Fragrance that supports your evening ritual while surrounding you with an elegant woody, ambery scent. 

Because sometimes the most powerful part of a fragrance isn't simply how it smells. 

It's how it helps you feel.

Explore the Own Time collection and discover how Functional Fragrance can help you reclaim the lost hours between 6pm and midnight through a simple, consistent evening ritual designed around your wellbeing