There’s a reason the smell of suncream sparks instant joy. Yes, there’s the faff of diligent application and the inevitable greasy fingerprints on everything you own – but it’s also tied to a version of ourselves that feels freer, lighter, and – oh go on then – even a little more ‘boho’ than real life allows. (And let’s be honest, coconut smells good year-round).
“Fragrance can become a fundamental part of travel because it directly influences how we feel and travel today is as much an emotional journey as it is a physical one,” says Lauren Rooney, VP of Marketing Excellence & Scent at DSM-Firmenich (an industry leader in beauty innovation).
Managing travel anxiety with fragrance
Of course, travel isn’t all turquoise water and Feta.
There’s the airport security cortisol spike, nights spent tossing and turning on a paper-thin mattress and fetid night air that feels like a hairdryer pointed at your face. This is where scent – particularly, functional fragrances powered by neuroscience and bioactives – comes into its own.
Designed to actively influence mood, cognitive function and emotional state, these fragrances don’t just smell good, they support the entire travel experience while helping to cement memories. “Fragrance has become a true emotional travel companion,” says Lauren. “Not just something that smells pleasant, but something that supports emotional well-being throughout the journey; easing transitions, deepening engagement with new places, and shaping how people feel throughout their stay,”
© @jordirullo“It’s one of the quickest ways to shift your mood, which is invaluable when travelling,” agrees Adam Reed, hairstylist, fragrance expert and founder of Arkive Headcare. “It can ground you in unfamiliar environments, reset you after a long journey, or create a sense of routine when everything else feels out of sync. I often use scent as a way to mark moments, something uplifting when I arrive somewhere new, or something more calming when I’m winding down. It becomes part of the rhythm of the trip.”
Keep calm with carry-on (and a soothing scent)
“Alongside anticipation and discovery, there is often stress; from navigating airports to long‑haul fatigue and unfamiliar environments,” says Lauren. The key, she says, is to use fragrance to create an emotional rhythm throughout your journey supporting transitions from stress to calm and helping you feel grounded. “Before a flight, calming scents can help ease pre-travel tension. During transit, particularly on long-haul journeys, relaxing fragrances can help the mind settle and recover. And upon arrival, fragrances designed to evoke positive emotions, such as happiness, focus or social connection, can help travellers ease more smoothly into a new place.” Adam takes a similarly intentional approach: “For short-haul, I lean into fresher, lighter scents that feel clean and energising without being overpowering. For long-haul, it’s more about comfort and wellbeing. Softer, cocooning scents work well, and I’ll often reapply as a way to reset. It becomes almost ritualistic, using fragrance to stay connected to yourself when you’re in transit for long periods.”
How to feel more grounded
Grounding scents have evolved far beyond a token whiff of palo santo. Today, neurotechnology is shaping how fragrances are formulated - like DSM-Firmenich’s emotiOn™ programme, which identifies scent structures that enhance feelings of connection and grounding, particularly useful when crossing time zones. Similarly, CPL Aroma Wellness technology used in Arkive Headcare draws on neuroscience to link scent with emotional responses, whether that’s calm, clarity or uplift. Not that you have to use up all your baggage allowance on fragrance; “It’s less about having lots of fragrances and more about having a few that serve a purpose depending on how you want to feel,” says Adam. Scenting your surroundings can also help you feel anchored. “Fragrance zoning, which ties different scents to specific times and ambiances, can help people connect, disconnect, and reconnect in physical spaces,” says Olivia Houghton, lead beauty, health and wellness analyst and insights director at The Future Laboratory. Translation: permission to pack that travel candle and room spray.
Making memories (with help from your perfume)
Scent is the only sense directly connected to the limbic system; the part of the brain that governs emotion and memory. “When a scent is experienced consistently during a journey, whether at a hotel, during a daily ritual or through a personal, on-the‑go format, it becomes a powerful memory anchor,” says Lauren. Which explains why that whiff of suncream can instantly transport you back to the emotional essence of a specific trip. “The joy of discovery, the feeling of freedom, the warmth of a moment. In this way, fragrance becomes a portable emotional souvenir, often more powerful than photographs, because it doesn’t just help you remember, it helps you feel.”
Travel toolkit:
BEST FOR HOLIDAY MOOD-BOOSTING: Arkive Headcare The Brightside, £30
Your ‘passport to unforgettable memories’, this bright, herbal floral with zesty basil, lime, bergamot and vetiver is the spritz guaranteed to spark a spirit of adventure and is always part of our travel fragrance wardrobe. We love that the multi-use formula can be spritzed onto hair and skin allowing a top-to-toe dose of AromaWellness Technology to work its magic.
BEST FOR A GUILT-FREE SUGAR HIGH: Initio Sugar Blast, £275
© Karl-Christopher CALONEMake your holiday a joy ride with this science-backed, dopamine-boosting (hello ‘Joydrop Complex’) gourmand that errs more on vanilla cheesecake than saccharine-sweet. I consider it a grown-up gourmand - something I find myself gravitating to more with age.
BEST FOR AIRPORT ANXIETY: Being Serene Eau de Parfum, £39.99
Assuage airport angst with soothing notes of Neroli, Orris, and Sandalwood, powered by AromaWellness and scientifically shown to promote relaxation aka your emotional support scent. We tried it before a big presentation and though it might be a placebo effect, catching a whiff of this every now and again did bring our attention back to staying calm.
BEST FOR NERVOUS SYSTEM RESETS: Nue Company Functional Fragrance, £125
We're a big fan of this brand, namely because nearly every scent we've tried is wholly wearable. From airport lounge to sun lounger, help recalibrate an overwrought nervous system with this non-toxic, unisex iteration containing calming green cardamom, coriander, and palo santo. Perfect for travel but one we keep on our work desks too (every time we spritz we hear an appreciative 'ahh' so it's a crowdpleaser too).
BEST FOR JET-LAG: Edeniste Dream, £80
This soothing, aromatic musk centres on a neuro-active blend of warm-skin facets of Spanish Labdanum essence to help you surrender to your surroundings and ease into sleep. We loved how it made us feel like we were wearing a sophisticated scent whilst it was working it's magic. Ideal for an apres-dinner sundowner.
BEST FOR INSTANT GROUNDING: Vyrao Mamajuju, £165
A favourite on the Hello! Magazine beauty desk, this grounding base of Australian sandalwood is spiked with a piquant blend of saffron, cumin, cardamom and black pepper for an earthy, spice-forward fragrance rooted in neuroscience.
BEST FOR MID-FLIGHT CALM: Moods Found Moodroller, £25
After a mile-high existential crisis, ground yourself in the present with this balancing neuroactive blend to shift atmosphere and mind. A tranquil anchor in the chaos that our Head Of Beauty keeps in her handbag but deploys often when travelling with her two kids.
