We have rules for a reason.
Can you put feelings in a bottle? Charlotte Tilbury, the UK makeup artist known for bringing a mix of science-backed innovation and signature glam to her eponymous beauty brand, believes so.
From Beauty Light Wands to Magic Cream and her signature Pillow Talk shade, Charlotte Tilbury products are known for going viral when they launch and adorning many a celebrity on the red carpet. With makeup, skin care, and body care to her credit, it seems like Charlotte has done just about everything in the beauty realm. Yet there’s one notable thing the beauty guru hasn’t done—until now. The Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance Collection of Emotions ($150, 100 ml; $25, 10ml; $30 Discovery Set of 6 x 1.5ml) marks the brand’s first foray into the world of scents, with six fragrances powered by emotion-boosting molecules, each designed to enhance a specific feeling: energy, calm, happiness, empowerment, sex, or love.
Scent can certainly influence how we feel—for me, the smell of a fireplace always makes me feel warm and cozy, while a beach-scented candle equals instant relaxation. With that brain-scent connection in mind, Tilbury and a team of world fragrance leaders used a scent algorithm with billions of data points to identify ingredient combinations that work best together to boost certain emotions, testing the fragrances on users in clinical trials to see if they had the desired effects.
The collection’s mantra: Just a spray or two can help influence your days and nights; or, as the packaging asks, “How do you want to feel today?”
My thoughts on packaging and price
I love the packaging of Charlotte Tilbury products for their touches of flair and glam, and the fragrance collection is no exception. The decanter-like perfume bottles are gorgeous statement pieces, each with a different color and mystical symbol that reflects the corresponding emotion.
The outer packaging opens like a book, with an inside cover containing a short poem about the transportive emotional powers of the fragrance inside. It makes for an immersive experience, setting the stage for the feeling you’re looking to enhance—similar to setting an intention before a meditation or yoga practice. I found myself reading the lines every time I spritzed a fragrance on to help put me in my mood of choice.
These fragrances are on the pricey side, although the travel size set is a more affordable option if you want to try out all six. However, the scents are all long lasting, and I found just a spray or two typically would last several hours or more.
Shop the Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance Collection of Emotions
Scent type: citrus woody
A line from this fragrance’s accompanying poem says, “Embrace the lifeforce of the forest and you will feel more grounded, too.” Appropriately, this scent is an outdoorsy mix of citrus-y bergamot and earthy wood undertones, along with just a hint of sweetness, courtesy of jasmine sambac—with green packaging reflecting the nature theme. The scent is light and crisp, and reminded me of walking in the woods on a cool day—if you like spending time outdoors, you’ll probably enjoy this fragrance.
Ninety-eight percent of testers said the fragrance boosted and enhanced their energy, and I would agree. The fragrance became a go-to for me when I wanted to refresh during mid-afternoon work slumps. One caveat: the lightness makes this selection better suited for daytime wear.
Top notes: bergamot oil, myrtle oil
Middle notes: cypress, jasmine sambac, seaweed absolute
Base notes: cashmere wood, palo santo
Pros:
- Light and refreshing
- Nature-inspired mix of citrus and wood
- Crisp, not overpowering
Cons:
- Probably too light for evenings out
Scent type: aquatic floral
This fragrance was my favorite in the collection. It reminded me of the relaxing oils I put in my diffuser to wind down at night—and, not surprisingly, its top note oils are all used in aromatherapy for their calming properties. Though the scent has several citrus oils, there isn’t a strong citrus smell. The lavandin (aka lavender) smell was what I noticed most and it mixed nicely with the watery accord. If you like lavender or water-type scents, you should find this one pleasing.
Did it make me calm? It sure did—and I used it regularly to bring some zen to stressful deadline-jammed afternoons or to help me relax in the evenings. Like Magic Energy, this is a light scent and I wouldn’t choose it if I was having a big night out.
Top notes: bergamot oil, neroli oil, lavandin oil
Middle notes: orange flower, watery accord
Base notes: tonka bean accord, white musk
Pros:
- Relaxing mix of lavender and citrus oils
- Hint of water fragrance
- Light scent
Cons:
- Best suited for daytime
Scent type: amber spicy
The spicy notes of this scent are balanced nicely with flowery rose, and the sweetness of amber and vanilla bean. Although it’s not a subtle fragrance, it also isn’t overpowering. The black pepper and cinnamon notes come through strongest, but I also enjoyed the nice hint of musk. It reminded me of a grown-up—and much better smelling—version of the drugstore spicy musk perfumes I used to love in high school.
This fragrance is designed to “give you the inner confidence to take on anything that arises” and the power purple packaging reflects that theme. I’m not sure if it gave me enough confidence to, say, perform stand-up comedy, but the boldness of the scent did leave me—and 89 percent of testers—agreeing it enhanced feelings of empowerment.
Top notes: black pepper oil, cinnamon bark oil, bergamot oil
Middle notes: rose, frankincense
Base notes: amber accord, vanilla bean, musk
Pros:
- Spicy, but not overpowering
- Bold
- Hints of musk
Cons:
- On the strong side
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Scent type: floral woody
This scent’s ode refers to the fragrance as being “delicately hypnotic” and the floral, spice, and wood mix certainly has an alluring aroma. The pink pepper’s woody-rose notes combined with the rose middle notes create a blend that definitely slants more towards the floral side. I’ve always been a fan of light florals (Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker is one of my favorites), so if, like me, you enjoy strolling outside in the spring taking in the smell of fragrant blooms, then this is a fragrance you’ll probably enjoy wearing.
I wouldn’t say I felt more in love when wearing the scent, but it certainly conjures romantic vibes. Another bonus: the fragrance would be versatile enough to wear to the office, brunch, or a night on the town—although I found the scent faded faster than others in the collection and needed to spray a refresh every couple of hours.
Top note: pink pepper
Middle notes: saffron, rose
Base notes: musk, cashmere wood, patchouli
Pros:
- Light floral scent
- Suitable for day or evening
Cons:
- Not as long-lasting as others in the collection
Scent type: warm floral
This fragrance is all about helping you “glow with delight” by delivering “happiness in a bottle,” and 91 percent of testers agreed the fragrance did make them feel happier. The scent is uplifting, and complex—a mix of citrusy and woody petitgrain and neroli oil top notes; tuberose, jasmine sambac, and ylang ylang floral middle notes, with bottom layers of vanilla and musk. At first spritz, the wood notes stood out the most, but after several minutes, the floral notes and just a hint of vanilla sweetness were most noticeable—which could be a pro or con depending on your preference. Overall, the scent is warm and soft, but not overpowering.
I don’t think I’ve ever smelled a perfume quite like this one, but its mix of wood, citrus, floral, and sweetness won me over as did the beautiful chrome, rose-gold bottle with a sun emblem—it literally shines when caught by the light.
Top notes: petitgrain oil, coconut water accord, neroli oil
Middle notes: tuberose, jasmine sambac, ylang ylang
Base notes: vanilla bean, cashmere wood, musk
Pros:
- Mix of wood, citrus, floral notes
- Hint of sweetness and musk
- Stunning chrome, rose-gold bottle
Cons:
- Not best if you like a simple scent
Scent type: musk leather
Seduction and “putting you in the mood” is what this scent made to “transport you from day to dusk” is all about. Subtlety is not the name of the game here—the fragrance is bold, woody, and spicy. Musk is one of my favorite notes and this fragrance has just the right hint of it, not overpowering and balanced out by slightly sweet leather. The woody black pepper oil, amber, and sandalwood notes also lend to the overall sensualness of the fragrance.
If a sexy cinematic love scene had a fragrance, this would be it. I wouldn’t recommend wearing this one to grandma’s birthday party, family brunch, or the office—save it for evenings when you’re looking to cast a seductive spell.
Top notes: black pepper oil, juniper berry oil
Middle notes: musk, leather
Bottom notes: amber wood, sandalwood oil
Pros:
- Spicy and woody
- Nice hints of musk and leather
- Bold but not overpowering
Cons:
- Too strong for daytime wear
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