What makes a fragrance addictive? You know the feeling–catching a whiff of something so intoxicating, you have to lean in closer to experience it all over again. Maybe you’ve experienced it the other way around: the quiet thrill of being complimented on your fragrance. The experience, incredibly validating, is part of the reason searches like “top perfumes to attract…” remain so popular. But when did fragrance become solely about attracting others? And what does it really mean for a scent to be addictive?
To dig deeper, we’ve turned to expert insight. In a conversation with Victoria Belim-Frolova–writer, perfumer, educator at ISIPCA in Versailles, and founder of Bois de Jasmin, we explore the psychology of scent and myths around seduction. Throughout our conversation, we’re also reminded that really matters when finding your signature fragrance is going the slightly harder but more rewarding route: experimenting to find out what you truly love, instead of what everybody else wants.
The Science of Fragrance Addiction: Memory, Emotion, and the Brain
There’s actually a physiological reason certain scents trigger powerful memories. Our sense of smell is closely linked to the limbic system, the part of the brain that processes emotion and memory. “This is why the connection between scent and memory or some sort of emotion can be so incredibly potent,” Victoria explains.
During the Covid years, many fragrance professionals began rethinking perfume’s role. “We were asking ourselves: how can we still make perfume relevant? People were thinking more about wellness than seduction. We realized that the simplest things can boost your mood: for some people, it’s the familiar comfort of Nivea hand cream. For others, particularly in France, the smell of sun lotion evokes carefree summer memories,” she shares. The takeaway? Addictive scent experiences aren’t limited to fine fragrance bottles; they’re rooted in personal emotional associations.
Having said this, are there still certain fragrance families that trigger these emotions more than others? “There is some limited science that seems reliable,” Victoria notes. “Citrus, for instance, is one of them. When Clinique developed Happy, studies showed grapefruit was strongly associated with positive emotions. Floral fragrances also generally generate uplifting responses.”
Still, she emphasizes the deeply personal nature of scent. Everything is also so individual at the same time. “While it’s positive to make general predictions, it’s hard to always do it in some granulated, nuanced way. Your upbringing and olfactory memories would be diff from mine because we grew up in different places. So what would influence you positively would be different from what would influence me positively,” she adds.
Why Perfume Isn’t Just About Seduction Anymore
Fragrance, once a fairly niche industry, has moved firmly into the mainstream with the rise of social media. Suddenly, TikTok creators–some experts, others more in the fragrance-enthusiast category–began centering their discussions around notes and attractiveness.
“I often see messaging focused on whether a perfume is attractive or seductive. This is valid; it’s fine to ask these questions. But it’s not the only reason we wear perfume,” Victoria says, adding that while “top 10 perfumes to attract…” lists can be entertaining, she suggests treating them as inspiration or “a fun exercise” rather than prescription.
“We don’t wear perfume just for seduction. We wear it for ourselves, for pleasure. We wear it because it transports us to another time and place. Because it gives us an energizing emotional boost. Sometimes we wear it because it feels intellectual,” she adds. Perfume, after all, is dynamic storytelling on skin. What you smell at first spray evolves over minutes and hours, revealing new notes over time.
As for trends? “The perfume industry is quite conservative. Whatever is trendy, 95% of the time it’s been done before, just with a twist,” Victoria notes. This is exactly why tuning into your own taste matters more than ever.
How to Find an Addictive Signature Scent for Yourself
Instead of asking how to attract others, Victoria encourages a mindset shift: How does this fragrance make me feel?
“How you project yourself to the world is how other people read you. This to me is a more important–and overlooked–aspect of perfume: to do something a little bit more difficult, which is figuring out what you like and what makes you feel good,” Victoria shares.
Her advice for finding a signature scent is refreshingly simple: smell widely and stay curious. Smell a wide range of scents and explore across the fragrance wheel–florals, woods, fruits, lamberts, and so on. At some point, something is bound to spark your attention. She also notes to take your focus away from things like marketing, packaging, and the price of a perfume. In an era of beauty overconsumption and fast-moving trends, it’s a powerful reminder to return to something more personal. ““Find the fragrance that makes you feel wonderful,” she says. “You’ll know it: your heart skips a beat, you get butterflies. That reaction is unmistakable.”
After all the research and data, Victoria arrives at one clear conclusion. “I’ve been looking at modern research to see whether there is a specific smell that people universally find attractive. But ultimately, the most attractive thing is what makes you feel attractive.”
To discover more from Victoria Belim-Frolova, visit Bois de Jasmin and follow her on Instagram or subscribe to her newsletter for ongoing fragrance insights.
