{"id":34363,"date":"2026-02-27T07:21:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T12:21:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/?p=34363"},"modified":"2026-07-08T14:45:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T18:45:51","slug":"what-makes-a-fragrance-addictive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/what-makes-a-fragrance-addictive\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes a Fragrance Addictive? Perfumer Victoria Belim-Frolova of Bois de Jasmin Explains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n      \"name\": \"Scentbird\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\",\n      \"logo\": {\n        \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/logo.png\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n      \"headline\": \"What Makes a Fragrance Addictive? Perfumer Victoria Belim-Frolova Explains\",\n      \"description\": \"Discover why certain perfumes are addictive. Perfumer Victoria Belim-Frolova explains scent psychology, memory, and how to find your signature fragrance.\",\n      \"author\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\n        \"name\": \"Scentbird Editorial Team\"\n      },\n      \"publisher\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n        \"name\": \"Scentbird\"\n      },\n      \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n        \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/what-makes-a-fragrance-addictive\"\n      },\n      \"datePublished\": \"2026-02-27\"\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"What makes a fragrance addictive?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"An addictive fragrance triggers strong emotional or memory-based responses. Because scent is processed in the brain\u2019s limbic system, certain perfumes create powerful associations with comfort, attraction, or nostalgia.\"\n          }\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"Is there a scientifically proven most attractive scent?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"There is no universally attractive scent. While some notes like citrus and florals are associated with positive emotions, personal memory and cultural background strongly influence perception.\"\n          }\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"How do I find my signature scent?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"Explore different fragrance families and focus on how each perfume makes you feel rather than trends or marketing. Your signature scent often creates an immediate emotional connection.\"\n          }\n        }\n      ]\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What makes a fragrance addictive? You know the feeling\u2013catching a whiff of something so intoxicating, you have to lean in closer to experience it all over again. Maybe you\u2019ve 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 \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/date-night-fragrances-for-every-mood\/\">top perfumes to attract\u2026<\/a>\u201d remain so popular. But when did fragrance become solely about attracting others? And what does it really mean for a scent to be addictive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To dig deeper, we\u2019ve turned to expert insight. In a conversation with Victoria Belim-Frolova\u2013writer, perfumer, educator at ISIPCA in Versailles, and founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/boisdejasmin.com\/\">Bois de Jasmin<\/a>, we explore the psychology of scent and myths around seduction. Throughout our conversation, we\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Science of Fragrance Addiction: Memory, Emotion, and the Brain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s 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. \u201cThis is why the connection between scent and memory or some sort of emotion can be so incredibly potent,\u201d Victoria explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the Covid years, many fragrance professionals began rethinking perfume\u2019s role. \u201cWe 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\u2019s the familiar comfort of Nivea hand cream. For others, particularly in France, the smell of sun lotion evokes carefree summer memories,\u201d she shares. The takeaway? Addictive scent experiences aren\u2019t limited to fine fragrance bottles; they\u2019re rooted in personal emotional associations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having said this, are there still certain fragrance families that trigger these emotions more than others?\u00a0 \u201cThere is some limited science that seems reliable,\u201d Victoria notes. \u201cCitrus, for instance, is one of them. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinique.fr\/products\/20781\/parfum\/happy\">When Clinique developed Happy<\/a>, studies showed grapefruit was strongly associated with positive emotions. Floral fragrances also generally generate uplifting responses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, she emphasizes the deeply personal nature of scent. Everything is also so individual at the same time. \u201cWhile it\u2019s positive to make general predictions, it\u2019s 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,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DHyTWCIoLUm\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DHyTWCIoLUm\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <div style=\" display: flex; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Perfume Isn\u2019t Just About Seduction Anymore<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fragrance, once a fairly niche industry, has moved firmly into the mainstream with the rise of social media. Suddenly, TikTok creators\u2013some experts, others more in the fragrance-enthusiast category\u2013began centering their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/acqua-di-parma-luce-di-rosa\/\">discussions around notes and attractiveness<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI often see messaging focused on whether a perfume is attractive or seductive. This is valid; it\u2019s fine to ask these questions. But it\u2019s not the only reason we wear perfume,\u201d Victoria says, adding that while \u201ctop 10 perfumes to attract\u2026\u201d lists can be entertaining, she suggests treating them as inspiration or \u201ca fun exercise\u201d rather than prescription.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe don\u2019t 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,\u201d 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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for trends? \u201cThe perfume industry is quite conservative. Whatever is trendy, 95% of the time it\u2019s been done before, just with a twist,\u201d Victoria notes. This is exactly why tuning into your own taste matters more than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Find an Addictive Signature Scent for Yourself<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of asking how to attract others, Victoria encourages a mindset shift: How does this fragrance make me feel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHow you project yourself to the world is how other people read you. This to me is a more important\u2013and overlooked\u2013aspect of perfume: to do something a little bit more difficult, which is figuring out what you like and what makes you feel good,\u201d Victoria shares.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2013florals, 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\u2019s a powerful reminder to return to something more personal. \u201c\u201cFind the fragrance that makes you feel wonderful,\u201d she says. \u201cYou\u2019ll know it: your heart skips a beat, you get butterflies. That reaction is unmistakable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After all the research and data, Victoria arrives at one clear conclusion. \u201cI\u2019ve 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>To discover more from Victoria Belim-Frolova, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/boisdejasmin.com\/\">Bois de Jasmin<\/a> and follow her on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boisdejasmin\/?hl=en\">Instagram<\/a> or subscribe to her <a href=\"https:\/\/boisdejasmin.substack.com\/\">newsletter<\/a> for ongoing fragrance insights.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What makes a fragrance addictive? You know the feeling\u2013catching a whiff of something so intoxicating, you have to lean in closer to experience it all over again. Maybe you\u2019ve 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&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34470,"featured_media":30895,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1881,3357],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scent-trends","category-top-stories"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/DALL\u00b7E-2024-10-02-13.30.10-A-simple-and-natural-illustration-of-a-cologne-bottle-spraying.-The-scene-is-minimalistic-featuring-just-the-bottle-held-in-mid-air-with-a-fine-mist-.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34470"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34363"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34373,"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34363\/revisions\/34373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scentbird.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}