We tried Charlotte Tilbury’s new ‘emotion-boosting’ perfume collection: Here’s our honest review
Charlotte Tilbury’s got a nose for the biggest beauty trends.
The makeup mogul’s products regularly go viral on TikTok, and have found famous fans in Emma Stone, Meghan Markle, Amal Clooney and Kate Moss (to name but a few).
So when the brand branched into perfume on Tuesday with its Fragrance Collection of Emotions — six scents that purportedly allow you to “spray on a feeling” — we smelled the potential for another phenomenon.
“As humans’ sense of smell is directly linked to the mind, Charlotte’s Fragrance Collection of Emotions bottles up the worlds of Love, Happiness, Sex, Energy, Empowerment, and Calm to immediately immerse you in feeling with a spray,” a press release reads.
“This process is backed by the IFF [International Flavors & Fragrance] Scentcube algorithm, which Charlotte and her team of experts used to identify emotion-boosting molecules that work in synergy with the scents’ ingredient combinations to boost specific emotions on the wearer with each spritz.”
Below, we put each of the “emotion-boosting” blends to the test — from the seductive (Love Frequency and More Sex) to the tranquil (Calm Bliss and Magic Energy) to the empowering (Joyphoria and Cosmic Power).
Our review
Joyphoria: “Happiness in a bottle”
The warm, floral Joyphoria features notes of “radiant” ylang ylang and “enchanting” vanilla bean extract. The overall effect isn’t overly sweet — as I’ve found some other vanilla blends to be — and instead feels a bit like a warm sunrise in fragrance form.
“It’s really nice. It’s sophisticated, but light enough that you could probably wear it every day,” Page Six Style Editor Elana Fishman said upon first sniff.
Cosmic Power: “Empowerment in a bottle”
As someone who prefers a spicy-sweet scent, this was by far my personal favorite of the bunch. While I can’t give it all the credit for manifesting cosmic luck — I tested it during Mercury retrograde, and successfully avoided any train delays or tech snafus — the spicy amber scent formulated with “bold” black pepper oil, “divine” cinnamon bark oil, “mystical” amber and “enchanting” vanilla bean extract lingered throughout the day.
Fishman likened it to the “most expensive dessert on the menu” — and it would make for an equally sweet surprise for Mother’s Day or for an astrology-loving friend.
More Sex: “Seduction in a bottle”
From the matter-of-fact name to the ruby bottle, there’s no mistaking the sensuality behind More Sex. Made with “sensual” sandalwood oil, “addictive and intoxicating” leather accord and velvety musk, the sultry blend feels like the perfume equivalent of a fiery red lipstick.
“Its first impression is musky, spicy and sweet, which I like,” said New York Post Updates Editor Holly J Coley. “Initially, I was disappointed that it didn’t have much projection after the initial dry-down. However, it’s really one of those perfumes that sits close to the skin, so someone has to be fairly close to experience it. In my opinion, that makes it a great date-night perfume.”
Love Frequency: “A love portal in a bottle”
With a pink bottle evoking a love potion, this floral-forward fragrance is by far the flirtiest of the bunch. Thanks to notes of “sultry” saffron, “romantic” rose ultimate extract and “addictive” pink pepper, it drew several comparisons to our staffers’ favorite Y2K-era perfumes — albeit with a much more elevated twist.
Magic Energy: “Energy in a bottle”
With top notes of “reawakening” bergamot and “earthy” myrtle, this citrusy, woodsy blend feels the most evergreen of the perfumes in more ways than one. In addition to evoking a walk through the forest, Magic Energy strikes a balance between woodsy and floral, perhaps suiting it to a wider range of preferences and occasions.
“I could see this being the most unisex of the scents; I feel like anyone could wear this and really like it,” Fishman added of the “woodsy but not overbearing” blend.
Calm Bliss: “Serenity in a bottle”
This fresh, floral-aquatic fragrance drew several beach-day comparisons among our team (several of whom even likened it to the smell of a really luxurious sunscreen). The clean-smelling scent features notes of “sparkling, precious” sweet neroli oil, “soothing” orange blossom absolute, “relaxing” lavendin oil, and “soft” white musk.
New York Post Commerce Writer Emma Sutton-Williams said it smells “like I just took a trip to Florida without all the expense.”
Fragrance Collection Of Emotions Discovery Set
Can’t decide on just one scent — or looking to sample all six? This mini set’s your best bet.
How we tested
Several of our staffers blind-reacted to each perfume — in an attempt to guess which emotion Tilbury intended to evoke — and spritzed on some of their favorites. Additionally, I sampled the new scents on different days of the week to compare the fragrance profiles and test how long each lasted.
The final verdict
Pros:
- With so many distinct options, there’s a little something for everyone
- The emotion inspiration is a fun concept if you’re hoping to manifest a certain feeling
- Luxe packaging — including a fairytale-like poem on each box — makes for a great gift
Cons:
- The price for a full-sized bottle ($150) is on the expensive side, especially if you collect them all
- Some scents (such as More Sex) didn’t linger on the skin as long in our testing
Tilbury’s first-ever full fragrance collection — preceded only by a limited-edition single scent launched in 2016 — brings new meaning to bottling up your emotions.
Just as rocking your favorite outfit can offer a confidence boost, the concept of conjuring an “invisible superpower” through fragrance is fun way to help manifest the energy you want to bring into your day (or in the case of some sultry scents, your date night).
Overall, we were impressed with the pretty, potion-like packaging and luxe-smelling fragrances included in the line. (Although, as some of our staffers noted, not all of the scents felt equally long-lasting.)
With six distinct options to choose from, there are plenty of chances to find one that suits your personal tastes — and ensure the emotion it evokes isn’t buyer’s remorse.
Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping
This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Page Six Style. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts Hollywood’s favorite labels to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.
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