Charlotte Tilbury’s New Perfumes Promise to Enhance Your Every Mood

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

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

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

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

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

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