Givaudan introduces HarmoniScentz™, its fragrance design technology developed to help consumers better manage acute stress
Harnessing the positive connection between fragrance and its impact on stress through neuroscience, physiological measurement and AI
Givaudan, the global leader in Fragrance and Beauty, unveils HarmoniScentz™, a new patent-pending innovation bringing the science of stress into fragrance creation. The technology provides perfumers with actionable design guidelines to create fragrances scientifically crafted to help consumers better cope with acute stress, while preserving broad olfactive freedom across Fine Fragrance, Personal Care, Air Care and Fabric Care. HarmoniScentz™ addresses an increasingly relevant consumer need, with 39% of people worldwide reporting experiencing stress during much of the previous day*.
Givaudan’s consumer research across the US, UK, Japan, Brazil and India highlights fragrance’s growing role in stress management, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z. With olfactory signals directly reaching brain regions involved in emotion, memory and physiological regulation, fragrance offers a unique avenue to explore how consumers respond to stress inducing moments.
“Neuroscience has been at the heart of Givaudan’s research into fragrance and well-being for many years, helping us deepen our understanding of how scent can influence emotions, moods and behaviour. With HarmoniScentz™, we are taking this expertise into the complex field of acute stress. Over five years, our teams have combined physiological and psychological research with fragrance expertise, testing a broad range of fragrances with more than 300 participants to translate this scientific understanding into meaningful guidance for fragrance creation.”
Jeremy Compton, Global Head of Science and Technology, Fragrances
To capture the body’s response to stress as it happens, Givaudan developed OrbiScanz™, its proprietary wearable biometric platform. The technology simultaneously captures a significant number of physiological signals during validated acute stress protocols, generating real-time data that can be combined with psychological measurements and advanced modelling to show how fragrance can positively mitigate acute stress.
“Stress can develop within seconds, which makes it particularly challenging to study. OrbiScanz™ gives our research teams a multidimensional view of physiological responses as they happen. Combining these signals with psychological data and advanced modelling allows us to uncover patterns that would otherwise be difficult to identify and translate them into insights that our perfumers can use.”
Simon Ellwood, Head of Health & Wellbeing, Fragrance & Beauty
HarmoniScentz™ turns this scientific understanding into creative possibilities for perfumers, demonstrating how fragrance science can help address evolving consumer well-being needs.
*Source: Gallup, Global Emotions 2025, N=145,000 across 144 countries.
About Givaudan
Givaudan is a global leader in Fragrance & Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing. We celebrate the beauty of human experience by creating for happier, healthier lives with love for nature. Together with our customers we deliver food experiences, craft inspired fragrances and develop beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good. In 2025, Givaudan employed over 17,500 people worldwide and achieved CHF 7.5 billion in sales with a free cash flow of 14.1%. With a heritage that stretches back over 250 years, we are committed to driving long-term, sustainable growth by improving people’s health and happiness and increasing our positive impact on nature. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Discover more at: www.givaudan.com.
About Givaudan Fragrance & Beauty
Givaudan Fragrance & Beauty crafts inspired fragrances to perfume lives and memories, and develops innovative beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good all over the world. Nature is both our responsibility and our most precious muse. We are just as committed to sustainability as we are to creating innovative products that satisfy consumer needs and anticipate their desires. With a collaborative approach that favours co-creation, we have built a diverse portfolio across personal care, fabric care, hygiene, home care, fine fragrances, and beauty, reflecting our multidisciplinary expertise. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Learn more at www.givaudan.com/fragrance-beauty.
For further information please contact
Mélanie Duprat, Fragrance & Beauty Communications
E melanie.duprat@givaudan.com