Bedtime never smelled so good.
This Works, known for its sleep and wellness solutions, is launching Own Time, $115 for 50 ml, a fine functional fragrance that supports better sleep by kick-starting the parasympathetic nervous system. It will be available direct-to-consumer and at Marks & Spencer, SpaceNK and John Lewis in the U.K.
“This fragrance has been created to support that natural transition from daytime alert to evening calm,” said This Works chief executive officer Dr. Anna Persaud, noting that the formula is based on seven years of neuroscientific research.
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For Persaud, This Works’ mission to develop solutions to address chronic stress and sleep disruptions is very personal.
“[It] comes from my own dysregulated nervous system. I’ve had chronic nervous system dysregulation [since] my childhood… Whilst mine is chronic, now many, many people have acute nervous system dysregulation,” she said. “Despite their aspirations for wanting better wellness, better sleep, better quality of life, [people] are actually struggling more and more and more… The need for these types of wellness products is strong.”
She continued: “Because of our heritage and background in neuroscience, functional fragrance and now terpene science, these two categories for us in fine fragrance and well-being are legitimately an intersection that we want to enter.”
Own Time employs a variety of terpenes, naturally occurring compounds typically found in plants, including cannabis, that can calm the nervous system, in turn supporting calmer evenings and a better night’s sleep. In addition to employing its research in terpene science first, This Works also tapped Givaudan and perfumer Julie Noe to develop the woodsy aroma. The fragrance also includes notes of pink peppercorn, lemon myrtle, cardamom, olibanum, sandalwood, amber, musk and clove. The scent features a molecule that can only be activated in sunlight, allowing for notes of coumarin to come out during the day.
“We wanted the fragrance to smell comforting, cocooning. We wanted it to appeal to men and women. We wanted it to give feelings of comfort and security,” Persaud said, emphasizing the scent has a significant wear time to ensure optimal and ongoing benefits overnight.
Additionally, Persaud predicts consumers between 35 and 55 will be most interested in the fragrance, given this is the cohort most impacted by sleep disruptions.
While This Works has gained traction for its bestselling Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, $33 for 75 ml, that has sold over 12 million bottles, Own Time is unique in that it is meant to be worn as a traditional eau de parfum. As with its other formulas, This Works conducted its own neuroscience clinical testing to showcase the efficacy of the fragrance. According to a panel of 42 participants over 28 days, 74 percent fell asleep faster and 71 percent thought their sleep quality was better. In a panel of 45 participants over 28 days, 69 percent reported feeling calmer and more relaxed in the evening without changing anything else in their routine.
While this is This Works first fine fragrance, Persaud sees a lot of potential to continue playing in the category.
“These need states [relate to these] mood altering terpenes. They have a role and can be blended into other aroma bases to be able to use fragrance in a way that supports certain need states,” she said, noting the company has a pipeline of fragrances in the works. “The body clock is the guide because at different times of the day, the body is more prone to certain needs than others.”
