These witchy perfumes will put a love spell on you, according to a tarot reader

Mysticism is booming among millennials and Gen Z, with many leaning on crystals, tarot and astrology for their spiritual hit. So it's telling that witchy perfumes are also enjoying a moment in the fragrance spotlight, with the search term amassing over 4 million views.

Don't worry, witchy perfumes don't smell of frog's legs, nor are they blended in a bubbling cauldron. Instead they smell like a puff of aromatic smoke or off-beat herbs that sound like they've come straight out of a spell book.

Witchy perfumes also lean heavily into the magic of perfume molecules. First of all, they creep into the unconscious part of the brain where memory and emotion are stored in order to spark feelings of happiness or comfort whenever you sniff it.

Then, they transform on your skin. You may start with a bracing rush of citrus, but then other ingredients such as rose, vanilla and woods start to make an appearance. It's like dabbing invisible ink onto your wrists and waiting for the message to become visible.

Perfume is grounded in mysticism

Some perfume brands such as Loewe have gone so far as to create perfume collections around the four elements, while others are based on your star sign.

“In witchcraft, we invoke air, water, fire and earth – all elements that also make up a perfume – in rituals to heighten our senses and raise the energy,” says Sarah Potter, a professional witch and tarot reader.

“We may not be able to ‘see’ a scent, but we are aware of its powerful presence,” Sarah continues. “Historically, perfumed oils, resins, and incense featured in ancient ceremonies to appease deities. Now they are layered in perfumes to manifest an intention – to seduce, to feel more powerful, to feel protected – just as we use different ingredients to craft a spell.”

According to Yasmin Sewell, founder of fragrance brand Vyrao, the appeal of witchy perfumes lies in how they “help you feel more courage and creativity and help you tap into intuition and positive emotions."

For this reason, she collaborated with a psychic to create the The Sixth, a herbaceous and spicy juice. “The Sixth was created to open up your intuition and has scientifically proven ingredients for mindfulness,” she says.

“Working with my psychic made absolute sense as she chose specific ingredients she uses to channel her psychic abilities and we incorporated them all into an incredible, enlightening elixir.”

Other witchy ingredients include smoky incense and palo santo, which are arguably the most ritualistic of all scents. This is perhaps best demonstrated by Byredo De Los Santo, which conjures up moonlit primal ceremonies.

In particular, its delicate tendrils of smoke pay homage to Dia de los Muertos, a 3,000 year-old plus festival during which the line between the living and the dead is supposedly blurred and the spirits of the dead are believed to return home. Haunting indeed.

For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR's Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton.

Below, our pick of the best witchy perfumes: