We could all do with a holiday about now.

But even if your travel plans have been postponed for another year, there is a guaranteed way to transport yourself to a citrus grove on the Amalfi Coast or a yacht bobbing gently on the Aegean Sea.

Scent is a powerful tool for feeling good and evoking your favourite memories. According to scientists, the brain stores away smells and emotions in the same way, meaning they are inextricably linked forever.

Research also tells us that simply smelling a pleasant fragrance can boost your mood by up to 40% – a reason as good as any to add some new options to your fragrance wardrobe.

Here are five summer-scented buys to try this week:

1. THE SCENT OF WEST CORK

Created by Joan Woods in her Glandore perfumery, Waters + Wild’s elegant, organic fragrances will transport you to West Cork. A long time favourite here at Yay Cork HQ, the Cedarwood + Cognac Eau de Parfum is a smooth scent, rounded with a hint of sweetness and hints of full bodied, earthy vetiver.

Buy it: Waters + Wild Cedarwood + Cognac Eau de Parfum is €35 at watersandwild.com

2. SELF-GIFTING THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

It’s tricky to choose the perfect scent for a special occasion, so why not take them all home? Atelier Cologne’s clever Perfume Palette contains ten of the New York-based French brand’s best-selling fragrances in a handy 4ml travel size.

Spritz on a blast of Clémentine California to start the day, pop a Pacific Lime in your holiday luggage, and pop a Cédre Atlas in your make-up bag for a night out – you’ll be enjoying new fragrances every day for months.

Buy it: Atelier Cologne Perfume Palette: €42 at Brown Thomas Cork

3. TAKE THE WEATHER WITH YOU

You may not have made it to the soft sands of Sardinia or Sicily this year, but luxury vegan beauty brand MONAT have created a way to whisk yourself off to the beach every time you sniff a strand of your hair.

The brand’s new Wave Spray is a sea-salt-free wave enhancing formula that protects and conditions damaged hair while leaving it soft and visibly shiny. Coconut water hydrates dry, dull locks while a blend of bright aromatic notes of natural bergamot peel, juicy pear, and sandalwood leave you feeling fresh all day.

Apply directly to wet hair and dry naturally for beachy waves and a mood-boosting summer scent.

Buy it: Monat Studio One Wave Spray will be launching soon here

4. AWASH WITH FRAGRANCE

One of the best ways to inject some luxury into the humdrum of the working week is to invest in a truly gorgeous handwash. Inspired by a legendary Irish love story, Cloon Keen’s Étaín Liquid Soap handwash is an enchanting flutter of fleshy tuberose and jasmine petals set against the woody gloam of cedar and patchouli.

Manufactured in small batches in Ireland, its mild blend of soothing botanicals, moisture-retaining glycerin and biome-friendly probiotics activate the skin’s natural ability to repair itself while protecting it against resistant bacteria and preserving the skin’s protective barrier. It makes a wonderful gift too.

Buy it: Cloon Kean Étaín Liquid Soap: €35 at cloonkeen.com

5. SUMMER SPLURGE

If you’re seeking something extra special to wear during the last lazy days of summer, the latest launch by Yves Saint Laurent Beauté is set to become a new classic.

Described as “a spectacular duet between a vividly natural red rose and a deep, velvety patchouli” Rouge Velours features a hint of smoky vetiver, a dash of citrusy white tea, and a sprinkle of pink pepper for texture and energy.

“It’s a very bright, spicy, happy top note that pushes up the whole composition”, says Master Perfumer Carlos Benaïm.

Buy it: Rouge Velours 75ml: €180 at Brown Thomas Cork